Huang'an produced Zhao Ciwu, Macheng produced Qiu Jiangfu, and Huangpi produced "Xu Huhu". Xu Haidong, a poor boy who grew up in the heroic Dabie Mountains, went from looking for the party, to armed uprising, to the failure of the uprising, to looking for an organization, and con

Huang'an produced Zhao Ciwu , Macheng produced Qiu Jiangfu , and Huangpi produced "Xu Tiger".

This children's song was once circulated in the Dabie Mountains in the 1930s. It talks about the leaders of the three armed uprisings of the Red Army in eastern Hubei.

In the extremely cruel struggle at that time, Zhao Ciwu and Qiu Jiangfu died heroically one after another; but in the temper of the war, the "Tiger Xu" - Xu Haidong, from a kiln worker in Xujiaqiao, Huangpi County for seven generations, gradually grew into a tiger that frightened the enemy. , the Red Army "Tiger" that the revolutionary masses have been waiting for.

The name "Xu Tiger" was called in the Dabie Mountains when the white terror was at its worst.

There is a Xu tiger in Dabie Mountain

Only when there is love, there is hatred. Only by suffering from the enemy can you know how to hit the enemy harder.

Xu Haidong, a poor boy who grew up in the heroic Dabie Mountains, went from looking for the party, to armed uprising, to the failure of the uprising, to looking for an organization, and contacting the old troops. He gradually grew up in blood and fire, hurt and tears, and became a famous figure in Dabie Mountain. Red Army leader.

He led his men, hiding day and night in difficult days, making the mountains their home. When he saw the opportunity, he would suddenly rush out and strike hard at the enemy.

When fighting in close combat on the battlefield, the enemy is often overwhelmed by their invincible momentum and flees in confusion as soon as they meet each other.

So, after fighting several fierce battles with the enemy, the name "Xu Laohu" was called.

At the beginning, the simple Xu Haidong was annoyed by this nickname. He felt that this was because the enemy hated the Communist Party, cursed the Red Army, and compared him to a man-eating beast.

Gradually, people from all over the country and some people in the Red Army began to call him "Tiger Xu". Xu Haidong understood the good intentions behind it: To work in the revolution, one should work as a cow or a horse for the people. What's wrong with being a revolutionary tiger?

So he accepted the title. However, he often reminded himself that he could only be powerful to the enemy, but not to the masses and Red Army soldiers.

After the unfortunate failure of the fourth anti-"encirclement and suppression" campaign in the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Soviet Area, the ruthless enemy "encirclement and suppression" army learned the lessons of its previous attacks on the Soviet Area, and this time became a murderous demon without blinking an eye.

They captured a place, first set up a stronghold, and then moved forward to burn, kill and loot.

For ordinary people, they were forced to paste a small flag with white cloth (or white paper if there was no white cloth) and put it on the door to show submission; those who did not have a white flag were all treated as "red party members".

At this time, the defeated landlords and gentry also jumped out one after another, took the opportunity to assemble the security team, militia and "volunteer army", returned to their hometowns to counterattack, and massacred and tortured ordinary people inhumanely.

Their slogan for action was: "Stand on all the hills and slaughter all the pigs and cattle. Strike at every sight, leaving no chickens or dogs behind!"

At that time, there were extremely vicious enemies outside the Soviet area who were attacking crazily, and there was a "Left" line within the Soviet area. The Soviet areas of Hubei, Henan, and Anhui that used to be full of singing and dancing suddenly turned into a terrifying zone soaked in blood.

htmlTwo villages were destroyed, and the mountains and forests were scorched; the entire Soviet area was strewn with corpses, and every house was empty.

The real Communists and Red Army soldiers will not be intimidated. The bloody massacre resulted in their firmer revolutionary beliefs and more heroic struggles.

The Red Army soldiers who stick to the mountains are always ready to face the enemy despite being injured, sick and hungry, and will never think of rebellion and surrender.

