One night in November 1987, Beijing Nanyuan Airport was filled with darkness. At this time, the temperature in Beijing at night has already had a noticeable chill. Yang Dezhi, the 76-year-old chief of the general staff, led a group of deputy chiefs to wait in the night for the arrival of a military plane. Which "big man" needs the elderly boss to pick him up personally?
The story begins at the beginning of November of this year. On November 3, Comrade Deng Xiaoping, then chairman of the Central Military Commission, signed an order appointing General Chi Haotian, then political commissar of the Jinan Military Region, as the new chief of the platon's general staff.
Marshal Xu Qianqian, the first chief of state after the founding of New China
Chi Haotian's appointment also marks the arrival of a new era. In the more than 30 years before that, Xu Xiangqian, Nie Rongzhen (agent), Su Yu, Huang Kecheng, Luo Ruiqing, Yang Chengwu (agent), Huang Yongsheng, Deng Xiaoping (concurrently), Yang Dezhi and other 9 people held this position. They are all battle-hardened and battle-winning founding generals. In September 1955, when our army was awarded the title, Xu Xiangqian and Nie Rongzhen were ranked among the top ten marshals. Su Yu, Huang Kecheng, and Luo Ruiqing are all among the top ten generals, and most of them are ranked high. Among them: Su Yu ranked first, Huang Kecheng ranked third, and Luo Ruiqing ranked relatively low, ranking eighth. Yang Chengwu (acting), Huang Yongsheng, and Yang Dezhi were among the 57 founding generals, and they were also one of the heroes and generals who experienced the agrarian revolutionary war, the War of Resistance Against Japan, the War of Liberation, and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. Yang Dezhi was also the commander-in-chief of the Western Front in the counterattack against vietnamese self-defense.
Chen Bingde
Unlike these founding generals who had been fighting in the Southern Expedition and the Northern War for decades, starting from Chi Haotian, the new generation of soldiers who held this post were the new generation of soldiers who joined the army in the late period of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression or even after the Liberation War or even the founding of the Country. After Yang Dezhi, a total of 7 people, including Chi Haotian, Zhang Wannian, Fu Quanyou, Liang Guanglie, Chen Bingde, and Li Zuocheng, held this position. Among them, Chi Haotian and his successor Zhang Wannian joined the army in the late stages of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Among them, Chi Haotian joined the Eighth Route Army in July 1945, and Zhang Wannian joined the Eighth Route Army in August 1944. After Zhang Wannian was the chief, all of them joined the army after the liberation war. Among them, Fu Quanyou joined the Chinese People's Liberation Army in October 1946. Starting from Liang Guanglie, they all joined the army after the founding of the People's Republic of China, of which Liang Guanglie joined the army in January 1958, Chen Bingde joined the army in April 1961, and Li joined the army in December 1970.
General Chi recalls that battle many years later, and it is still unforgettable.
Chi Haotian, Zhang Wannian, fu Quanyou, and other commanders who joined the army during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression or the War of Liberation were all combat heroes. During the Liberation War, Chi Haotian successively participated in the battles of Laiwu, Menglianggu, Jinan, Huaihai, Dujiang and Shanghai, and was awarded the title of People's Hero of the Third Class in East China and was rated as a First Class Combat Model. In the campaign to liberate Shanghai, he led 2 soldiers to capture more than 1,000 enemy troops, and liberated the "Four-Element Warehouse" that the Japanese army attacked for many days without capturing it without firing a single shot. During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, he participated in the Second and Fifth Campaigns and the defensive operations of the positions in the summer and autumn of 1951, and was awarded the Order of the National Flag of the Third Class of the DPRK. To put it more, in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Chi Haotian took part in the arduous operations on the eastern front of the 27th Army, where the "Ice Sculpture Company" (there were three at that time, namely, the 6th Company of the 177th Regiment of the 59th Division of the 20th Army, the 2nd Company of the 180th Regiment of the 60th Division, and the 5th Company of the 242nd Regiment of the 80th Division of the 27th Army).
Commander Zhang in the counterattack operation
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Zhang Wannian participated in the ambush of the Japanese army west of Huangchengji, the crusade against the traitor Zhao Baoyuan, the attack on Shuigoutou, and the attack on Pingdu. During the Liberation War, he participated in the battles of Xinkailing, Sanxia Jiangnan Sibao Linjiang, the 1947 Summer and Autumn Offensive, Liaoshen, Pingjin, Dujiang, Hengbao, and the liberation of Guangxi. After liberation, he participated in the liberation of Nanpeng Island and Dongshan Island. In January 1979, while serving as the commander of the Iron Army Division, he led his troops to participate in the counterattack against vietnamese self-defense. Because of his wonderful performance, he won the attention of Deng Gong and was praised by him as "the person who really led the soldiers". Fu Quanyou participated in the battles of Fenxiao, Yanqing, Yichuan, Fumei, and Lanzhou. In January 1953, he participated in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, participated in the preparation of the anti-landing campaign and the summer offensive campaign in the spring of 1953, and was awarded the first class merit once and the third class merit twice.
After being awarded the rank of major in 1955, the heroic General Chi and his wife took a group photo.
Without exception, all of them were awarded or promoted to the rank of general (also the highest rank in our army in the new period). Among them, Chi Haotian was one of the first 17 generals in September 1988 when our army implemented the new rank system after 23 years of suspension. Zhang Wannian and Fu Quanyou were promoted to general in 1993. Others are promoted later. But in the September 1955 assignment, they were only junior officers at the rank of lieutenant. Among them: Chi Haotian was awarded the rank of major, the Order of Liberation of the Third Class, and promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1962. Zhang Wannian was awarded the rank of lieutenant and the Order of Liberation of the Third Class, and was promoted to the rank of major in May 1960 and to the rank of lieutenant colonel in April 1963. Fu Quanyou was awarded the rank of lieutenant and the Liberation Medal. He was promoted to the rank of major in February 1960. Others missed the award.
