Xiangxiang, Hunan, is the source of the Xiang Army. "Since ancient times, there has been no Xiang army, and the Xiang army in the world has left Xiangxiang." Xiangxiang once "gathered talents with a hundred miles of land, maintained the overall situation with the prestige of an army", and "conquered eighteen provinces with the soldiers of one county", and after more than half a century, it has written a strong stroke in China's modern history.
Xiangxiang is also the cradle of red, and Mao Zedong, Cai and Sen studied at Xiangxiang Dongshan School and Xiangxiang No. 2 Middle School respectively. According to relevant information, Xiangxiang also produced four founding generals, and Chen Geng and Tan Zheng, two of the ten founding generals, were Xiangxiang people, and Tan Zheng was also Chen Geng's brother-in-law. Today we will not introduce Chen Geng and Tan Zheng much, focusing on the other two founding generals from Xiangxiang.
The first is Ding Qiusheng. Ding Qiusheng was born on November 9, 1913 in Xiejiabao Village, Lianhuaqiao Township, Xiangxiang County, Hunan Province, of Manchu ethnicity. In 1930, Ding Qiusheng joined the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. During the Agrarian Revolutionary War, Ding Qiusheng successively served as a political instructor of the 10th Regiment Company of the 4th Division of the 3rd Red Army, a political commissar of the 41st Regiment of the 14th Division of the 9th Red Army, a political commissar of the 1st Battalion of the Cadre Regiment of the Central Military Commission, and a political commissar of the 215th Regiment of the 73rd Division of the Red 25th Army.
During the All-out War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Ding Qiusheng served as an inspector of the Inspection Regiment of the Eighth Route Army's Left Behind Office, the director of the Political Department of the 1st Brigade of the Shandong Column of the Eighth Route Army, the political commissar and director of the Political Department of the 4th Regiment of the Luzhong Military Region, and the director of the Political Department of the Lunan Military Region. During the Liberation War, Ding Qiusheng served as the political commissar of the 8th Division of the Shandong Field Army, the political commissar of the 3rd Column of the East China Field Army, and the political commissar of the 22nd Army of the Third Field Army. Ding Qiusheng led his troops to participate in the battles of Sizhou, Suqian, Lunan, Laiwu, Menglianggu, Shatuji, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Jinan, Huaihai, Crossing the River, and liberating the Zhoushan Islands. In 1955, Ding Qiusheng was awarded the rank of lieutenant general.
The second is Kuang Bin. Born in 1913, Kuang Bin joined the Red Army in 1932 and joined the 1st Company of the 25th Regiment of the 9th Division of the 3rd Red Army. In 1933, Kuang Bin was promoted to platoon commander of 1 battalion and 1 company of the 1st Regiment of the 1st Division of the 1st Red Army. In one battle, as the sharp knife platoon leader of the whole regiment, he led the whole platoon boldly interspersed, rushed into the enemy army, punched and charged, and was promoted to company commander after the war. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Kuang Bin successively served as the commander of the 7th Company of the 2nd Battalion, 685 Regiment, 343rd Brigade, 115th Division, the commander of the 115th Division's Teaching Brigade, and the chief of staff of the 115th Division's 4th Brigade.
During the Liberation War, Kuang Bin first served as the brigade commander of the 20th Brigade of the 7th Column of Luyu in Jinji, he led his troops to conquer Juye, killed and captured more than 2,000 enemy people, attacked Jining, and annihilated 5,000 enemy troops. In 1948, Kuang Bin was transferred to the commander of the 8th Military Subdistrict of the Yuwan Soviet Military Region and participated in the Battle of Eastern Henan. In 1949, Kuang Bin served as deputy chief of staff of the 18th Army of the Second Field Army. He marched with Erye into Guizhou. In 1955, Kuang Bin was awarded the rank of major general.