In the self-defense counterattack against Vietnam, why did he choose the 74-year-old to take command?The reason is simple
In December 1978, the Vietnam issue became increasingly urgent and required tough measures. However, most of the generals who survived World War II and the Civil War were already old, and this war was also the first after the end of the Cultural Revolution, and it was significant. The choice of commanders became an important issue. At that time, as the vice chairman of the Military Commission and the chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, Xu Shiyou was chosen to preside over the overall situation after careful consideration.
At that time, Xu Shiyou was 74 years old, although there were still *** and other people alive among the top ten marshals, Su Yu, Huang Kecheng, Xiao Jinguang and others among the top ten generals were still alive, and many of the 57 generals had better qualifications and experience than Xu Shiyou. However, there must be some reason why Xu Shiyou was chosen. This needs to be considered from multiple angles.
First of all, as the commander of the Guangzhou Military Region, Xu Shiyou had great convenience for the war in Vietnam. Vietnam's border areas with China include Guangxi and Yunnan, so in addition to the Kunming Military Region, the Guangzhou Military Region is also one of the main forces. The dispatch of troops by the Guangzhou Military Region is very suitable for Xu Shiyou, the commander. Secondly, Xu Shiyou's style is also very important. He is known for his ideas and never sticks to the rules when he fights, but the results are outstanding. The decade of the Cultural Revolution had a profound impact on China, and its military establishment and combat effectiveness were greatly affected. If you want to win, you can't stick to the old ways, and Xu Shiyou's style is very beneficial to this!
At the critical moment at that time, Xu Shiyou, who received the task, quickly thought of his long-time partner Liu Changyi. This veteran, known as "Meng Zhang Fei", has gone through countless battles and has achieved remarkable results, and the scars on his body also prove that he is the best candidate. However, at that time, Liu Changyi was already 65 years oldThe international situation was not favorable to China at that time, most countries were skeptical of China, except for North Korea and Cambodia, other countries did not even have the will to remain neutral, and the United States even demanded that China withdraw its troops from Vietnam. In this situation, only the momentum of thunder can turn the tide. Just like the fiery momentum shown by General *** during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Xu Shiyou is also a resolute military leader. In the end, it turned out that his decision was absolutely correct.