As long as they breathe, they will hold the sword and gun tightly in their hands. On the stone wall of a cliff, there are still a few lines of words carved by the Red Army with bayonets: The branches cannot be burned, and the roots cannot be dug out. As long as the green hills remain, the Red Army will be everywhere!

What about the people captured and imprisoned by the enemy? On the wall of Huang'an County Prison at that time, there was left the handwriting of a Party member who escaped from prison: A hero comes from the Dabie Mountains, and his bones are as strong as iron.Escape from the tiger and wolf's mouth today, come back tomorrow to avenge the injustice!

After October 1932, after four months of siege and the transfer of the main Red Army, the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Soviet Area had changed beyond recognition.

The cheerful songs of "August sweet-scented osmanthus blooms everywhere and bright red flags are erected" have been replaced by the sound of guns, cries and dogs barking.

One day, in a ravine, with the attack of the "encirclement and suppression" army, the militia groups that spread like bloodthirsty flies came again to help the evildoers - to hunt down and kill Communist Party members and revolutionary masses.

This is a reactionary militia group with about 2,000 people. They divided into four groups, blocked the main road, surrounded more than a dozen villages, and then went from house to house, driving the old people, women, and children who had survived the war again, kicking and beating them, and concentrated them in the middle In a larger square.

Black machine guns were set up all around, and shining bayonets were dangling in front of these people.

"Tell me! Whose family has the Communist Party? Who is the 'party wife'?"

"If you want to die, tell me where the wounded and sick people of the Red Army are hiding!"

"Let you have fun. Whoever is dishonest today will go first. Who will be sent to the West! ”

’s murderous spirit and fierce voice will not make the revolutionary masses in the Dabie Mountains surrender.

They were just hoping and praying in their hearts: "Where are our Red Army troops? Come and drive away these unscrupulous executioners and save the innocent children!"

The cries of children one after another made the women Shedding tears, the old man sighed.

Seeing that there was no result after struggling for a long time, the White Dog Vigilante Group became anxious.

"If you don't tell us who the Communist Party is, no one will be left alive before the Great Black!"

"I won't let you hang from the trees this time. You will all be thrown into the river to feed the bastards!"

What are these cruel white dogs It can be done. The hearts of the people present were clenching tightly, thinking, "At worst, he is still a dead man, and I will only pity these ignorant children."

At this time, they could only hear the rushing sound of the river mixed with blood, and even the children could not bear it. Cried.

"Bah bang bang!" A particularly friendly sound of machine gunfire suddenly rang out from the hill outside the village.

Besides "Xu Huhu", who else? The crowd, who were at the critical moment of life and death, felt a surge of heat in their chests, and their whole bodies were full of strength. They cheered in unison: "Here comes Tiger Xu! Here comes Tiger Xu!"

In an instant, it was like a long-lost wind blowing. The wind blew out the true colors of the militiamen who were fierce and cruel. They seemed to have lost their souls all of a sudden. Some tried their best to crawl into the bottom of the ditch; some lay motionless on the ground without being shot; some stood there waiting for orders, but did not even hear a word from the official... ...

While the white dogs were in panic, the captured people were like water, scattered into the embrace of the Dabie Mountains, and ran away completely.

The visitors are none other than Xu Haidong and the "Little Tigers" led by him! They were rushing to attend an important meeting of the Hubei, Henan, and Anhui Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China. They were constantly chased and intercepted by the enemy along the way. When they were less than 100 miles away from their destination, they happened to encounter a reactionary militia and were massacring local people.

So they ignored the fatigue of continuous battles and quickly launched an attack on the militia brigade from the outside, frightening them into panic and finally retreating from the bottom of the ditch. The Red Army once again rescued the people with whom it had a close friendship from the clutches of the devil.

Yes, the Hubei, Henan and Anhui Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China is planning a major counterattack against the enemy. The first step in the operation is to reorganize the main force of the Red Army.

On November 30, 1932, after gathering the small Red Army units remaining in the base area, according to the decision of the Provincial Party Committee’s top military cadre meeting, the disbanded Red Army was rebuilt in Huang’an County, Hubei Province (today’s Hong’an County). Fifteenth Army.

