On November 6, 1949, Enshi City, Hubei Province, was immersed in a celebratory atmosphere, with the five-star red flag fluttering and the drums beating passionately, announcing the triumph of the 50th Army of the People's Liberation Army.
At the south gate of the city, in an ordinary house, new PLA soldiers settled in, including Huang Tao, the former secretary of the Kuomintang in Hubei Province. He was surprised to find that the discipline of this army was strict, and the officers and men were like a family.
When a soldier accidentally knocked over a flower bowl while drying clothes, he did not hesitate to offer compensation, which made Huang Tao deeply feel the difference between the old and new armies. This personal observation, he recorded in the "Liberation of Enshi Personal Experience".
However, Huang Tao did not realize that just more than 300 years ago, this army had held on to the isolated city of Changchun and almost became a victim of history. The legendary figure who led them to turn the tables and be reborn is the protagonist we want to tell - Zeng Zesheng, the founding lieutenant general of the People's Republic of China, whose bravery and leadership have written an immortal chapter in history.
In October 1902, Zeng Zesheng, a son of a wealthy family in Yimagou Village, Daxing Town, Yongshan County, Yunnan Province, was born. When he was young, his family was in the middle of the road, and after losing his father, the mother and son relied on their relatives to help them until they were 13 years old, and their academic path was blocked.
In 1921, with the dream of studying, Zeng Zesheng stole his family wealth and wanted to go to Kunming, but unfortunately failed. When there was no way out, in December 1922, he resolutely joined the army and opened a new chapter in the sergeant team founded by Tang Jiyao in Yunnan.
With outstanding talent, he entered Yunnan Jiangwutang for further study, where many talents were bred, including **. However, after lecturing on martial arts, Zeng Zesheng's performance at the Whampoa Military Academy was different, and he was deeply dissatisfied with the corruption and incompetence of officialdom, and successively refused the posts of district captain and major captain of the officer corps.
He lived a simple life, was well-behaved, and did not get contaminated with vices, as Qiao Jingxuan said, his bag was only books, clothes, medicine boxes and bedding. His adherence to morality made him seem out of place in the old military system.
In desperation, Zeng Zesheng left angrily, moved to Shanghai, entered an automobile school to specialize in machinery and driving, and aspired to devote himself to the cause of transportation construction.
In the autumn of 1929, Long Yun relied on his strength to stabilize the power in Yunnan and became the provincial chairman, in order to expand his strength, he actively recruited military elites, including Zeng Zesheng, who advocated military education in the Yunnan army, promoted the establishment of an officer candidate corps, and absorbed talents from Yunnan middle schools.
However, his outspokenness angered Chiang Kai-shek, and Zeng Zesheng was unfortunately imprisoned, but was temporarily released with the help of General Lu Han and Yunnan celebrities. Subsequently, Zeng Zesheng followed Lu Han and was promoted to battalion commander.
In 1937, the Lugou Bridge Incident broke out, and the National War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was about to break out.
Under his inspiration, the Yunnan Army resolutely dispatched 200,000 troops to the front line, and Zeng Zesheng served as the commander of the 1085th Regiment of the 184th Division. Their journey passed through Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang, and finally assembled in Lunan in April 1938 to join the defense of Taierzhuang.
On April 22, Zeng Zeshan resolutely carried out Lu Han's instructions and shouldered the heavy responsibility of guarding Yuwang Mountain. This strategic highland, Yuwang Mountain, because of its key geographical location, was led by the head of Zeng Zesheng to hold the northwest defense line.
Since the 28th, in the face of the ferocious Japanese offensive, including the combined attack of tanks and cavalry, Zeng Zesheng's regiment and the officers and men of the whole army shared the same hatred for the enemy, held their positions for more than 20 days, and successfully thwarted the enemy's sinister attempt to raid Xuzhou through the canal.
With the end of the Battle of Taierzhuang, Zeng Zesheng broke out of the encirclement with the 60th Army, went to Wuhan, continued to participate in the defense of Wuhan, and with his outstanding command ability, he was promoted to deputy division commander of the First Group Army.
Subsequently, Zeng Zesheng went into battle, participated in the First Battle of Changsha, and returned to Yunnan in 1940 to join the Western Yunnan War of Resistance as the commander of the 182nd Division.
