At the end of the 80s of the last century, the mainland and Taiwan began to communicate with each other, and many families living in two places seized this opportunity to visit their relatives in Taiwan.
In this wave of family visits, an old man in his late teens has a unique identity, he is the Kuomintang general Qiu Xingxiang, nicknamed "Little Chiang Kai-shek". Since his defeat and capture in 1948, he and his brother in Taiwan have not seen each other for more than 40 years.
Now that the two sides of the strait are connected, he decided to seize this excellent opportunity to go to Taiwan to meet his relatives.
Needless to say, the Taiwan authorities are well aware of the close relationship between Qiu Xingxiang and Chiang Kai-shek. Therefore, on the day that Qiu Xingxiang was about to leave Taiwan, Chiang Kai-shek's son Chiang Weiguo specially came to meet with this old subordinate.
Surprisingly, however, the outcome of this meeting turned out to be extremely embarrassing! Jiang Weiguo's move made Qiu Xingxiang very dissatisfied, and even said bluntly to him: "I'm not called Huazi, don't think about sending me like this!" ”
After speaking, Qiu Xingxiang turned around and left without hesitation and boarded the plane back to the mainland. So, what did Jiang Weiguo do to make Qiu Xingxiang so dissatisfied? Why is Qiu Xingxiang called "Little Chiang Kai-shek"?
How did he get captured by us? Let's unravel these mysteries together.
Qiu Xingxiang, born in 1907, was a follower of the Three People's Principles in Nandu Town, Liyang, Jiangsu. When he was young, his family was well-off, so his parents sent him to study at a local private school.
During this period, traditional thinking had a profound impact on him, making his perception of society deeply imprinted with the concept of "loyal ministers and loyal masters, filial sons and parents". This idea of loyalty to the monarch and serving the country was deeply ingrained in his heart and had a profound impact on his life.
In 1925, 18-year-old Qiu Xingxiang was admitted to the Whampoa Military Academy with excellent results, where he and Huang Wei, **Qiu Qingquan and others were married to seventy-two**.
Of this group, Qiu Xingxiang was the most loyal to Chiang Kai-shek. Prior to this, he came into contact with the ideas of the Three People's Principles, deeply identified with Sun Yat-sen's ideas, and became a loyal follower of Sun Yat-sen, hoping to serve Sun Yat-sen.
However, he was still young at the time, and by the time he was able to contribute to the revolution, Sun Yat-sen had already died. After Sun Yat-sen's death, Chiang Kai-shek took his place, and from then on, he regarded Chiang Kai-shek and Sun Yat-sen as equally important beings in his heart.
After studying in Huangpu, Qiu Xingxiang's original intention was realized. The admission meeting was held, and the principal Chiang Kai-shek took the stage to speak, and Qiu Xingxiang was very excited when he saw Chiang Kai-shek.
Chiang Kai-shek noticed the diminutive Qiu Xingxiang and asked him about his identity. Qiu Xingxiang straightened his waist and said solemnly: "Principal, I am Qiu Xingxiang from Liyang, Jiangsu, and I am determined to study for the revitalization of China and the country. ”
Chiang Kai-shek was very satisfied with Qiu Xingxiang's answer, believing that he had a strong revolutionary conviction and encouraged others to learn from it. This positive attitude deeply touched Chiang Kai-shek and made a deep impression on Qiu Xingxiang in his heart.
Qiu Xingxiang's admiration of Chiang Kai-shek paid off. After graduating in 1928, he was promoted by Chiang Kai-shek to commander of Chen Cheng's special service battalion, where he met regularly.
In order to be more like his idol, Qiu Xingxiang imitated everything from life to appearance. He shaved his head like Chiang Kai-shek, quit smoking and drinking, maintained a serious expression, and even bought a black coat of the same style as Chiang Kai-shek.
Qiu Xingxiang's imitation of Chiang Kai-shek can be described as a three-point process, and even the pace and speaking habits are imitated vividly, making people think that President Chiang was present at first sight, but in fact it was Qiu Xingxiang who was paying tribute to his idol.
However, Qiu Xingxiang is not only a sycophant, he has real talent and learning. Soon after, on the battlefield of resistance against Japan, he fully demonstrated his military talent. Known as "Little Chiang Kai-shek", after the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, he was ordered to go to Jiangsu to block the Japanese army.