It can be said that Chi Haotian is an important symbol of inheriting the past and the future. In addition, he was the only one to be promoted from the post of political commissar of the Grand Military Region to the position of commander-in-chief. It's also a history of making. Of course, if you open Chi Haonan's resume, you will find that it is natural for him to take on such a heavy responsibility. Because, he had served as a correspondent, deputy squad leader, battalion secretary, cultural officer, company deputy instructor, instructor, deputy director of the regimental political department, director, deputy political commissar of the regiment, deputy political commissar of the regiment, director of the political department of the division, deputy political commissar of the division, deputy political commissar of the military, political commissar of the army, political commissar of the division, deputy political commissar of the Beijing Military Region, deputy chief of the general staff, and other posts at all levels of the army, and also studied in the synthetic department of the PLA Military Academy, the highest academic institution at that time. There are rich practical combat experience and training in military and political posts at multiple levels, and the age advantage is still very obvious.
In November 1987, chi Haotian, the new chief of the general staff, took a group photo with Yang Dezhi, the former chief of the general staff.
When Chi Haotian stepped off the gangway of the plane, he was surprised to find that the 76-year-old Yang Dezhi personally led the members of the new and old leadership groups of the General Staff to greet him collectively, and his heart was both very touched and very uneasy. He walked down the gangway quickly and tightly held the hand of the old chief Yang Dezhi, not knowing how to say it.
At that time, some comrades felt that Yang Dezhi was old and it was night again, and advised him not to go. But Yang Dezhi said: "I want to take the lead in supporting the work of the new general manager."
At the meeting held by the General Staff the next day to welcome the new general manager to his post, Yang Dezhi briefed the comrades attending the meeting on Chi Haotian's situation. He said with appreciative evidence: "Chi Zongchang, 58 years old this year, was rich and powerful, he enlisted in the army during the War of Resistance Against Japan, fought bravely, received many meritorious awards, won the glorious title of Hero of the People's Republic of China, and had experience in working in the army, the large military region, and the general headquarters. Yang Dezhi hoped that everyone would support Chi Haotian to do a good job in the work of the General Staff as he supported him.
General Chi Haotian and the soldiers took a group photo
When Yang Dezhi finished introducing the situation, Chi Haotian excitedly stood up and said to Yang Dezhi: "I salute the boss!" Thank you very much for your encouragement to me. Then he saluted everyone and said sincerely: "I feel very sudden that the central authorities have placed me in such an important post. It's too heavy to put such a burden on my shoulders."
It should be known that Chi Haotian Xiao Yang Dezhi was 18 years old, only 58 years old at the time, which can be regarded as Yang Dezhi's junior. What's more, Yang Dezhi is also a well-known battle general in the People's Liberation Army. When New China was founded, Yang Dezhi was already the commander of the corps, while Chi Haotian was just an ordinary company instructor. In the face of the Central Military Commission's heavy use of itself, and the trust and support of the boss general for himself. Chi Haotian felt a lot of pressure, he was worried that he would not be able to do a good job, he had failed to live up to the expectations of the organization, and he had failed to live up to the trust and support of Yang Dezhi and other elders. Finally, Chi Haotian said that he must do a good job and live up to the trust of the organization and the expectations of his comrades.
In response to Chairman Mao's call, Yang Dezhi (left), the first soldier in the lower company, and General Li Yaowen, who later became the political commissar of the Navy,000 on the right (awarded in 1988)
Boss Yang Dezhi naturally knows this. With his own practical actions, he relieved the anxiety in the heart of the new chief. In addition to giving Chi Haotian a high courtesy, he also took the lead in enthusiastically helping and vigorously supporting Chi Haotian to do a good job. An old comrade and old chief were brought into play to "help the horse and send a ride" to help the situation.
After Chi Haotian officially took office, Yang Dezhi gave him a detailed introduction to the current situation of the General Staff, the development of various work, and the key tasks that need to be paid attention to. In particular, he mentioned how to seek big things, grasp big things, and be a good assistant to the Central Military Commission. After listening to the introduction of the boss, Chi Haotian felt that he had benefited a lot and further strengthened his confidence in doing a good job.
Yang Dezhi, who was awarded the rank of general in 1955, recorded his outstanding merits with several glittering medals
In the following period, Yang Dezhi also sorted out his work manuscripts and relevant materials and sent them to Chi Haotian so that Chi Haotian could refer to them in his work. Chi Haotian conscientiously studied these materials, and he believed that these manuscripts and materials embody the painstaking efforts and wisdom of the boss and are a precious spiritual wealth that should be inherited, draw strength from them, and carried forward in the new period.
Since then, during the 5 years that Chi Haotian has been the chief of the general staff, he has often visited the door to consult Yang Dezhi, and the boss has always received warmly and cordially encouraged him. The care and encouragement of the boss made him deeply moved, gave him the confidence and motivation to do a good job, and he was very grateful to the boss for his help and support to the young cadres.
In March 1993, Chi Haotian became a member of the Central Military Commission, a state councilor, and a minister of national defense. In September 1995, he was promoted to vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, state councilor and minister of national defense. He retired at the age of 74 until March 2003.
In his later years, Yang Dezhi and General Wang Ping visited Nie Shuai, who was also the second governor after the founding of the People's Republic of China.
After leaving his post as commander-in-chief, General Yang Dezhi was elected as a member of the Standing Committee of the Central Consultative Committee at the 13th National Congress held in the same year, and continued to shine in another post, faithfully practicing the purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly and the glorious tradition of living from the old revolution to the old. He died in Beijing on October 25, 1994, at the age of 83.