Soon, "Tiger" Xu Haidong served as the army commander, and the political commissar was Wu Huanxian. He had two divisions, the 74th and 75th, and a special agent battalion under his jurisdiction, with a total army of about 7,000 people.

The 25th Red Army, reborn in the flames of war, under the command of the new leader, has a completely new spirit and combat effectiveness. The legends about Xu Haidong are becoming more and more mysterious.

There was a rumor among the masses: "Xu Haidong turned into a tiger."

The enemy was also surprised: "Does the bullet turn when it sees Xu Haidong?"

Xu Haidong once heard it and laughed and said: "The bullets and cannonballs of Bai Gouzi came to me. In front of them, they all stood and saluted before flying back. "

One day, Xu Haidong was marching with the 74th Division. On a hilltop, he unexpectedly encountered the White Army on the hilltop in front of him.

Among the dense mountains, grass and trees, the other party first spoke: "Hey, which part are you from?"

"I am the 25th Red Army!" A soldier replied proudly.

"Are you bragging?" This group of white soldiers seemed not to believe that they would really meet Xu Laohu.

Xu Haidong laughed when he heard this, and ordered the soldiers of the reconnaissance platoon: "Fire a platoon gun to show them."

In an instant, a burst of neat and crisp platoon guns sounded in the mountains, fierce and easy to control, making them more confident. Looks murderous.

not only frightened a group of birds in the bushes to fly away, but also frightened Bai Jun so much that he broke into a cold sweat: "Oh my god, it's a good thing we didn't meet him face to face, otherwise he would have been shot by this gun." Result!"

said nothing at the moment and retreated in dejection.

The Kuomintang government, frightened by "Tiger Xu", offered 250,000 yuan, the same price as Mao Zedong and Zhu De, to buy Xu Haidong's head. After buying and selling, New China was established, and Xu Haidong was one of the founding generals.

A steel case pocket watch

"Tiger Xu" once again frightened the enemy.

But this time it was really special. Even the "little tigers" following behind were extremely puzzled. They were just too busy to keep up and charge forward to kill, and they couldn't care less for a while.

I saw Xu Haidong, who usually had a neat military appearance, with his bare back, two strong legs, and only a pair of white pants left on his body, waving the orderly's ghost-headed sword, and charging towards the oncoming enemy troops. It was really like a tiger entering a flock of sheep. The same momentum; it's like facing melons and vegetables instead of enemies.

"Commander Xu is risking his life!" In an instant, a whirlwind blew up on the battlefield, and the commanders and soldiers of the 25th Red Army suddenly gave birth to a huge force that was courageous and invincible.

On the battlefield, their earth-shattering shouts of killing rang out. The soldiers who had retreated turned around and ran forward; the soldiers who were lying on the ground also got up and ran forward.

From the regiment commander and political commissar to the battalion commander, company commander and platoon commander, they all led the soldiers around them to shout and kill the enemy groups regardless of their own safety...

The Red Army, like a big wave, covered the enemy troops in batches. In an instant, the situation on the battlefield was turned upside down, and the enemy who came to attack in excitement was defeated in the blink of an eye.

The two regiments that came up first were in disarray. More than 470 people raised their hands and surrendered amidst the shouts of "Hand in your guns and don't kill" and "The Red Army treats prisoners leniently". Seeing that the situation was not good, the two divisions behind them were so frightened that they hurriedly ran away with their heads in their hands.

But it was so dangerous just now! The leaders of the provincial party committee were having a meeting, and the soldiers on guard temporarily relaxed their vigilance. When it was dawn, they discovered that the enemy was attacking. A dark group of enemy troops had already reached the head of the village.

Then there was a dense sound of gunfire. Caught off guard, the Red Army soldiers seemed a little confused. Fortunately, Deputy Commander Xu Haidong appeared in time. He took off his clothes and even broke a pocket watch on his body. Everyone followed and fought for their lives, and the scene just happened.

