In September 1955, Chairman Mao took the list compiled by the selection team for titles, and when he saw Wang Jian'an's name appear in the column of the generals, he checked out his name separately, and commented on the side: "This person is proud and complacent, and it is advisable to appoint lieutenant generals." ”
The list of generals originally drawn up
Because of this small episode, the matter of Wang Jian'an's title, which was fully qualified, was shelved.
What was it that made Chairman Mao feel that Wang Jian'an was proud and complacent, and he shelved his chance to be awarded the rank of great general?
What did Wang Jian'an experience have afterwards?
Regarding the personality of General Wang Jian'an, General Xu Shiyou once described it this way: "At the meeting, the table will be slapped and scolded, and the table will never be demolished." ”
Wang Jian'an is a straight-forward temperamental personality, very stubborn, doing things vigorously, and indeed some impulsiveness. But he wasn't complacent, and he wasn't blind.
Wang Jian'an left such a false impression on Chairman Mao during the Liberation War. At that time, Wang Jian'an was the deputy commander of the Shandong Military Region, and Marshal Chen Yi and General Chen Geng led the order to Shandong. In one campaign, wang jian'an and Marshal Chen Yi had differences in terms of specific operational arrangements, and no one could convince anyone.
General Wang Jian'an
Wang Jian'an was in a hurry, stood up and slapped the table and quarreled with Chen Yi, and his voice was so loud that the entire Huaye Headquarters did not dare to make a sound. At that time, Wang Jian'an's position was still under Chen Yi, and he quarreled loudly on such occasions, which seemed to have a bit of a taste of "committing a crime below". The news soon reached Chairman Mao's ears, and Wang Jian'an left a bad impression on Chairman Mao.
And Wang Jian'an's impatience had already been cultivated when he was very young. Wang Jian'an is a native of Huang'an, Hubei Province, born in poverty, and has been going to work for the landlord's family since he was a child, and his childhood is very miserable. At the age of 14, Wang Jian'an herded cattle for the landlord's family, and was often beaten and scolded by the landlord for no reason.
This made Wang Jian'an intolerable, and he tried to get a piece of bacon as a tuition fee, and went to the Family of Li Diantang in Cangzhou's Eight Pole Gate to learn martial arts, and after completing his studies, Wang Jian'an returned to the landlord's house, who often bullied him, beat the landlord violently, scattered his money, and after a momentary impulse, also burned down the landlord's house.
Afterwards, Wang Jian'an calmed down, worried that the landlord had a grudge in his heart and was waiting for an opportunity to take revenge. He had to change his real name "Wang Jian'an" to "Wang Jian'an", ran out of his hometown, joined the army, and later participated in the jute uprising, which officially threw himself into the revolution and joined the party organization.
Another evidence that Wang Jian'an has no pride in his personality and has no one in sight is that he was still willing to be Xu Shiyou's deputy when he had a grudge with Xu Shiyou.
At that time, after the end of the Yudong War in 1948, Wang Jian'an had just arrived in the North China Military Region, and was called by Chairman Mao to learn of the DECISION of the People's Liberation Army to attack jinan. When Chairman Mao called him here, he hoped to transfer him to the Shandong Corps, with Xu Shiyou as commander and Wang Jian'an as deputy commander.
Chairman Mao
Chairman Mao also specially told Wang Jian'an that Xu Shiyou has great prestige in the Jiaodong army, that you Wang Jian'an are not bad, that you have made a name for yourself in the southern region of Central Lu, and that if both of you are in Shandong, you will be able to form the "Shandong Shuangxiong." As the saying goes, it is difficult to clap your hands alone, but if you work together with Xu Shiyou, you will certainly be able to strike loudly.
Wang Jian'an heard Chairman Mao's implications and knew that Chairman Mao was worried about the contradiction between him and Xu Shiyou.
Wang Jian'an and Xu Shiyou formed a vendetta during the Red Army period. Although he did not receive a serious education, Huang Jian'an was very fond of learning, and always found time to read and write between battles. The party organization admired him very much and arranged for him to study at the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University, laying the foundation for him to become a commander of the "military and government" in the future.
Anti-Japanese Military and Political University
During his studies at Kang Da, Wang Jian'an met Xu Shiyou, who also came to study here. Both of them are very brave in their fighting style, good at fighting hard battles, often winning battles, the two of them see the same, the relationship is very good, during the school period like brothers wearing the same pants.
In 1937, when the two were still studying at kang da, The straight Xu Shiyou was criticized because his criticism of Zhang Guotao was a bit excessive, and Xu Shiyou was also angry and sent to the hospital. After being discharged from the hospital, Xu Shiyou immediately gathered a group of old Red Army soldiers and wanted to lead everyone to shift their positions and go to Dabie Mountain to fight guerrilla warfare without authorization.
