In the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution, there is a collection preserved. It is a flag embroidered with a tiger’s head with silk thread. A group of white tiger group flags.
Speaking of Anti-US Aid Korea , The first thing we think of is the Peking Opera "Strikes on the White Tigers", and the story told in the play took place on the battlefield of the Anti-US Aid Korea in 1953. The scout hero Yan Weicai, who is both wise and brave in the drama The prototype was Yang Yucai, who was the deputy platoon leader of the 607th Regiment of the 203th Division of the 68th Army of the Chinese People’s Volunteers.
(Yang Yucai)
In August 1964, after Chairman Mao watched the performance of " Raid White Tiger Group", he heard that the story was adapted based on Yang Yucai, and he immediately sent his men Investigate Yang Yucai's current whereabouts.
So what kind of legend has happened to Yang Yucai that can be adapted into Peking Opera? Why hasn't he been promoted in 11 years after he made great achievements?
- was ordered to fight in North Korea, and has repeatedly made military exploits.
Yang Yucai was born in 1926 in an ordinary peasant family in Yangjiashan Village, Mian County, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province.
During the War of Liberation , the Kuomintang recruited soldiers by capturing strong men. Yang Yucai was also captured by the Kuomintang. He was forced to work as a messenger under the Kuomintang reactionary Yan Xishan . Until March 1949,Yang Yucai was captured by the People's Liberation Army. He hated warlords and landlords and immediately decided to join the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
(Young Yang Yucai)
Because Yang Yucai fought bravely in the army and often used the battle space to learn cultural knowledge, In May 1950, Yang Yucai successfully joined the Communist Party of China and became a glorious man Communist. At the end of 1950, Yang Yucai accompanied the army to fight in North Korea. At that time, Yang Yucai was only an ordinary soldier of the 607th regiment of the 203rd division.
When our army first arrived in North Korea, we were not very familiar with the geographic environment of North Korea. The 607th Regiment decided to set up an advance team to be responsible for reconnoitating the terrain and the enemy's movements, and opening a fast lane for the smooth advancement of the large forces.
The requirements for the advance team members in the organization are:
1. Must be a member of the Chinese Communist Party
2. Served with military exploits, brave and resourceful
3. Veteran fighters with positions above deputy squad leader and sufficient combat experience .
Yang Yucai was eliminated in the first round because he did not meet the selection requirements.
(War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea)
But Yang Yucai's company commander strongly recommended Yang Yucai to the organization, saying that Yang Yucai's own conditions are very suitable to be a scout, so the general in charge of asked the company commander to take him Call here.
After Yang Yucai came, the company commander hurriedly introduced to the person in charge:
"Yang Yucai has a strong body, is good at using machine guns, is resourceful and has rich combat experience. All other requirements are met to be a scout. The request. It’s just that Lianli is preparing to promote him as deputy squad leader.It has been reported to the Camp Department for the record, but it has not been approved yet, and it is not considered as a formal post, so the last criterion is not met. "
The general in charge saw Yang Yucai's burly figure and the company commander's highly recommended, and he was very happy to say:
"Since the company has approved it, he is fully qualified.
So I took Yang Yucai to report to the regiment headquarters.
(memoirs of the 203 division entering the Korean war)
On June 8, 1951, our division ordered the 607th regiment to select and set up an advance team. Responsible for reconnaissance of the marching route and paving the way for the smooth advancement of most of our army. Among them, eight outstanding investigators including Yang Yucai were selected . They chose the foot ferry on the day of the mission, but when they wanted to cross the river The way is blocked by a river that is not marked on the map.
When everyone is thinking about the battle plan, it is already dark, and the time of the reconnaissance team is tight. Tomorrow the large group will cross the river, and it is too late to find another crossing point.
At this time, Yang Yucai said:
"You can tie your backpack straps together, fix one end on the shore, and find an area where the water flow is relatively gentle. Let the person who knows the water take the lead. People can also grab the rope in front to cross the river. ”
(203 division and comrades memorial book)
Following the method proposed by Yang Yucai, the advance team successfully crossed the river and left a mark where it can cross the river safely.The next morning, as soon as our army rushed to the shore, they quickly crossed the river in accordance with the signs left by the reconnaissance squad.