"But isn't Deputy Commander Xu attending the provincial party committee meeting? And why is he only wearing a pair of underpants? He couldn't have gotten up from sleeping on the bed, right? But I heard that Deputy Commander Xu didn't even take off his clothes to sleep!" The red sun rose De Lao Gao, the soldiers were mumbling while cleaning the battlefield.

Provincial Party Committee Secretary Shen Zemin knows what is going on.

At the meeting of the Provincial Party Committee to summarize the lessons learned from the failure of the siege of Qiliping, Xu Haidong criticized some of the practices of the Provincial Party Committee. It should be said that his opinions represented the voice of the commanders and fighters of the 25th Red Army.

As Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Shen Zemin felt that he was implementing the central government's guidelines and policies, and because he couldn't save face for a while, he actually kicked Xu Haidong out of the venue.

It was Xu Haidong, the famous "Tiger Xu" of the Dabie Mountains, who led the soldiers to risk their lives at the critical moment and saved the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Provincial Committee and the 25th Red Army from disaster.

"I have a problem with his attitude. Can the Red Army leave such a comrade? I have to further communicate with him!" Shen Zemin reflected in his heart.

Xu Haidong was also thinking about it at this time. He secretly blamed himself. How could he act so recklessly just because he had been a little wronged? What if the battle cannot be won? Shouldn’t revolutionaries have a broader mind? After thinking about it, a familiar voice came from outside the door: "Where is Comrade Haidong?"

Xu Haidong hurriedly agreed and went out. The two held their hands tightly.

"Thank you, we won another battle!"

"It is our responsibility to protect the provincial party committee to the death!"

The two revolutionaries and two grown men were a little excited at this time. Xu Haidong pulled Shen Zemin into the room. They sat on the edge of the bed, feeling their hearts getting closer again as they talked.

"We will communicate more in the future." Shen Zemin said.

"Okay! Ask you for more advice." Xu Haidong said.

"It's time for me to go." Shen Zemin stood up, took out an old pocket watch from the pocket of his blue cloth jacket, took a look at it and said, "I have a meeting tonight. It seems that the enemy has retreated. Please pay attention to your health and have a good rest. "

"What time is it?" Xu Haidong asked involuntarily. Really, his own pocket watch - a trophy that he was once proud of, when he was burning and taking off his clothes to kill the enemy, he accidentally tore off the chain and dropped it on a stone and broke it. .

"Where is your watch?" Shen Zemin was startled. All the leaders of the 25th Red Army had pocket watches.

Xu Haidong smiled: "I broke it in the battle just now. Let's seize another piece after the battle."

Shen Zemin paused for a moment, then took Xu Haidong's hand without any explanation, took out his pocket watch, and put it on solemnly.

"How can you do it without your watch! You know the origin of this watch. I will give it to you today. I am waiting for your trophy!"

Xu Haidong suddenly felt that the palm of his hand was much heavier. In today's battle, he took off his clothes and seemed to have shed his personal heroic habits; now that he has taken over this pocket watch, he has consciously shouldered an unprecedented revolutionary responsibility.

Yes, Xu Haidong heard Shen Zemin tell the origin of this steel case pocket watch many times: In 1920, Qu Qiubai came to Moscow as a reporter for the "Morning Post". At that time, shortly after the victory of the October Revolution in Russia, the economy was very difficult. The Soviet regime called for donations of gold and materials, and Qu Qiubai donated his only gold case pocket watch without hesitation.

At that time, the staff of the Soviet regime, in order to express their gratitude to this Chinese comrade, gave him a steel case pocket watch in return.

From then on, this steel-cased pocket watch accompanied Qu Qiubai’s 11-year revolutionary career. In 1931, Shen Zemin was sent to work in the Dabie Mountains Soviet Area. To express his revolutionary friendship for his old comrades, Qu Qiubai gave him this pocket watch.

Later, Shen Zemin, who became ill due to overwork for the revolution, died of illness on the peak of Tiantai Mountain in the Dabie Mountains in November 1933.

From then on, Xu Haidong cherished this steel-cased pocket watch even more, carefully hiding it on his body, so that it kept beating accurately.