Of course, Wang Jian'an actively responded to the call of his friends, but in addition to his impulsive and impatient personality, Wang Jian'an was also very rational. After he calmed down and thought about it, he always felt that it was inappropriate to do so, so before Xu Shiyou left, Wang Jian'an reported the matter, and Xu Shiyou and others did not succeed.
General Xu Shiyou
Later, under Chairman Mao's patient persuasion and explanation, Xu Shiyou repented, but he could never forgive Wang Jian'an's behavior. The relationship between the two became very stiff. Therefore, before attacking Jinan City, Chairman Mao would inquire uneasily.
After understanding this, Wang Jian'an immediately stood up, saluted the chairman, and then loudly assured that he would do his best to assist Xu Shiyou in completing his task. Chairman Mao laughed happily and asked Wang Jian'an to find Premier Zhou.
Premier Zhou spent the night detailing the battle plan for him, and before Wang Jian'an bid farewell to Premier Zhou, he received a briefcase as a gift, which he insisted on using for decades afterwards.
The old city wall of Jinan
When Wang Jian'an saw Xu Shiyou again, the two did not say anything else, simply drank a drink, released their previous suspicions, and agreed with each other that when they took Jinan City, everyone would drink happily again. Wang Jian'an did what he said, and indeed he was diligent and earnest to serve as Xu Shiyou's deputy.
At that time, Xu Shiyou was not in the war zone for a while because of his injuries, Wang Jian'an took on the big responsibility alone, insisting until Xu Shiyou returned from recuperation, and after seeing Xu Shiyou, Wang Jian'an also humorously said that he could finally make a mistake. Xu Shiyou was very emotional, and immediately modestly said that he still needed Wang Jian'an's help in the next battle.
Later, with the mutual cooperation of Wang Jian'an and Xu Shiyou, from the beginning to the end of the war, it took only 8 days before and after the People's Liberation Army to attack the impregnable city of Jinan. When the news reached Chairman Mao, he was very happy, and he certainly did not look at the wrong person, and Wang Jian'an and Xu Shiyou were all good.
After that, Wang Jian'an also participated in important battles such as Huaihai and Crossing the River, and it was not until the founding of New China that he was able to rest.
After the Outbreak of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Wang Jian'an led his army to Korea. In 1953, when the Volunteer Army launched a summer counteroffensive, Wang Jian'an cooperated with Xu Shiyou's troops and successfully took a number of positions, making great contributions to the victory of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.
Judging from wang Jian'an's successive military achievements, like Xu Shiyou, the rank of general he was awarded was not exaggerated at all. However, when the conferment ceremony was about to be held in 1955, Wang Jian'an, who had been on the first front for many years, fell ill just after leaving the Korean battlefield.
When the awarding and selection team investigated all the founding generals, Wang Jian'an had been recuperating in the hospital. On the eve of the award of the title, Chairman Mao received the list submitted by the selection team. At a glance, he saw Wang Jian'an's name in the admiral column.
Five-five titles
Chairman Mao knew that Wang Jian'an had done a great deal of merit, but at the beginning, he impulsively made too much impression on Chairman Mao about Chen Yi's big quarrel. Chairman Mao subconsciously felt that Wang Jian'an was still the proud and complacent person, so he drew out his name with a pen and commented on the side: "This person is proud and complacent, and it is advisable to appoint a lieutenant general." ”
In this way, Wang Jian'an, who was recuperating from illness, rubbed shoulders with the rank of general.
However, the awarding and selection team has always kept this matter in mind, and they have made a list after strict screening. Firmly convinced that Wang Jian'an's exploits were worthy of the rank of general, in 1956, they found an opportunity to inform Chairman Mao of the truth.
Chairman Mao patiently listened to the opinions of the selection team, and he also realized that he had made a wrong decision because of a momentary prejudice. Therefore, under his arrangement, Mr. Peng witnessed that Wang Jian'an was given the rank of general and 3 first-class medals.
After that, No matter what position Wang Jian'an was in, he was diligent and earnest, and he worked hard and complained. When he inspected Xiamen in 1977, Wang Jian'an categorically refused to be accompanied by local leaders and personally went to the grass-roots level to investigate and offer condolences. He is also very strict with his children, transferring them far away and refusing to use his power for personal gain.
General Wang Jian'an and his wife
Wang Jian'an's life style is very frugal, and he also rejected the welfare of the state, and before he died of illness, he made a "five noes" agreement with his wife and children, did not hold a memorial service, did not lay a wreath, did not carry out a farewell ceremony, did not notify his former friends, and did not ask comrades to escort the remains to be cremated. He signed a body donation early on and sent the body to medical school for medical research after his death.
General Wang Jian'an has been thinking about the country and the people all his life, living a simple and frugal life, and always refusing to cause trouble to the country.