Because Yang Yucai and the soldiers of the reconnaissance squad successfully completed the task of exploring the way, the large troops arrived at Wonsan, North Korea and the Korean People’s Army as scheduled, shattered the United States and South Korea’s maritime offensive plan, and promoted the armistice of North Korea. The agreement is reached.
By September 1951, when our army entered North Korea to participate in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Yang Yucai had made many military exploits, and the regiment head promoted him to the first squad leader of the reconnaissance platoon. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the enemy's situation, the regiment gave the reconnaissance platoon the task of grasping the "tongue" ("tongue" grasping" refers to grasping one or two enemy forces to learn about the enemy's intelligence).
(Photo of Yang Yucai with his comrades)
In this mission, Yang Yucai successfully rescued the comrades who were accidentally ambushed by the enemy during the mission. successfully captured a US general and obtained important information from the enemy.
After three years of resisting US aggression and aid to Korea, the war situation has undergone major changes. After our army launched a large-scale counteroffensive, South Korea's disastrous defeat has become an established fact. On June 8, 1953, the warring parties on the Korean battlefield finally reached an agreement on the truce and the repatriation of prisoners of war.
But on June 18, the United States condoned the South Korean authorities' Lee Seung-man , under the name of "release on the spot," refused to repatriate more than 27,000 detained Korean People’s Army prisoners in an attempt to undermine the armistice. Peace talks and POW agreements. Our army and the Korean People's Army decided to launch the Battle of Jincheng on the evening of July 13, 1953 in order to allow the South Korean side to sign an armistice agreement and stop the war.
(Road map of the Battle of Jincheng)
The 607th regiment where Yang Yucai was in was the main fortification regiment in the Battle of Jincheng.The opposite defender is the white tiger regiment of the capital division of the South Korean Rhee Seungman Army. The regiment has a howitzer battalion, tanks, and aircraft supported by the US military, and various strong defensive positions have been built around the regiment headquarters.
South Korea The then President of the Republic of Korea, Lee Seung-man, was even more proud of the White Tigers, and personally gifted the White Tigers embroidered "Tiger Head Flag" as the regiment's flag.
After the Volunteers have formulated their combat plans, they are ready to attack the enemy positions on July 13, while the 203rd Division is responsible for annihilating the White Tigers. However, just relying on our military's weapons and equipment to rashly launch an offensive against such a strong defense system and fierce firepower, the casualties will inevitably be very heavy.
(Our soldiers in the Battle of Jincheng)
So the 203rd Division decided after research, the 607th Regiment was the main attacking group, and the 607th Regiment sent a reconnaissance squad to penetrate behind the enemy. Use the magic trick of disguising attacks to attack the enemy’s heart-the command center of the White Tiger Regiment Headquarters. Come to disrupt the enemy's command system, attack the artillery positions, cut off the enemy's back way, and open a way for the penetration of large forces.
- led the attack squad to destroy the White Tigers
On July 10, 1953, Yang Yucai, who was the deputy platoon leader of the 607 regiment, was assigned to perform this special task. Yang Yucai understands that our army will face many difficulties in this mission, and a slight difference will have an impact on the entire battle.
After accepting the mission, in order to ensure smooth progress, Yang Yucai led the soldiers of the reconnaissance squad to carefully study the route to the white tiger regiment head of the command center of the South Korean Military Region, the terrain along the way, and the deployment of enemy defense positions.
(Our Scouts)
The 13 members of the scout squad took advantage of the lack of familiarity between the enemy forces and the internal assistance of the US military.The tall and burly Yang Yucai disguised as a U.S. military adviser . Other scouts put on helmets to cover their faces and put on South Korean military uniforms as cover. They were disguised as South Korean soldiers responsible for escorting U.S. military advisers. Each team member is equipped with combat weapons such as pistols, submachine guns, and grenades, ready to attack the enemy at any time.
