In December 1973, four months after the Tenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Central Military Commission listened to Chairman Mao's opinion and issued an order: the commanders of the military regions in Beijing and Shenyang, Jinan and Wuhan, Fuzhou and Shanghai were to be exchanged with each other, and all the transfer work should be completed within ten days, and each commander must arrive at his new post within ten days.
As soon as this order was issued, it was opposed by Xu Shiyou, who was then the commander of the Nanjing Military Region. He said he would not go anywhere but Nanjing.
When Chairman Mao learned of this news, he invited him to play chess with him, and as a result, Chairman Mao had just taken a step of chess, when Xu Shiyou suddenly got up, saluted Chairman Mao, and accepted the order very simply.
Pictured by Mao Zedong and Xu Shiyou
What step did Chairman Mao take that caused Xu Shiyou's attitude to change so much?
All this must start from the reason why Chairman Mao must adjust the commanders of the eight major military regions. Judging from the changes in the relationship between our Party and the army, the party has absolute leadership over the army, but in fact, the situation is somewhat complicated.
Mao Zedong once said: "Our principle is to let the party command the gun, and we must never allow the gun to command the party." With the army there is a party, but the army is used to protect the party, not to hurt each other. If you fail to grasp the gun in your hand, it may hurt itself. ”
Picture 丨 Mao Zedong
Therefore, after the founding of New China, Chairman Mao grasped the army very closely and always paid attention to the movements of those army leaders. He also served as chairman of the Central Military Commission, and major events in the army were reported to him, even if it was a battalion, and even the transfer of the company had to be approved by him.
But what ultimately caused this confrontation was Lin Biao's attempt to usurp power and the resulting "913 Incident". The storm caused by Lin Biao finally ended with his death. This incident made Chairman Mao begin in his mind the preparation of the plan of "the commanders of the eight major military regions."
Pictured by Mao Zedong and Lin Biao
On March 10, 1973, Deng Xiaoping was reinstated and elected a member of the Central Committee at the Tenth Party Congress in August of the same year. At this time, Zhou Enlai's illness had begun to slowly worsen, and Chairman Mao deliberately trained Deng Xiaoping to become Zhou Enlai's successor, which was very important to him.
During a work report, Mao Zedong told Deng Xiaoping about the fact that the commanders of the major military regions had not been mobilized for a long time, and asked him to talk about his own suggestions. After pondering for a long time, Deng Xiaoping picked up the teacup in front of him and swapped his teacup with Chairman Mao's.
When Chairman Mao saw this, he smiled and said, "The hero sees the same thing." Then he added, "A person has been in one place for a long time." So, at the Politburo meeting in December, Chairman Mao put forward the idea of reversing the adjustment.
Pictured: Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping
After Chairman Mao put forward this idea, most of the participants expressed their approval. After all, for the commanders of several military regions, it is not very different whether they are in which military region they are commanders.
At the end of the meeting, Chairman Mao officially announced the transfer order and appointed Deng Xiaoping as chief of the general staff of the People's Liberation Army. In addition, he also made several special requests
Pictured: Mao Zedong in a meeting
Soon, the commanders of the eight military regions all learned of this news. When I first learned of this news, it was inevitable that everyone had some negative emotions in their hearts.
After all, most people have been working in their positions for a long time, whether it is in work or life, they have adapted to this place, and they have met a lot of friends here.
Now that I want to start over in a place where I am not familiar with life, I will inevitably feel dissatisfied. But this was chairman Mao's personal order, and the military order was like a mountain, and everyone had to obey the order.
When he learned that he would also be transferred, he objected on the spot and said: "I will not go anywhere except Nanjing, it was Chairman Mao who asked me to stay in Nanjing." ”
In order to express his determination to resolutely oppose, he also deliberately did not respond when he heard Wang Hongwennian's transfer of the list during the meeting, so that Wang Hongwen could not get off the stage. Zhou Enlai, who was still on the sidelines, reacted quickly, and he directly took the list and re-named it, so that the meeting could continue.
Chairman Mao was not angry when he heard the news. He knew that Xu Shiyou had a straight temperament and a hot temper, and it was not surprising that he could do such a thing.
Chairman Mao and Xu Shiyou are old friends for many years. Xu Shiyou has been fighting all his life, on the battlefield, not afraid of the sky, but he only respects and admires one person, this person is Mao Zedong.
Everyone knows that Xu Shiyou listens to Chairman Mao's words the most, and it is most effective to deal with Xu Shiyou and use Chairman Mao's words. Chairman Mao also admired Xu Shiyou very much, because he was loyal and courageous, and he had both courage and courage. From the time the two met to the present, Mao Zedong saved Xu Shiyou twice.
Once, in 1937, Xu Shiyou was implicated in Zhang Guoshou's affair and sentenced to one and a half years in prison. Mao Zedong visited Xu Shiyou several times during his imprisonment and brought him his favorite Moutai wine.
When Mao Zedong visited Xu Shiyou again, Mao Zedong asked him what his plans were for the future. Xu Shiyou said sadly, "What else can I do?" I don't even have party membership, what else can I do but go home and farm and serve my old mother? ”
Picture Zhou Enlai and Xu Shiyou
Mao Zedong then said: "If you are expelled from the party, you can be restored, and the party still needs you, take your knife, and go to the front line." Not long after, the Party Central Committee pardoned Xu Shiyou and let him return to kang da to continue his studies.