The 37th Division of the 18th Army of the Kuomintang, where he belonged, assembled in southern Jiangsu, and Qiu Xingxiang, who was fighting at home, showed his strength here.
With his ingenuity, he deployed defensive lines in Liyang, Yixing, Wujin and other places, and engaged in fierce confrontations with the Japanese Fifth Division.
He used a variety of tactics, both to keep the large army up from the front, and to break the troops into pieces, sending small units to intersperse and harass the enemy. At this time, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party cooperated, and the New Fourth Army also sent troops to help him fight, and they worked together to destroy the enemy and wound nearly 10,000 enemies.
In 1937, he went to Luodian in Shanghai with the army to resist the Japanese army. He was on the front line in Shanghai, personally commanding the counterattack, braving artillery fire and not flinching.
The Kuomintang 67th Division, led by Qiu Xingxiang, held out in Luodian in Shanghai for three months, successfully holding back the Japanese army, which was preparing to launch the Battle of Wuhan, and they needed Shanghai as a port to send reinforcements and military supplies to the Wuhan area through the Yangtze River.
Qiu Xingxiang's heroic resistance in Shanghai effectively delayed the enemy's attack, and he then went to the front line in Wuhan to engage in a fierce battle with the main Japanese army. With his outstanding achievements, Qiu Xingxiang gained further confidence from Chiang Kai-shek, and soon after, he was given the rank of commander of the First Army and went to the Shenshan and Liyang areas in southern Jiangsu to regain control there.
Qiu Xingxiang happily led the large army and marched to his hometown with great momentum. In April 1939, they arrived near Yixing and quickly occupied two hills.
Taking advantage of the favorable position on the hill, Qiu Xingxiang commanded the artillery unit to bombard the Japanese position, and then launched an attack on the area around Mount Kinabalu. Here, the army led by Qiu Xingxiang engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese army.
Although the Japanese used artillery fire, bullets, and knives and guns to resist and try to stop our offensive, they underestimated our resolve. Our large army was like a bamboo, and the Japanese could not withstand our attack and decided to retreat.
The Battle of Shenshan was of great significance, and the Japanese troops in Liyang and other places heard of the arrival of Qiu Xingxiang's troops and fled north.
Qiu Xingxiang successfully regained control of his hometown with this victory, and this battle is also regarded as a glorious moment in his military career. In this battle, he captured the territory of the Japanese generals Jing Mitsuo, who once sarcastically mocked them: "We are sugar cubes in your eyes, and sooner or later you will eat them up!" ”
Qiu Xingxiang participated in many battles after this and was Chiang Kai-shek's right-hand man. Chiang Kai-shek publicly praised him many times, saying that he had the courage of ten thousand people, and gave him the name "Qiu Laohu".
Qiu Xingxiang's official position was also gradually promoted, from the initial battalion commander to the posts of deputy division commander, major general division commander, and director of the political department.
The highest position of his career was at the Luoyang Garrison Command in 1947, a position he did not expect to be his last at the hands of the Kuomintang.
In 1947, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression had ended, and Chiang Kai-shek decided to start a civil war to eliminate the Communist Party. In the early days of the civil war, the Kuomintang army won many victories on the frontal battlefield, but in the second half of 1947, after Liu Deng's army advanced into the Dabie Mountains, the situation began to become unfavorable.
**, the army swept across the Dabie Mountain, and the soldiers pointed directly at Wuhan, threatening the Central Plains and Henan. The Central Plains People's Liberation Army (PLA) has conquered nine major cities in Henan, and the PLA seems to be powerless to resist.
Chiang Kai-shek, realizing the seriousness of the situation, urgently summoned his loyal student Qiu Xingxiang to Nanjing, hoping that he would defend the city of Luoyang. When Qiu Xingxiang arrived in Nanjing, someone reminded him: "Commander Qiu, the burden on your shoulders is very heavy, and you are about to attack Luoyang."