At 21 o'clock on July 13, 1953, the powerful assault force of the Volunteer Army launched a fierce frontal attack on the four divisions and defensive positions of the South Korean Army. At the same time, Yang Yucai led the attack squad to covertly march towards the headquarters of the enemy army. Under the cover of the artillery fire of our main force on the front line of the battlefield, the chemical attack squad quickly passed the artillery positions deployed by the enemy and broke through the first line of defense.
(Our artillery attacked South Korea)
However, what they didn't expect was that after the first line of defense, there was actually a large minefield ambushed by the enemy. Zhao Shunhe, a warrior of the chemical attack squad, accidentally stepped on the mine buried under his feet.
Yang Yucai's heart immediately touched his throat, telling Zhao Shunhe not to move his feet away, and then he ordered the other soldiers to hide, walk to Zhao Shunhe's location, and carefully pound the surrounding dirt along his feet. open. As the landmine was exposed little by little, Yang Yucai confirmed that it was an American anti-tank mine designed to destroy tanks. When people stepped on it, the pressure was low and it was not enough to detonate. This allowed Zhao Shunhe to take his foot away. Yang Yucai relied on his rich combat experience to resolve the crisis once again.
(U.S. anti-tank mines)
As it gets closer and closer to the head of the White Tiger regiment, facing the chemical attack squad, the enemy’s five-step, one-post, ten-step and ten-step guard is strictly guarded, and the risk factor is also high. Suddenly increase. Yang Yucai thought to himself: Only by catching a "tongue" and letting him confess the enemy's password can the mission go smoothly. Yang Yucai was thinking, the soldiers of the chemical attack squad stepped onto the highway.
Yang Yucai used the lights on the highway to observe the progress of the team. When counting the number of people, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the original chemical attack squad with only 13 people including him had become 14 people.There was an extra soldier from the South Korean army at the rear of the team.
He quickly informed Han Dannian, who was in charge of translation work in the chemical attack class, to of this discovery. Han Dannian quietly walked to the back of the team, took the man's weapon and captured him.
(Volunteer Scout)
It turned out that this was a South Korean army messenger who wanted to escape after being attacked by our army's fierce artillery fire. He mistakenly thought that the chemical attack squad was a South Korean soldier who was retreating. Following the chemical attack squad. was interrogated by the chemical raid squad, and soon the specific location of the white tiger regiment headquarters and the secret code of the enemy army that night were confessed.
After handling the captives, the chemical attack squad continued to march towards the enemy, and encountered the sentry placed at the first sentry post to question the identity. Han Dannian quickly walked out from the back of the team, imitating the tone of the South Korean soldier, and shouted in Korean as he walked:
"Are you not eyes! Lao Tzu escorted the American consultant back to the regiment to discuss the combat plan. If Delayed business, can you afford the consequences!"
After a reprimand, the enemy sentry was dumbfounded, and the chemical assault squad swaggered past the first sentry set up by the enemy.
(Our army marched towards the White Tiger Regiment)
As they were walking, suddenly two South Korean sentries spotted them and walked towards them. This is a good opportunity for the password. After the enemy said the order, Han Dannian immediately uttered the password he had just learned from the enemy prisoners.
The reaction of the two enemy sentries confirmed that our army had received the correct signal. Under the cover of the password, they passed by again with the two enemy sentries. With the password, the attack squad once again turned the danger into a bargain, and passed the enemy's second sentry smoothly.
When our military chemical assault squad passed the last outpost,Yang Yucai dared to let go of his hanging heart. He said to his comrades:
"Comrades, as long as we smoothly knock down the White Tiger regiment headquarters, our army behind us will be able to hold fast. Follow up and immediately occupy this area." The fighters were inspired by the scene of victory and continued to move forward in hiding.
(Photo of Yang Yucai with the soldiers)
At 2 in the morning, the chemical assault squad finally came to the periphery of the enemy's central regiment, and their were found on the outer wall of the regiment. Layer protection. There are dozens of military vehicles of various models parked in front of the door, and three rows of wooden houses are built behind the vehicles.
The largest of the wooden houses is brightly lit, and there are many sentinels patrolling around. Yang Yucai confirmed that this is the enemy's meeting room. With the light of the conference room, Yang Yucai found that the main enemy generals inside were studying the battle plan around the sand table of the theater.