The following year, the Party Central Committee revoked Xu Shiyou's party sanctions and restored his party membership. This incident has always been remembered by Xu Shiyou, and after Chairman Mao's death, Xu Shiyou recalled the incident again and said: "From that day on, Chairman Mao gave me a new political life. ”
The other was in 1967, when there were many voices criticizing Xu Shiyou in East China. Chairman Mao came to Hangzhou and talked to a local person in charge about Xu Shiyou.
Mao Zedong then asked the person in charge, "Why did you overthrow Xu Shiyou?" ”
The person in charge said: "Everyone says that Xu Shiyou has always opposed Chairman Mao. ”
After listening to the words of the responsible person, Chairman Mao's attitude suddenly became serious, and he solemnly said: "Comrade Xu Shiyou has never opposed me. Chairman Mao's remarks instantly made people who did not know right from wrong at that time completely understand.
In September, Chairman Mao did not see Xu Shiyou's name on the list of personnel at a work meeting, so he sent someone to inquire about his whereabouts. After learning that he had hidden in Dabie Mountain, he immediately sent someone to take Xu Shiyou to Zhongnanhai.
As soon as Xu Shiyou got off the plane, he saw Chairman Mao who had personally come to pick him up. A big man actually cried out on the spot because of his emotions. He held Chairman Mao's hand tightly, and it took a long time for his mood to calm down.
But what no one expected was that the first thing Xu Shiyou said after meeting Chairman Mao was to plead with Chairman Mao to take off his black gauze hat and let him go home to herd cattle.
Tu Shu Xu Shiyou led the troops to fight
Chairman Mao looked at his haggard friend in front of him and was silent for a long time before he said, "Comrade Shiyou, you are the commander of the Nanjing Military Region, how can you throw away your hat?" You have to cheer up and give the troops a good leadership. ”
After Xu Shiyou listened, he burst into laughter and replied loudly: "Chairman, you can rest assured, I will not let you down." It was precisely because of Mao Zedong's protection that Xu Shiyou was able to survive that difficult period.
This incident was also firmly remembered by Xu Shiyou, indeed as he once said: "There is no Chairman Mao, and there is no me Xu Shiyou." ”
Mao Zedong saved Xu Shiyou's life twice, and Xu Shiyou also protected Chairman Mao many times. The two who have experienced countless life and death trials together have become friends who trust each other, and this friendship is very precious.
The two also know each other as well as they know each other. Therefore, when what Xu Shiyou did at the meeting reached Chairman Mao's ears, he was not at all surprised.
Xu Shiyou is a person with a fiery temper, and as soon as the anger is on the head, he will do irrational things. But fortunately, Xu Shiyou has always been calm enough in major matters and will never make mistakes in important things. Judging from the current situation, only by talking to him personally can Xu Shiyou obey the order.
Therefore, Chairman Mao, who had thought it out, sent someone to summon Xu Shiyou and prepare to play chess with him. Xu Shiyou was not good at playing chess, but this time it was Chairman Mao's invitation.
Xu Shiyou respected Chairman Mao very much, and in the face of the chairman's invitation, he did not think so much, very simply agreed, and then was invited to Chairman Mao.
Pictured: Deng Xiaoping and Xu Shiyou
After Chairman Mao saw Xu Shiyou, he still greeted Xu Shiyou with a kind face, and there was no anger on his face. When Xu Shiyou saw that Chairman Mao was not angry, he immediately relaxed a lot.
He smiled sheepishly, scratched his head, and said, "Chairman, don't you know how many pounds I have?" I can't get off you. ”
"At this time and another time, today I invited you to come down, and if you lose, I will not ask you for anything." Mao replied humorously.
The two only said a few words of greeting and began to play chess. This game is Xu Shiyou's first, and his is a red chess piece. Xu Shiyou picked up a soldier and took a step forward. Chairman Mao looked at it, took out a cigarette without any hurry, lit it, and then took a sip, spit it out before picking up the veteran general in the black chess base camp and moving to the side.
Xu Shiyou was very surprised, thinking that the chairman had made a mistake, so he couldn't help but remind: "Chairman, this is just the beginning, how did you move the veteran?" ”
Chairman Mao smiled and said meaningfully: "When people are old, their command cannot move, and only I, the old man, will move and move first!" ”
At this time, if Xu Shiyou still did not understand Chairman Mao's meaning, he would have lived so long in vain. Shocked, he stood up from his chair at once, saluted Chairman Mao with a standard military salute, and then said firmly: "Chairman, I will always be your soldier. Listening to Xu Shiyou's words, Chairman Mao patted him on the shoulder, smiled, and said, "That's right." ”
In this way, Xu Shiyou returned to Nanjing after saying goodbye to Chairman Mao and began to pack his own bags. In December 1972, Xu Shiyou left Nanjing and hurried to Guangzhou.
Picture 丨 Xu Shiyou
Facts have proved that Chairman Mao's order is very correct. This move not only ensured that the party had absolute control over the army, but also strengthened the exchanges between the various military regions.
Most importantly, Chairman Mao used this trick alone to completely stabilize the turbulent political situation at that time. I have to say that Chairman Mao is really powerful. Such a powerful person deserves everyone's admiration.
As a great leader of the people, Chairman Mao had wisdom and wisdom beyond ordinary people. He not only relies on his own personality charm to make Xu Shiyou feel admiration, but also makes us admire countless Chinese. Even if Chairman Mao is no longer here, his spirit will be passed on from generation to generation of Chinese sons and daughters.