Now that Chairman Chiang is distraught, you must pay attention to your words and deeds. ”
When Qiu Xingxiang learned of the danger, he immediately broke into Chiang Kai-shek's office. After seeing him, Chiang Kai-shek seemed to see a savior, and said straight to the point: "Luoyang has always been a battleground for soldiers, and it is very important to us, and we can't help but guard against it!" ”
Then, Chiang Kai-shek turned around and said firmly: "You Qiu Laohu must defend Luoyang for me!" Qiu Xingxiang secretly complained in his heart, it turned out that there were more than 50,000 troops under his command, and the number of troops in Luoyang plus the strong men who had just been captured were only.
Seven or eight thousand people.
However, in order not to disappoint his idol, he said resolutely: "Even if the sky of Luoyang is under the knife, I will stick to Luoyang!" ”
Chiang Kai-shek was so pleased with Qiu Xingxiang's performance that he appointed him commander of the Luoyang garrison. Qiu Xingxiang set foot on the Central Plains, however, he never ......returnedFifty years after being separated from his younger brother, in 1947, when Qiu Xingxiang was about to take office, Chiang Ching-kuo approached him and explained the importance of Luoyang to the Kuomintang: "The party-state is in danger, Luoyang is an important town in the Central Plains, and if this city is lost, the consequences will be unimaginable, and my father's life will also be affected." ”
Chiang Ching-kuo said it sincerely, and even shed tears. At that time, Qiu Xingxiang was moved, and he promised: "I will defend Luoyang to the death, and I will not hesitate to sacrifice my life for the country!" ”
After saying goodbye to Chiang Ching-kuo, Qiu Xingxiang returned home and prepared to pack. He has two younger brothers, named Qiu Xingcha and Qiu Xingchuan, who are still young, so he takes special care of these two younger brothers.
When he was about to leave home, he specially instructed his younger brother to take care of the family and wait for his good news. Subsequently, he stepped on the front line, but he did not expect to be gone for more than forty years.
When he arrived in Luoyang, he realized that his fate would change here. The Kuomintang army was stationed here with only 8,000 soldiers, of whom 3,000 were newly recruited strong men with no military experience.
However, Qiu Xingxiang did not give up, he mobilized the people of the city and all the soldiers to dig trenches and fortresses, and then sent troops to the countryside to grab grain, and successfully obtained more than 1,000 catties of grain to resist the enemy.
General Chen Geng, who led the People's Liberation Army to liberate Luoyang, was already familiar with the command of Qiu Xingxiang, an alumnus of Whampoa, and developed ingenious tactics. On March 9, 1948, the People's Liberation Army of 50,000 troops successfully surrounded Luoyang City, and on March 11, Chen Geng gave an order, and the Luoyang Liberation War officially began!
More than 200 cannons of our army carried out a fierce siege on Luoyang City, successfully broke through the city gate, and the army poured into the city like a tide, and Luoyang was liberated.
At 12 o'clock in the evening of March 14, the city of Luoyang woke up to the sound of gunfire for liberation. The People's Liberation Army searched for prisoners in the city, and Qiu Xingxiang realized that he had failed to complete the important task of President Chiang, and was ashamed of Chiang Kai-shek, and was determined to apologize for his crime with death.
However, our warrior Wang Wubin appeared at this critical moment and saved his life. Wang Wubin didn't know Qiu Xingxiang's identity, he hugged Qiu Xingxiang's waist and persuaded him: "Comrade, Luoyang has been liberated, you don't need to follow the Kuomintang anymore."
Is it worth it for them to find a short-sightedness? Wang Wubin's brave act stopped Qiu Xingxiang's suicide and took away his gun. Qiu Xingxiang failed to commit suicide, but was rescued by our army.
Subsequently, the soldiers confirmed the identity of this person through ** - he was Qiu Xingxiang, the commander of Luoyang. This is a story of courage, wisdom and the salvation of lives, showing the fearlessness and humanity of our soldiers.
Qiu Xingxiang was escorted to Chen Geng by the soldiers, and Chen Geng personally untied him, and then the two began to catch up. Chen Geng, a well-informed and humorous Whampoa graduate, started with their common past and tried to establish a close relationship with Qiu Xingxiang.
Qiu Xingxiang did not respond to Chen Geng's accosting at first, but Chen Geng was not discouraged by this, and he continued to tell his own stories, including that he passed by Qiu Xingxiang's hometown while doing underground work, and told about the customs of Qiu Xingxiang's hometown.