It turned out that after the Volunteer Army launched a surprise attack on the enemy, the three battalions that were arranged by the White Tiger Regiment Headquarters to fight on the front line were all defeated by our army, which was not enough to fight. Rhee Seung-man immediately sent a battalion of the enemy's mech regiment to reinforce it. At that time, the head of the White Tiger regiment was discussing and deploying the next combat arrangement with the officers who came to the reinforcements.
(Our army marches towards the White Tiger Regiment)
Yang Yucai formulated the battle plan and quickly assigned tasks to the fighters. He divided the chemical attack squad into 4 groups, and divided the white tiger group headquarters from different directions. Fired at the enemy after being surrounded. After Yang Yucai fired his starting gun, the soldiers of the chemical assault squad stormed the enemy's regiment with lightning speed.
Our soldiers took out pre-prepared grenades and threw them at the enemy’s sentries, cars, and wooden houses.The enemy was caught off guard. At the same time, Yang Yucai led two soldiers to throw a few grenades into the meeting room.
After the grenade was detonated, the lights in the meeting room were extinguished. Yang Yucai and the other three rushed directly into the meeting room and took up submachine guns to fire violently at the enemy.
(Battle of the Golden City)
Some of the enemy officers who were in the meeting were maimed or killed on the spot. The enemy army who wanted to jump through the window was hit by a burst of fire from the chemical assault squad soldiers ambushing outside the window.
The main generals of the enemy as the leader of the mecha regiment and the white tiger regiment were killed, and the remaining main generals were also captured. Then, the chemical raid squad destroyed the main buildings near the regiment headquarters, upsetting the regiment headquarters of the White Tiger regiment, and the enemy troops were also beaten up and surrendered.
After the regiment was defeated, the entire White Tiger regiment collapsed. At the same time, our army, in charge of cutting off the enemy's back, cooperated with the chemical attack squad to complete the task of annihilating and fleeing the enemy. At this point, the battle that only lasted 13 minutes was ended, 223 enemy troops were successfully wiped out, countless spoils were seized, the strongest command center of the enemy was completely destroyed, and only one member of our chemical attack squad was slightly injured. This successfully completed this time. Combat mission.
(Our army won the battle of Jincheng)
- Chairman Mao personally promoted
After the battle, the soldiers saw the iron frame hanging on the wall of the White Tiger regiment meeting room "Tiger Head Banner", knowing that this is the banner representing the enemy's regiment, he tore it off. Yang Yucai saw the word "victory" on the flag and said: "This time you will never have a chance to win again. ”
After finishing speaking, he used the tablecloth on the conference table together with the other items in the room, and it became a trophy neatly.
Now, the "White Tiger Regiment" flag captured by Yang Yucai and the soldiers is lying quietly in the cultural relics cabinet of the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution.It seems to tell everyone that unusual historical memory.
(Seized white tiger regiment flag and other trophies)
On July 27, 1953, led by the United States, the United Nations Army and the Lee Seung Man government finally announced the fact that they had lost the war and signed the armistice agreement .
To commend Yang Yucai and his reconnaissance team for their outstanding contributions to the victory of the Battle of Jincheng, the headquarters of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army decided to give Yang Yucai a special class, and the reconnaissance class was also recorded as a collective special class.
In October 1953, the Party Central Committee decided to award Yang Yucai the title of "First Class Hero of the Chinese People's Volunteers". In the same year, the North Korean government awarded him the gold star medal .
(Photo of Yang Yucai and his comrades after triumph)
At the end of 1957, after the Chinese People's Volunteers successfully completed the task of resisting the US and aiding Korea, the Party Central Committee decided to withdraw its troops back to China in batches. For this reason, Premier Zhou Enlai made a special visit to North Korea. At the party at the Volunteer Army Headquarters to welcome Premier Zhou, Premier Zhou told the troupe performing at the party:
"When you return home, what gifts are you going to take to report to the people of the motherland?"
, The cast and crew of the theater thought of the heroic deeds introduced in the battlefield report about the volunteer army reconnaissance platoon leader Yang Yucai leading the reconnaissance squad to smash the enemy "white tiger regiment" regiment headquarters.
