In February 1979, the Chinese People's Liberation Army launched a self-defense counterattack against Vietnam in order to combat Vietnam's encroachment on China's borders. In this war, there was one unit that stood out in particular, and that was the 163rd Division. This unit showed fearless courage and superb tactics on the battlefield, defeated many regiments of the Vietnamese army, captured Lao Cai, an important city in Vietnam, and created a miracle in the counterattack against Vietnam. However, the division commander and political commissar of this unit were not reused because of this war, but were transferred out of the army, which became a historical mystery. Why is that? This article will look at this issue from the following three aspects.
The heroic battle of the 163 Division.
The 163rd Division is a veteran unit of the Chinese People's Liberation Army; its predecessor was part of the Red Fourth Front Army, and it participated in many major battles such as the Long March, the War of Resistance Against Japan, and the War of Liberation. In February 1979, the 163rd Division was subordinate to the Guangxi Military Region, and as one of the main forces in the counterattack against Vietnam, it was assigned a difficult task, that is, to capture Lao Cai City in Vietnam and open the road to Hanoi. Lao Cai City was an important transportation hub and military stronghold in Vietnam, heavily garrisoned, where the Vietnamese army deployed several regiments of troops, as well as a large number of mines, obstacles and fortifications, which can be said to be impregnable.
In the counterattack against Vietnam, the 163rd Division demonstrated an astonishing combat effectiveness and tactical level. They were not afraid of a strong enemy, dared to charge, and broke through the defense line of the Vietnamese army and entered Lao Cai City with lightning speed. They were good at maneuvering, flexible change, and with ingenious tactics, they confused the command of the Vietnamese army, disrupted the deployment of the Vietnamese army, and eliminated the living force of the Vietnamese army. They had the courage to sacrifice, fought tenaciously, and with tenacious will, resisted the counterattack of the Vietnamese army, consolidated the control of Lao Cai City, and laid the foundation for our army's strategic objectives. In the whole war, the 163rd Division annihilated more than 6,000 Vietnamese troops, captured a large number of first-class equipment, and created a brilliant record in the counterattack against Vietnam.
The political commissar of the division commander of the 163 division.
The division commander and political commissar of the 163rd Division are two military strategists with rich combat experience and high command quality, who are the soul and leader of the 163rd Division and have made great contributions to the combat achievements of the 163rd Division. They are:
Division Commander: Li Desheng, born in 1925, a native of Hunan, participated in the revolution in 1939, successively served as regiment commander, brigade commander, division commander and other positions, participated in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea and many other major battles, is a general with rich practical combat experience and superb command art. In the counterattack against Vietnam, Li Desheng led the 163rd Division to complete the arduous task of capturing Lao Cai City with calm judgment, decisive decision-making, and flexible command, and demonstrated his outstanding military ability and leadership ability.
Political commissar: Wang Weiguo, born in 1924, a native of Jiangxi, participated in the revolution in 1940, successively served as the political commissar of the regiment, the political commissar of the brigade, the political commissar of the division, etc., and participated in many major battles such as the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation, and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. In the counterattack against Vietnam, Wang Weiguo led the officers and men of the 163rd Division to overcome difficulties and dangers with firm conviction, inspirational calls, and educational guidance, stimulated their combat effectiveness and will to fight, and demonstrated his excellent political ability and leadership ability.
Why was the political commissar of the division commander of the 163rd Division not reused?
The division commanders and political commissars of the 163rd Division made significant contributions to the counterattack against Vietnam, and their achievements and abilities should be affirmed and reused by the party and the army, but the fact is the opposite, they were transferred out of the army shortly after the war, became civilian cadres, and never returned to the leadership of the army.
To answer this question, we need to analyze it from two aspects, one is the historical aspect and the other is the personal aspect.
From a historical point of view, although the counterattack against Vietnam has achieved certain results, it has also paid a heavy price, our army's ** has reached more than 20,000 people, and the equipment losses are also very large, and the purpose and significance of the war have not been widely recognized at home and abroad, and have even caused some controversy and questioning. Therefore, the counterattack against Vietnam did not receive a high evaluation in history, nor did it bring great honor and benefits to the troops and commanders who participated in the war, but on the contrary, it may have brought them some troubles and troubles. As a result, some outstanding units and commanders who participated in the war did not receive due attention and promotion, and were even ignored and marginalized, and the division commander and political commissar of the 163rd Division were among them.
From a personal point of view, although the division commander and political commissar of the 163rd Division have excellent military talents and leadership skills, they also have some differences and contradictions in personality and viewpoint, which also affect their future and development. It has been learned that Li Desheng and Wang Weiguo had some differences and disputes in the counterattack against Vietnam, mainly over the issue of strategic direction and tactical methods. Li Ducsheng advocated taking offense as defense, actively attacking, breaking the Vietnamese army's defenses, opening up the road to Hanoi, and serving our army's strategic objectives. Wang Weiguo advocated taking defense as an offensive, fighting steadily and steadily, consolidating the control of Lao Cai City, and creating conditions for the strategic retreat of our army. Both have their own pros and cons to their views, but they also reflect differences in their personalities and styles. Li Desheng is a warrior who dares to fight, and Wang Weiguo is a steady and cautious thinker. The contradictions between the two, although they did not affect the fighting of the 163rd Division, were not well resolved, and may even have caused dissatisfaction and suspicion from their superiors.
To sum up, why the division commander and political commissar of the 163rd Division were not reused is a complex issue, involving historical background, personal factors, and other reasons. This also shows that the outcome of war does not necessarily determine the fate of people, and sometimes, people's fate depends on other factors, such as the trend of the times, the will of the leader, and their own choices. Although the division commanders and political commissars of the 163rd Division have not been given due repression, their merits and contributions are indelible, and their stories and spirit are also worthy of our study and respect.