The Long March was a great strategic shift of the Red Army under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and a milestone in the history of the Chinese revolution. The forced crossing of the Dadu River was a life-and-death battle in the Long March, which showed the indomitable will of the Red Army and the heroic spirit of not being afraid of sacrifice.
In early May 1935, after the Red Army's Long March crossed the Jinsha River, it continued northward along Huili to Xichang Avenue, preparing to cross the Dadu River into northwest Sichuan. Chiang Kai-shek urgently ordered the main force of the 24th Army of the Sichuan Army to build forts along the left bank of the Dadu River from Luding to Hanyuan to block the attackWith the main force of the 20th Army and the first part of the 21st Army, it advanced to the Ya'an and Fulin areas, strengthened the defensive forces north of the Dadu River, and attempted to encircle and annihilate the ** Red Army in the area south of the Dadu River by virtue of the Dadu River.
Dadu River is a major tributary of the Min River, the river is 300 meters wide, the water is deep and rapid, the two banks are steep mountains, and the terrain is dangerous.
On the evening of May 24, the 1st Regiment of the 1st Division of the Red Army's vanguard arrived at Anshun Field on the right bank of the Dadu River after a rapid march of more than 80 kilometers. This place was garrisoned by 2 companies of the Sichuan Army, and the ferry on the opposite bank was fortified by 1 battalion of the 7th Regiment of the 5th Brigade of the 24th Army of the Sichuan Army. That night, the 1st Red Regiment led the 2nd Battalion by Li Lin, the political commissar of the regiment, to the downstream of the ferry to make a feint, and the regiment commander Yang Dezhi led the 1st Battalion to approach Anshun Field in three ways in the rain, and suddenly launched an attack, and after more than 20 minutes of fighting, defeated 2 companies of the Sichuan Army, occupied Anshun Field, and found a wooden boat near the ferry.
On the morning of the 25th, ** personally commanded the forward position. Sun Jixian, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 1st Red Regiment, selected 17 warriors from the 2nd Company to form a river-crossing assault team, with the company commander Xiong Shanglin as the captain and 4 local boatmen such as Shuai Shigao to ferry. At 7 o'clock, the forced crossing began, and the light and heavy on the shore ** at the same time **, covering the assault team to cross the river, and the gunner Zhao Zhangcheng hit the bunker on the opposite bank with two mortar shells. The assault team braved the dense gunfire and artillery fire of the Sichuan army and advanced in the rapids. When approaching the opposite bank, the Sichuan army counterattacked the ferry, and Yang Dezhi ordered two more artillery shots to hit the Sichuan army. The assault team quickly landed on the shore, and with the support of the fire on the right bank, they bravely rushed to kill, repelled the counterattack of the Sichuan army, controlled the crossing, and the follow-up troops crossed the river in time to reinforce, and in one fell swoop defeated 1 battalion of the Sichuan army and consolidated the crossing point.
Subsequently, the 1st Division and the cadre regiment of the 1st Red Army Corps crossed the dangerous Dadu River, which was regarded by the Kuomintang army as impassable.
The forced crossing of the Dadu River was a life-and-death battle for the Red Army and the key to the Chinese revolution.
In this crucial battle, the Red Army broke through the defense line of the Kuomintang army with its own tenacious will and excellent tactics, successfully crossed the Dadu River, and laid a solid foundation for continuing the Long March. This was also an important juncture in the history of the Chinese revolution, demonstrating its tenacious will and outstanding military qualities.
This battle was not only a struggle against the enemy, but also a severe test of oneself. In the face of numerous difficulties and fierce resistance from the enemy, the officers and men of the Red Army displayed indomitable fighting spirit and combat effectiveness. They fought bravely in the rapids, fearless of hardships and sacrifices, and finally won the victory. This battle not only tempered the will and quality of the Red officers and men, but also laid a solid foundation for their follow-up actions on the Long March.
The battle also demonstrated the agility and excellent command of the Red Army. In the face of the enemy's powerful firepower and dangerous terrain, the Red Army made decisive decisions, organized effective assault operations, and finally won the battle. ** and other leaders commanded on the front line, with a high level of military command quality and decisive determination, and played a key role in the victory of the battle.
The victory of forcibly crossing the Dadu River was not only a feat of the Red Army, but also a monument in the history of the Chinese revolution. This battle demonstrated the indomitable will and outstanding command of the Red Army under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, opened a road for the victory of the Chinese revolution, and also left a rich and colorful page in the history of the Chinese revolution.