The revolutionary ancestors of modern China sacrificed countless lives for the victory of the revolution. In the Liaoshen Campaign, our army faced disadvantages, and every victory was won by virtue of the soldiers' tenacious will and fearless spirit of sacrifice.
Especially in the battle of the distribution pool, our army paid a terrible price, the entire battalion was left with only 25 people, and the battalion commander was finally awarded the rank of lieutenant general.
In 1948, the Northeast Field Army led by Lin Shuai and *** launched the Liaoshen Campaign, aiming to liberate Liaoning, Jilin and other regions. The Jinzhou region became the focus of the campaign due to its important strategic position and was the choke point of the Northeast and North China.
The capture of Jinzhou would prevent the enemy from moving south, and it would also cut off support from North China to the northeast. Therefore, the capture of Jinzhou was crucial for the liberation of Northeast and North China.
Our army realized the importance of the topography of Maoshan on the north side of Jinzhou, which was an ideal commanding height, and was in an excellent position to mobilize artillery fire or conceal the whereabouts of the troops.
The rapid capture of Jinzhou will not only help alleviate the problem of the build-up of armaments and materials, but also minimize the enemy's reinforcements.
The enemy army struggled to defend the Jinzhou area, especially in the northern part of the city, with two extremely fortified strongholds, one being an oil and chemical plant, and the other being a water distribution tank.
The area around the water distribution pool was extremely fortified, with more than a dozen bunkers scattered around, and countless open and hidden arrow firing points. The outermost part is also surrounded by barbed wire.
The enemy sent an additional 800 soldiers to defend the area around the water distribution pool, and in the face of such a tight defense, it was difficult for even a fly to fly into it.
The battle for the water distribution tank officially began, and the enemy boldly scribbled on the main building with the slogan "The water distribution pool is the second Verdun", calling themselves "iron men", convinced that with the fire of our troops, they could not break through the strong defenses created.
It was precisely because the German army was suppressed by Verdun in France that it was defeated one after another, which eventually led to the defeat of World War I and the end of the French campaign.
Therefore, the fact that the enemy forces entrenched in the water distribution pool claimed to be the second Verdun is enough to show their firm confidence that the water distribution tank is the strong fortress they have created, and will definitely push our army back and prevent our army from liberating the northeast and north China.
However, no matter how strong the city camp is, it cannot stop the pace of the PLA's advance and the torrent of history. The enemy army is complacent, but does not realize that this may be the last revelry.
At a time when the enemy army is complacent, the 1st Battalion of the 20th Regiment of the 7th Division of the 3rd Column of the Northeast Field Army, which our army is best at attacking fortifications, is about to start a fierce battle. Zhao Xingyuan, the commander of the 1st Battalion, who was only 23 years old, deserved his outstanding achievements and rich combat experience although he was young.
In the face of impregnable fortifications, Zhao Xingyuan firmly stated that he would resolutely complete the task. At 8 a.m. on October 18, the battle for the water distribution pool officially began, and the 1st Battalion took the lead in sending an assault company to prepare to cross the enemy's trenches for close combat.
The enemy placed a large number of explosives in the trenches, and after the assault company of our army rushed into the trenches, the enemy detonated the explosives, causing heavy **, and in the end only the instructors of the first company survived.
The regiment commander suggested that Zhao Xingyuan should retreat first, but Zhao Xingyuan refused, believing that retreating would only put the front-line soldiers in greater danger. So, he asked his superiors for grenade support, and immediately went into battle.
Fortunately, there were several houses near the water distribution pool, and Zhao Xingyuan led some soldiers to occupy the houses and use this as a base to attack the defenders in the water distribution pool. The Battle of the Water Distribution Pool in 1948 was a classic battle in the history of our army.
General Zhao Xingyuan led a battalion of soldiers after more than 20 fierce encounters, and finally captured this solid water distribution pool. However, the fierce fighting led to the fact that only 25 surviving fighters remained in the entire reinforced battalion, and the water distribution pool was even more miserable.
General Zhao Xingyuan experienced hardships in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, but the two battles that he remembered the most were the battle in which he was hit in the thigh by a stray bullet and almost died in the attack on Siping, and the tragic scene of the Battle of the Water Distribution Pool.
Even after many years, Zhao Xingyuan still remembers the cruel images of the war and the soldiers who died for the liberation of Jinzhou. Although these experiences are unforgettable, they failed to knock out Zhao Xingyuan. He then participated in the battle to liberate Hainan Island and once again made great achievements.
After the outbreak of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, General Zhao Xingyuan actively participated in the war and was eventually promoted to lieutenant general. Although the Battle of the Water Distribution Pool was a famous battle for General Zhao Xingyuan, he preferred to exchange honor and medals for his comrades who died in the battle.
In his later years, whenever Zhao Xingyuan mentioned his comrades who died in the battle of the water distribution pool, tears rained down. He knew that the honors and medals he could get were all earned by fighting death.
In that war years, which were full of life and death tests, countless soldiers died heroically on the battlefield, and only a few survived, and their fate often depended on luck and fighting spirit.
General Cho Heung-won ended his legendary life on July 13, 2016, at the age of 91. In the battle of the water distribution pool, the fighters not only interpreted the "righteousness without hesitation" with their blood, but also paved the way to victory.
The spirit of these warriors who are not afraid of life and death and move forward bravely has deeply inspired generations of fighters. General Zhao Xingyuan's outstanding command skills led to the victory of the first battle of the water distribution pool.
He and other fighters did whatever it took to fight fiercely against the enemy and write a miracle in history. We will always remember the heroic dedication of our revolutionary forefathers.