Among the founding generals, Wang Zhen was known for upholding and defending the truth, he was fierce and outspoken, and not only dared to fight against the wrong line, but also sheltered many cadres. In particular, during the ten years from 1966 to 1976, Wang Zhen waged a resolute struggle against Lin Biao and Jiang Qing's counterrevolutionary clique, completely demonstrating the demeanor of the older generation of revolutionaries.
On August 18, 1966, Wang Zhen, then the Minister of Agriculture and Reclamation, was attacked. When Wang Zhen returned home on this day, he was surrounded by more than 200 rebels in front of his house. Taking advantage of Wang Zhen's lack of attention, the rebels hung a large sign reading "Gangster Leader Wang Zhen" around his neck. Wang Zhen became angry, threw the sign directly to the ground, and shouted loudly: "I am revolutionary!" I'm not a gangster! I am a veteran of Chairman Mao, I only hang medals, never this thing! ”
The rebels saw that Wang Zhen was so tough, and planned to force him to lower his head, but Wang Zhen resisted vigorously and shouted angrily: "Lao Tzu's head has never been lowered!" ”
The rebels did not expect Wang Zhen, who was nearly 60 years old, to be so tough, and in the end they had to shout the slogans of "rebellion is justified" and "revolution is not guilty" and left.
Not long after, the Central Cultural Revolution Group took advantage of this incident to make an "article" and went to Mao Zedong to sue Wang Zhen, Mao Zedong laughed after hearing it, and said: "Who asked you to provoke him!" Wang Huzi used to fight in this style, bare-chested! The king's beard is not easy to mess with! It's okay to criticize and criticize if you have a problem, but don't fight him. him off, he can really play with you! ”
In the end, Mao Zedong said: "Wang Zhen is protected, Wang Zhen will not be defeated!" After that, Wang Zhen's condition began to improve.
Wang Zhen was furious when he heard this, slammed his fist on the table, and then said angrily: "Chiang Kai-shek said that he was a bandit, and you also said that he was a bandit, are you in a gang with Chiang Kai-shek?" ”
The person hurriedly said: "This is what Vice Chairman Lin said!" ”
Wang Zhen became more and more annoyed when he heard this, and he reprimanded: "Nonsense! We are all following Mr. He to make a revolution, saying that He Long is a bandit, then your surname Lin will not become a little bandit! If you want to be an official, if you want to be promoted, don't step on others to climb up, don't use the blood of revolutionary comrades as a stepping stone! ”
After Wang Zhen finished speaking, everyone present was shocked. After this incident, Wang Zhen's family persuaded him not to be so reckless in the future, he sighed and said: "With my temperament, I can't see a good person being wronged......"
As the veteran cadres were "knocked down" one after another, Wang Zhen has been pondering a key issue: In this difficult situation where the country has been seriously damaged by the "movement", there must be an outstanding revolutionary of the older generation to stand up and help and share the work for Zhou Enlai, who is seriously ill, otherwise, the future of the party and the country will be in danger.
Like many veteran cadres, Wang Zhen firmly felt that only Deng Xiaoping, who had been "defeated" at that time, could take up this heavy burden, and he was determined to take the risk of appealing everywhere and doing his best for Deng Xiaoping's comeback.
In 1972, Deng Xiaoping's youngest daughter, Deng Rong, arrived in Beijing on her way back to northern Shaanxi after visiting her parents in Jiangxi. After Wang Zhen found out, he specially called Deng Rong to his residence, held her hand affectionately and asked, "How is your father?" ”
Deng Rong was very moved after listening, she told Wang Zhen about the situation of her parents in Jiangxi, Wang Zhen said: "Tell your father, his problem must be solved!" I'm going to Premier Zhou! I still have to write a letter to Chairman Mao and the Party Central Committee! Your dad should come out to work! Don't go to northern Shaanxi, hurry back to Jiangxi, and tell your dad what I said! ”
Deng Rong later recalled:
During the "Cultural Revolution", when I became an adult, I experienced the warmth and coldness of people in any extraordinary period. But at this time, I was really touched by such care and treatment from Uncle Huzi. Uncle Beard dared to stand up and speak for my father at that time, how could he not be admired in his heart, and he would never forget it for the rest of his life!
Under the impetus of Wang Zhen and other veteran comrades, Deng Xiaoping returned to Beijing in early 1973. It didn't take long for Mao Zedong to appoint Deng Xiaoping again, giving him de facto command of the party, government, and army.
In January 1975, Wang Zhen was appointed vice premier of the State Council at the first session of the Fourth National People's Congress, and after that, he vigorously supported Deng Xiaoping's comprehensive rectification, and the results were remarkable.
But in early 1976, Deng Xiaoping was criticized, and Wang Zhen did not understand this, and he fell ill not long after. In the future, whenever Wang Zhen received the central document of "criticizing Deng", he always wrote Mao Zedong's words that Deng Xiaoping "talents are rare". Wang Zhen's secretary was worried about getting into trouble, so he quietly erased his comments with an eraser every time afterwards.
In April 1976, Deng Xiaoping was once again removed from all positions. Wang Zhen was very angry when he found out: "I'm going to Tiananmen Square to speak, let them arrest me!" ”
Wang Zhen found Ye Fei, Li Qiang, Wang Zhen and other old generals, and told them: "I plan to go up the mountain to fight guerrillas, do you dare to go with me?" How many men can you lead? How many guns can you take? ”
Wang Zhen's wife, Wang Jiqing, hurriedly comforted him and said: "You have to be calm, as soon as you calm down, you can think of many ways, and you can know what to do." ”
After the death of Mao Zedong, the "Gang of Four" accelerated the pace of usurping power, Wang Zhen was particularly worried about the fate of our party and country, and he talked to Ye Jianying many times. Once, Wang Zhen said to Ye Jianying very bluntly: "Ye Shuai, they are so arrogant, why don't you take them down?" Grab it, and the problem will be solved! ”
Among the central leaders at that time, Wang Zhen was the first to directly talk about arresting the "Gang of Four." Ye Jianying was worried that someone would overhear, so he hurriedly waved his hand to ask Wang Zhen to stop talking, and when he looked at no one around him, he whispered to Wang Zhen: "The old man is leaving, we can't act recklessly, we have to wait for the right time!" ”
At the end of the conversation, Ye Jianying asked Wang Zhen to ask Chen Yun's opinion. During the period of planning to smash the "Gang of Four," Wang Zhen has always played the key role of "liaison." He traveled more frequently and vigilantly between Ye Jianying and other veteran comrades on crutches, and made important contributions to the central authorities' eventual success in smashing the "Gang of Four."
Finally, we have to pay tribute to General Wang Zhen!