As soon as he mentioned his hometown, Qiu Xingxiang also began to open his heart and had a warm conversation with Chen Geng. He was surprised to find that Chen Geng, who was from other places, was so familiar with his hometown, whether it was local snacks or local customs, Chen Geng knew everything about it.
Qiu Xingxiang deeply admired Chen Geng, and his remorse for failing to complete the task greatly subsided at that moment. Subsequently, he was sent to the rear prison, and before leaving, Chen Geng gave him a lot of canned pork for him to enjoy on the way.
Qiu Xingxiang was deeply moved by Chen Geng's actions, and he was deeply touched by the Communist Party's policy toward prisoners. He decided to cherish this opportunity to be a new man and to return to his hometown alive to have a look.
Before going to Taiwan, Qiu Xingxiang, like many other war criminals, was imprisoned in Gongdelin for reform. In prison, he was active, so in 1959, Qiu Xingxiang's name was prominently listed in the first amnesty list.
After Qiu Xingxiang was released from prison, he first worked in a factory in his hometown, but because he had served as a Kuomintang general, the state appointed him as a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), specializing in studying the history of the Kuomintang party, and working for cross-strait reunification.
Qiu Xingxiang was full of expectations for cross-strait reunification, especially since his younger brother was taken to Taiwan by the Kuomintang in 1949, and the two had not seen each other for many years.
Cross-strait reunification is not only Qiu Xingxiang's aspiration, but also the common expectation of the people of the whole country. So, Qiu Xingxiang began to write letters to his old comrades-in-arms, inviting them to return to the mainland to have a look.
Qiu Xingxiang used to be a staunch believer in the Three People's Principles, but when he saw with his own eyes the hard work of the Chinese people in all walks of life and achieved remarkable results, his impression of the Communist Party began to change.
In the past, he believed that the Communist Party did not represent the advanced productive forces, but a peasant party. However, now that he sees the country moving towards prosperity under the leadership of the Communist Party, his position is beginning to waver.
He said: "Isn't this the Three People's Principles that Mr. Sun Yat-sen expected!" Since then, he has devoted himself wholeheartedly to the construction of socialism and done his part for the country.
In the 80s, Qiu Xingxiang decided to cross the strait and go to Taiwan to find his long-lost brother and family. Although he is over eighty years old, he still stands by his decision.
Thanks to his efforts, the state helped him get a pass to Taiwan. Eventually, he departed from Shanghai and flew through Hong Kong to reach Taiwan.
On both sides of the strait, blood is thicker than water. The elder brother crossed the strait to visit his younger brother and was deeply moved. Decades later, the two old men reunited in Taiwan, witnessing the vicissitudes of time and the tenacity of family affection.
When Qiu Xingxiang was about to leave, Jiang Weiguo specially arranged a meeting with him. Qiu Xingxiang was very happy when he learned that the son of the Jiang family had personally received him, so he gladly accepted the invitation.
However, although Jiang Weiguo met Qiu Xingxiang in the name of farewell, he soon revealed his true intentions. I saw him take out a stack of money from his pocket, and then said, "This is a little reward for your many years of work for us." We set up a Ministry of National Defense Pension Association in Taiwan, and that's where the money comes from. ”
Jiang Weiguo took out a ** from his pocket and said with a smile: "I know that you are not ** in the mainland, your income is not high, and you still have children to support at home." The money is just a sign of my respect, as long as you sign this **. ”
Qiu Xingxiang was originally full of joy, but Jiang Weiguo's move made him feel uneasy. He realized that the banquet might have ulterior motives, and that he was giving money to buy himself.
Qiu Xingxiang immediately became angry, and he said categorically: "I have a stable income in the mainland, and I only came to Taiwan to visit relatives and friends. I am not a beggar and do not need your handouts. ”
Seeing that persuasion failed, Jiang Weiguo embarrassedly asked Qiu Xingxiang what he thought of Taiwan. Qiu Xingxiang said that he had seen a book called "Yearbook of Bandits" in a Taiwan store, and suggested that such a book should not be published and that the two sides of the strait should be more friendly.
Jiang Weiguo felt that he could not refute, the banquet broke up unhappily, and Qiu Xingxiang returned to the mainland. He died in Nanjing in 1996 at the age of 88.