Some people say that Deng Hua did not dare to command, but Deng did not dare to do so, and it was difficult to guarantee victory in the battle
In 1979, ** approached Deng Hua in the hope that he could return to the post of vice president of military science. Soon, the content of the conversation was widely disseminated, and ** was ready to let him command the self-defense counterattack against Vietnam, which was a very glorious opportunity for a founding general who had once come out of the battlefield.
Deng Hua is grateful for this important task, because being selected among many generals is an affirmation and an opportunity to show his ability again. However, it wasn't long before the news broke, and it was finally decided not to send him to fight. For a while, there was a lot of discussion on all sides, and some people thought that Deng Hua was afraid of taking responsibility and was unwilling to command.
At first, Deng Hua did not care about these rumors and did not respond. It wasn't until an old comrade-in-arms confronted him that he explained with some anger that he refused not because he was afraid of responsibility, but because he felt that he was really not suitable for the role.
He further explained his thoughts, noting that he had been deputy governor for almost 20 years and had been away from the army for 20 years. During this period, the world situation and various events have undergone tremendous changes, and he no longer understands and grasps the current military situation. Although he has worked hard to learn supplementary knowledge in the past two years, he is still not sure enough.
In addition, his physical condition is also an important consideration. During his tenure in Sichuan, he was in poor condition because of psychological problems. In order to divert his attention, he was busy with work and inspections every day.
His body was exhausted, and he couldn't adjust his mood all the time. Plagued by injuries and illnesses during the revolutionary war years and his current illness, his originally sturdy body has become thin to less than 100 pounds, and he feels extremely weak.
After returning to Beijing, he felt that he had been away from the army for too long and was eager to work hard to make up for the past time, but he had not been able to get enough rest and recovery. The body is getting weaker and weaker, and it can no longer adapt to the battles on the front. This is also one of the reasons why he refused to participate in the self-defense counterattack against Vietnam.
His comrades-in-arms finally understood that the reason why Deng Hua was not selected as commander in the end was not timidity, but out of a sense of responsibility to the party and the country.
At a meeting of the Central Military Commission, he once said that during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, some people opposed it, but in the end, several decades of peace were achieved and New China was established. Now, in the face of Vietnamese provocations, if left unpunished, there will never be peace in the south.
Although he could not be on the battlefield in person, he made a suggestion to **, advocating that the commander of the front-line military district serve as the commander, because they are familiar with the environment of the theater and have been commanding troops on the front.
* Adopted his opinion, which also coincided with **'s idea. Later, in 1980, he made a special trip to Guangzhou, although he was not able to go into battle in person, but he went to the front line to inspect and have in-depth exchanges with comrades, and he felt that this was also a worthwhile life.
Unfortunately, Deng Hua's physical condition was very weak at this time. On the way back from Guangzhou, due to physical discomfort, he had to be admitted directly to the East China Hospital in Shanghai to receive **, and his weight had been sharply reduced to only 80 pounds.
However, unexpectedly, Deng Hua's condition suddenly deteriorated and progressed so rapidly that even the doctors felt helpless. Eventually, he died on July 3. This ending is really regrettable, and it also confirms Deng Hua's previous worries. He's in poor physical condition, it's not an excuse, it's a fact. If he is really asked to command the counterattack against Vietnam, I am afraid that he will not be able to bear it at all.