After the 20th Red Army arrived in northern Shaanxi, it formed the 15th Red Army with Liu Zhidan's Red Army in northern Shaanxi, and then successfully joined forces with the Central Red Army .

Once I heard that Commander Peng Dehuai's watch was broken, Xu Haidong, who was already the commander of the 15th Red Army Corps, solemnly gave him the watch temporarily.

After hearing the story of this pocket watch, Peng Dehuai once said to Xu Haidong: "I may not give it to you."

So this pocket watch was treasured by Peng Dehuai again. It was not until 1946 that Qu Qiubai's wife, Yang Zhihua, was released from prison in Xinjiang and returned to Yan'an. Mr. Peng gave this steel-case pocket watch with a yellowed disk to the widow of the revolutionary martyr.

studied at "Qingshan University"

In 1933, the enemy launched the fifth "encirclement and suppression" campaign against the Hubei-Henan Soviet Area. Xu Haidong and Guo Shushen led a section of the 25th Red Army to stay in the mountains of western Anhui and persist in fighting.

The mountains are the home of the Red Army. In addition to carrying a gun on the left shoulder and food on the right shoulder, soldiers often carry an indispensable tool: a sickle at the waist.

After marching and fighting, we will live in the mountains. Everyone wielded sickles, cut weeds, cut down tree branches, and built small thatched houses to protect themselves from the wind and rain. Then he held the sickle and ran around the mountains, picking mountain fruits and digging wild vegetables with agility...

The silent mountains became full of life. In such an environment, a poem with almost no modifications was born, expressing the Red Army's fighting life in the mountains: The sickle is like a gun, helping me pick fruits and build a house. The wild house in the valley is my home, and the wild vegetables and fruits are my food.

makes the mountains his home, and the Red Army naturally became the masters here. They know where the trails are, where the cliffs are, where the dead ends are, and where there are deep ditches.

Wherever it is easy to walk, the Red Army will go; wherever it is easy to fight, it will strike hard at the enemy.

The survival rule of seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages enabled the Red Army to gradually master a series of exquisite guerrilla tactics such as ambushes and raids, rapid transfers, and attacks in the east and west in the face of rampant invading enemies. The battles became more beautiful and bigger.

They have won many battles. One of the most commendable is the battle in which Ge Tengshan captured Liu Shuchun, the acting commander of the enemy's 54th Division and a graduate of the Kuomintang Baoding Military Academy.

Entering March 1934, spring is warm in western Anhui, and the mountains are green and the flowers are red. Xu Haidong and Guo Shushen led the troops to jump back from the outside to the Geteng Mountain area in the central area of ​​​​Western Anhui, intending to rest and reorganize.

But the troops had just stopped. On the evening of March 30, the enemy's 54th Division and 25th Division each had a brigade from Nanxi and Tangjiajiang to attack from the north and south.

Without a victory, the enemy will not give the Red Army any breathing space. After listening to the scout's report, Xu Haidong and Guo Shushen carefully analyzed the enemy situation on the two routes and made up their minds: this time, open their mouths wider and eat the enemy 54th Division on the south route! The overall deployment of

is as follows: use one battalion to block the enemy on the north road with the help of favorable terrain and relieve worries; on the south road, use two battalions to run along the mountain ridge on the left and advance towards Xiaoshijiagou southwest of Ge Teng Mountain, mobilize the enemy, and then occupy the high ground and move towards The rest of the main force followed the hidden ravine, quietly approached the enemy from the right, and then divided into two groups to attack from below.

The battlefield is also a battlefield for the courage and wisdom of both sides.

html On the morning of March 4, the enemy's 54th Division, under the command of acting division commander Liu Shuchun, finally dived into the ecstasy array set up by the Red Army.

After graduating from Baoding Military Academy, Liu Shuchun served as a regiment commander for thirteen years and a brigade commander for four years. Not long ago, his career suddenly prospered - he became the acting commander of the 54th Division.