In 1945, with the reorganization of the First Group Army into the First Front Army, Zeng Zesheng was promoted to the commander of the 60th Army. In August of the same year, Japan announced its unconditional surrender, and he led his troops to Hanoi, Vietnam, to accept the surrender.
However, the wheel of history did not stop, and Chiang Kai-shek's dispatch in November heralded that Zeng Zesheng's fate would face a new turn, and the haze of civil war outside the war quietly shrouded.
The power of the environment cannot be ignored, as evidenced by Zeng Zesheng's experience. This heroic victor of the War of Resistance faced unexpected challenges in the post-peace Kuomintang environment.
As a military commander, he stabilized his family by purchasing real estate, but he also had insight into the dangers of military business. When his army was fragmented and his personal power was limited, he stood firm in his duties and resolutely led his troops in the face of adversity, showing an indomitable spirit in confronting the PLA.
Zeng Zesheng was deeply affected by the environment and **, loyal to Chiang Kai-shek, regarded him as the leader of the Northern Expedition, the hero of the Anti-Japanese War and the representative of **, and because of the support of Long Yun and Lu Han, he was grateful to Chiang.
However, the reality is ruthless, and the 60th Army exposed the shortcomings of the dispersion of troops in the disadvantage of the War Bureau. In 1946, the People's Liberation Army's counterattack caused heavy losses to the 184th Division, and Zeng Zesheng panicked, fearing that his army would be reorganized.
The PLA's strategic shift gave him a glimmer of hope, but the setback of the summer offensive hit the 60th Army again, two divisions suffered heavy losses, the morale of the troops was low, and Zeng Zesheng was deeply distressed.
Perceiving Zeng Zesheng's predicament, Chiang Kai-shek revealed"Thoughtful", sent Chiang Ching-kuo to fly to Jilin by plane, and gave him spiritual comfort by radio. Subsequently, Lu Han personally went to Jilin to convey more care and commitment, including supplies and a new position, commander of the Jilin garrison.
This time, Chiang Kai-shek tried to stabilize Zeng Zesheng's determination with practical actions.
Although the wheel of history could not be reversed, the fate of the Xiaofengman hydropower station was preserved in the spring of 1948. In the face of the warning of the People's Liberation Army, Zeng Zesheng deeply understood and resolutely avoided becoming a sinner for the ages, and he kept his promise to ensure that the power station was safe and sound.
With the withdrawal of the 60th Army to Changchun, Zeng Zesheng merged with the new 7th Army and became an important part of the First Corps. Under Chiang Kai-shek's appeasement, Zeng Zesheng regarded this handwritten letter as a precious historical witness and kept it properly.
Behind Chiang Kai-shek's wrists, however, was a mixture of power and emotion, immune, for many in the old army. Zeng Zesheng's choice reflects the complex mentality of that era.
However, the reality was unforgiving, and during the siege of Changchun, the internal contradictions of the 60th Army became increasingly acute. On Zhongshan Road, the situation of the 60th Army and the New 7th Army was like a world of difference: the 60th Army lacked materials and lived a difficult life, while the New 7th Army was well-equipped and had sufficient food and grass.
The initial equality** gradually turned into the dilemma of the 60th Army, and the ratio of rice to sorghum rice continued to decline, and finally only soybeans remained. This history reveals the harsh reality of military morale and resource allocation.
Zeng Zesheng's uprising stemmed from indignation at injustice, and the fire in the hearts of the officers and men of the 60th Army could no longer be suppressed. Long Yao, commander of the provisional 21st Division, said bluntly: "We are fed up with the oppression of the Kuomintang lineage, and our efforts are disproportionate to our returns!" ”
Zeng Zesheng felt the same way. As the war situation in the Northeast became clearer, he resolutely chose to stand on the side of the people. In the autumn of 1948, the Kuomintang army in the northeast fell into a dead end in Changchun, Shenyang, and Jinzhou, and the PLA cut off the retreat, and the uprising became the only way out.
Zeng Zesheng understood that the only choice he faced was to revolt. From September 22 to October 12, he secretly planned to send envoys to contact the PLA, but the news did not return for a long time, and he was very anxious.