(Zhou Enlai's visit to North Korea)
Comrades of the Peking Opera Troupe specially interviewed Yang Yucai, the main party involved in the battle, and went to the army to learn about the detailed combat situation of the battle.Based on the story of Yang Yucai and the scout team soldiers attacking the enemy's White Tigers in disguise during the Battle of Jincheng, it was adapted into a modern Peking opera "A surprise attack on the White Tigers".
In August 1964, after Chairman Mao attended and watched the Peking Opera "Surprise Attack on the White Tigers", he cordially received the creators and actors, and gave the play a high evaluation.
In the process of talking with the participants, Chairman Mao learned that the story of "A Strike on the White Tigers" was adapted from Yang Yucai’s personal experience, and he asked the staff who accompanied him to watch:
"Yang Yucai is now What position do they hold?"
They all looked at each other, shook their heads and replied: "Not very clear." Chairman Mao specifically asked Xiao Hua, then director of the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army, to inquire about Yang Yucai's whereabouts and position at the time.
(Modern Peking Opera "Surprise Attack on the White Tigers")
After Xiao Hua and his subordinates learned about Yang Yucai's situation from the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee, they learned that Yang Yucai is currently the deputy company commander of the reconnaissance company of the 203 division and leads the soldiers. Training while producing. At this time, he had served as a company-level cadre for more than 10 years. When you see this, you will definitely ask: Why did Yang Yucai make such outstanding contributions to the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, but failed to get promoted?
It turned out that Yang Yu didn't care about personal gains and losses, and rejected the opportunity for promotion many times. Yang Yucai believes that the grassroots is the basis for ensuring the combat effectiveness of the army, so he decided to stay at the grassroots and lead the soldiers to conduct basic training in the army. Through his training, the overall combat strength of the 203 division has been significantly improved.
In 1969, Chairman Mao decided to personally promote him, and Yang Yucai was slowly promoted to the former Deputy Commander of the 203th Division of the 68th Army of the Jinan Military Region.
(Chairman Mao watched "Surprise White Tiger Group")
As a legendary hero,Yang Yucai rarely mentioned his heroic deeds to his children. None of the children in the family walked through the back door relying on Yang Yu.
Yang Lao often educates his children:
"Your own future depends on yourself step by step to come out."
After retiring, Yang Yucai always cares about the future and destiny of the party and the country, and actively devotes himself to it. Public welfare education. He has served as a consultant for the Care for the Next Generation Working Committee, an honorary principal, an external counselor and a moral education consultant for more than 30 schools, and educates the next generation with his own personal experience and feelings.
In 1998, Yang Yucai won the "National Award for Contribution to the Elderly" and was awarded the title of "Advanced Retired Cadre of the PLA" by the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army.
(Yang Yucai discusses work with his subordinates)
On May 26, 1999, the legendary hero passed away due to illness. When Yang was critically ill, he was still concerned about the development of education in my country. When he was dying, he asked his children to donate the gold star medal he won to the Memorial Hall of Anti-American Aid Korea in Dandong, so that the world would remember that the Chinese nation could never be defeated. Even though the hero goes, his deeds will always be there.
The story of Yang Yucai’s surprise attack on the White Tigers is an immortal monument in the hearts of generations of Chinese people. The patriotism shown in him and his volunteers comrades, who is not afraid of powerful enemies, is brave and daring to fight, The spirit of internationalism and revolutionary heroism will also inspire and inspire the Chinese people to work hard for the prosperity and strength of the motherland and for the advancement of the peaceful cause of mankind.
【References】
- Niu Wenxiang, Cui Bo. The legendary life of tiger fighting heroes [J]. "Spring and Autumn" 2000.4.15 _strong 30li li li li li li span _strong 30 li li li li li li span _strong. Hero Yang Yucai[J]. "Qingdao Pictorial" 2007.8.5
- 3. Kang Peng. Yang Yucai bravely broke through the enemy’s nest,Attack on the White Tiger Group［J］. "The Spring and Autumn of Literature and History" 2020.10
