The water of the Jinsha River under the cloud cliff is as warm as spring, but it is terribly cold on the Dadu River bridge across which the iron cable crosses. This is a true portrayal of the Red Army's Long March, a thrilling forced crossing of the Dadu River. In this forced crossing, 18 Red Army soldiers braved the enemy's artillery fire and bravely crossed the river, opening the way for the follow-up troops, showing the fearless spirit of revolutionaries, and becoming eternal heroes for future generations. So, what was the fate of these eighteen warriors who crossed the river? Who among them was the highest-ranking military after the founding of New China?
In January 1935, after the Zunyi Conference, ** regained the command of the Red Army, and the Red Army's marching routes and tactics also underwent major changes. Under the guidance of the Red Army, the Red Army flexibly passed through the enemy's heavy encirclement, completed earth-shattering feats such as crossing the Chishui River four times and crossing the Jinsha River skillfully, and achieved the strategic initiative in the Long March. By May, the Red Army had left the enemy's main forces south of the Yangtze River, leaving only the Dadu River, a natural barrier. After reconnaissance, the ** Military Commission decided to select the enemy's weakly defended Anshunchang ferry to carry out a forced crossing operation, with the 1st Red Division and 1st Regiment as the vanguard. After receiving the order, Yang Dezhi, the commander of the 1st Red Regiment, immediately led his troops to Ma'anshan, not far from the Anshunchang ferry, and he immediately sent people to reconnoiter the enemy's situation.
Due to the rapid movement of the Red Army, the enemy did not expect the Red Army to cross the river here, so the defense was very lax, and even sang in the tents. After Yang Dezhi finished the reconnaissance, ** also rushed to the station of the Red First Regiment and discussed the combat plan with Yang Dezhi. After discussion, they decided that Yang Dezhi would lead a battalion to raid the Anshunchang ferry, and then seize the enemy's ships and force the crossing. A battalion rushed into the enemy camp with thunder, and in less than half an hour destroyed a battalion of the enemy and captured the ferry. The forced crossing mission was initially successful, but the enemy on the other side of the river was the real difficulty. Yang Dezhi also sent people to reconnoiter the enemy situation on the opposite bank, and found that there was also a battalion of the enemy stationed on the opposite bank, and the enemy's main force was behind the riverbank. This required the soldiers of the 1st Battalion to be able to quickly occupy the enemy's positions on the opposite bank, and use the enemy's fortifications to provide fire support for the follow-up troops, and wait until the 1st Red Regiment had all crossed the river before fighting the enemy's main force. In order to achieve this, someone must first rush across the river as a vanguard. The river width of Anshunchang Ferry is 300 meters, the water depth is 20 meters, the current is fast, and there are many reefs and rocks in the river. Even crossing the river in peacetime is very dangerous, not to mention advancing under enemy fire.
But Yang Dezhi didn't have time to think about it, if he delayed time, the enemy on the opposite bank might strengthen his defenses, and it would be even more difficult to cross the river at that time. The first battalion had already arrived at the ferry, and the commander of the first battalion, Sun Jixian, quickly organized a 17-man brave team and prepared to rush to the opposite bank. However, there was only one boat at the ferry, and only four boatmen were willing to risk helping them cross the river. Sun Jixian decided that Xiong Shanglin, the commander of the first battalion and the second company, would lead nine people to cross the river first, and then he would take the remaining eight people to follow. Early in the morning of May 25, Xiong Shanglin and nine soldiers set out by boat to the opposite bank. It was already dawn, and the enemy on the opposite bank quickly spotted them and immediately fired at them from pillboxes and fortifications. The ship was also punched several holes, and water kept pouring in. Sun Jixian commanded the soldiers at the ferry to cover Xiong Shanglin and others, Yang Dezhi commanded the rest of the regiment to shoot at the enemy at a long distance, and even Zhao Zhangcheng, the "sharpshooter" of the 1st Red Division, joined the battle. With the fire support of the ferry, nine fighters seized the opportunity, rushed to the opposite bank, quickly occupied the enemy's position, and engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy. At the same time, the boat also returned to the ferry, loaded Sun Jixian and eight other soldiers, and sailed towards the opposite shore. When the eighteen warriors converged on the opposite bank, they quickly repelled the enemy's counterattack, fought hard to kill the enemy, and defeated the enemy on the opposite bank. The gunfire on the opposite bank gradually died down, and the other fighters of the first battalion crossed the river one after another, and the position of the first battalion on the opposite bank became more and more solid. In such a fierce battle, none of the eighteen warriors who crossed the river were killed. So, what was the fate of these eighteen warriors? The deeds of those 18 warriors who sacrificed their lives were later fully affirmed by their superiors, and their revolutionary spirit was also used as a model and widely publicized throughout the army. At that time, the party, government, and military newspapers, such as the "Red Star" newspaper and the "Warrior Daily", all reported on the deeds of the eighteen warriors of the Dadu River.
February** Dynamic Incentive Program