Zeng said: "Zhang Zongxun is a down-to-earth and reliable person, but sometimes he lacks decisiveness, whether it is for superiors or subordinates, he should maintain a clear principle of reward and punishment."
Such an evaluation seems to be a bit tortuous, because when it comes to Zhang Zongxun's military exploits and qualifications, he is undoubtedly not inferior to other colleagues.
However, at the 1955 award ceremony, everyone was surprised to find that Zhang Zongxun was only awarded the rank of general, not a well-deserved general.
First of all, Zhang Zongxun's revolutionary roots are deep.
Born in 1908, he was born in a farming family in Weinan County, Shaanxi Province.
Influenced by the revolutionary ideology, Zhang Zongxun's uncle Zhang Hao has always been a loyal follower of the revolution.
Under his influence, Zhang Zongxun came into contact with the party's ideology at an early age and was determined to contribute to the country. In 1925, he walked into the Whampoa Military Academy to receive systematic military training and listen to the analysis of the battle situation.
However, during the Northern Expedition, Zhang Zongxun chose to join the party without hesitation due to the problem of dual identity.
Zhang Zongxun's military career was not all smooth sailing.
In the task of defending the safety of ***, he led the team to fight, and even used his body as a shield to escort ***, and was seriously injured twice.
In the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he served as the director of the First Bureau of the Military Commission, debunked the rumors, and won a valuable victory for our army.
Zhang Zongxun's performance is not only manifested on the battlefield, but also in his concern for the soldiers, but sometimes his soft-heartedness becomes a double-edged sword.
In a certain battle against the enemy, he gave up the opportunity to completely annihilate the enemy army because of his pity for the soldiers, leaving breathing space for the enemy, and the thought of the moment caused our army to lose a victory.
Especially in the War of Liberation, Zhang Zongxun showed his down-to-earth side. At the critical moment of the liberation of Datong, he fought with the enemy army, and with his ingenious tactics and tenacious perseverance, he successfully pushed the enemy army into a corner.
However, in difficult times, his soft-heartedness reappeared. In the Battle of Jining, he could have held on to the victory, but because of pity for the soldiers, he relaxed his vigilance and regained the initiative for the enemy.
** commented on Zhang Zongxun: "It's not good enough when it's supposed to be."
**'s evaluation is not only an acknowledgment of Zhang Zongxun's lifelong contributions, but also a reflection on his too soft-heartedness.
** Point out that rewards and punishments need to be clear, and decisive decisions are needed at every moment in war. Zhang Zongxun's military career was rich and tortuous, and his soft-heartedness may have come from his concern for his soldiers, but in war, decisiveness and resoluteness are equally crucial.
This is a contradictory and rich character, and it is this contradiction that constitutes a unique historical chapter of Zhang Zongxun.