Receiving Zheng Dongguo's 100,000 urgent summons, Zeng Zesheng was apprehensive, but he was nervous and warned the division commanders to stick to the original plan even if he was detained. Entering Zheng Dongguo's office, he did not encounter the expected threat, but saw Chiang Kai-shek's order to break out.
Knowing that the situation in Jinzhou was critical, Zeng Zesheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and after chatting with Zheng Dongguo, he left under the pretext of returning to the military headquarters. In the evening, the envoy brought back exciting news - the PLA warmly welcomed the uprising of the 60th Army.
At 8 o'clock that night, Zeng Zesheng decisively revoked the breakout order and declared an uprising, and all officers and soldiers responded positively and quickly deployed to the New 7th Army. This decision marked a historic turning point for the 60 th Army.
On October 17, General Zeng Zesheng arranged the rebel troops in an orderly manner and handed over the defense to the People's Liberation Army, and in the early morning of the 18th, the 60th Army withdrew from Changchun and transferred to Jiutai for reorganization.
Faced with the reversal of the situation, Zheng Dongguo and the New 7th Army had to follow the trend and choose to surrender. This is another key choice in Zeng Zesheng's life, bidding farewell to the Kuomintang and recognizing reality.
After the uprising, he firmly pushed for the complete reform of the army and worked to become a real revolutionary force. At the beginning of 1949, the original 60th Army was reorganized into the 50th Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, with Zeng Zesheng as commander, Ye Changgeng as deputy commander, Xu Wenlie as political commissar, and Wang Zhenqian in charge of political work.
The 50th Army then joined the Siye and Erye sequences and participated in the Western Hubei Campaign and the Chengdu Campaign, at which time Zeng Zesheng had become a staunch revolutionary vanguard. In 1950, when New China was established, Zeng Zesheng led the 50th Army back to the Northeast and was placed in the Wulongbei Rest House for health reasons.
However, when he learned that the Volunteer Army was about to resist US aggression and aid Korea, he was agitated in his heart and strongly requested to join the war, and the **and** Military Commission finally approved his request.
When Zeng Zesheng was determined to participate in the war in North Korea, even in the face of the reality that his body was not yet **, Deputy Director Tan Zheng's worries did not stop him from moving forward boldly. He firmly believes that this is a precious opportunity to test oneself and resist foreign aggression, and no difficulty can be shaken.
With the 50th Army renamed the 50th Army of the Chinese People's Volunteers, this team strode across the Yalu River and threw itself into the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea to defend the homeland. On the battlefield of a foreign country, Zeng Zesheng led his troops to perform many miraculous feats, especially in the third battle, winning more with less, severely damaging the British Royal Heavy Tank Battalion, and taking Seoul in one fell swoop, showing excellent tactical resourcefulness.
In the defense of the Han River in the fourth campaign, the 50th Army persevered and held on for 50 days and nights, gaining valuable time for the reorganization of the main force of the Volunteer Army. In this contest of disparity in strength, the 50th Army emerged 1More than 40,000 brave soldiers and more than 7,000 people were awarded the Korean Medal of Honor, and their heroic deeds have left a brilliant mark in the history of modern warfare and written a legendary chapter with flesh and blood.
During the Han River Blockade Campaign, Zeng Zesheng was deeply inspired by the nationwide upsurge of resisting US aggression and aiding Korea, and he resolutely decided to donate his two properties in Kunming and his housing in Beijing to the state.
Although the General Political Department allowed him to keep his property in Beijing for his family to live in, his sincerity was enough to demonstrate. On the sidelines of the 1951 campaign, **'s praise for the 50th Army made him proud, and this experience made him reflect on the treatment of the Kuomintang army in the past, and he was full of emotion.
In 1955, Chairman ** summoned him again to talk about the importance of resisting US aggression and aiding Korea and the future national construction, which gave him endless motivation. Zeng Zesheng was awarded the rank of lieutenant general and became a bright star in the history of new China.
From the military to the countryside, his life crossed camps, from predicament to hope. The young man who had worked diligently in the southwestern frontier to seek knowledge finally got rid of the shackles of fame, fortune and foolishness, and with his heroic dedication in Korea, he realized his deep commitment to the country and the nation, and became an immortal figure in the history of the modern revolution, which will always be remembered by future generations.