He had not slept well all night. At this time, his eyes were blood red, but he was full of energy. He waved his gun and urged his subordinates who had just woken up and looked like prawns to attack the Red Army.

How he longed to destroy the Red Army in front of him and get rid of the famous "Xu Laohu" so that the word "agent" could be removed.

On the mountain ridge, only the Red Army soldiers were seen in silhouette and noisy.In the past, "encirclement and suppression" campaigns always failed, but now the Red Army was on the top of the mountain. The white dogs of the enemy's 54th Division felt that they had a solid grasp this time. They were infected by Liu Shuchun's excitement, and started shouting "Ao Ao". Desperately climbing the mountain to chase. All the people and horses were piled on the narrow hillside.

What are you waiting for! The chased Red Army suddenly turned around and stood down, firing machine guns and grenades among the enemy.

Almost at the same time, the Red Army ambushing at the foot of the mountain on the right was like a tiger, attacking from both sides, with guns and cannons firing, and the sound of killing was loud.

Liu Shuchun, who had been so complacent just now, realized that he was in a situation where he was being beaten on three sides. It was impossible to temporarily command and adjust the troops on such a small and fierce battlefield.

He could only watch helplessly as these subordinates who wanted to "catch tigers and achieve great achievements" were rolled down one by one, crowded in groups, and trampled on one after another until the Red Army became more numerous and closer.

The battle ended quickly. Most of the enemy's 54th Division suffered casualties. Except for a few who escaped by chance, more than 1,000 people were left as prisoners. Liu Shuchun, the "squad leader" with a professional background, was also captured alive.

Liu Shuchun never dreamed that after the battle, he would be led at gunpoint by Red Army soldiers to meet "Xu Huhu". Like a student who loves to delve into problems, he frowned and reflected painfully on the lessons of this failure along the way.

Xu Haidong stood proudly and majestically in front of Liu Shuchun. He was wearing a coarse military uniform. His strong body stood like a steel tower. On his square face, a pair of eyes shone with victory.

"Xu Huhu" was right in front of him. Liu Shuchun, who had already been three lengths shorter, seemed to have suddenly found the answer to his question.

Without waiting for Xu Haidong to interrogate him, he first asked confidently: "Commander Xu, may I ask where you are from Huangpu?"

In his mind, the one who could defeat himself, a top student in Baoding, must be from Huangpu Military Academy..

Xu Haidong felt so angry and funny that he went to private school for a few days and even dropped out of school because he couldn't stand the anger of his rich classmates. He could only shake his head contemptuously towards this defeated general who was discussing his origins.

"Then you are also from 'Baoding'?" Liu Shuchun suddenly felt hope in his heart: Old classmates will always give themselves some face, right?

Xu Haidong knew Liu Shuchun's Xiao Jiujiu very well at this time. He knew that this guy was superstitious about the official military academy and wanted to get close to him. You have to teach him a lesson again!

Xu Haidong's sharp eyes were fixed on Liu Shuchun's longing face, and he said seriously: "I don't know where Baoding is, and I have never entered Huangpu. I am a graduate of Qingshan University!"

was confused. Liu Shuchun, of course, heard the name "Qingshan University" for the first time. There was no other way. He raised his face again and asked piously: "Please forgive me for my limited knowledge. I don't know which province or city Qingshan University is located in?"

is really stupid! Xu Haidong stopped chatting with him, pointed to the surrounding mountains and said: "Here, it's right here! You are also in Qingshan University now!"

Liu Shuchun's face alternated between red and white for a while, and he looked timidly at Gang let Having suffered a defeat on the hill, I looked around again and saw the boundless blue sky. I finally understood that the Red Army soldiers were studying in such a "university" all day long. "Alas, we were forced to go to Liangshan in ancient times, but now we are facing Liangshan everywhere!"

Qingshan University like this is where the Red Army grew and grew, and it was also where the White Army lost its soul and headed for destruction.

The news of the annihilation of the 54th Division shocked and frightened the enemy. Just as if their own house was on fire, they quickly gathered the strength of three divisions and surrounded them again viciously.

The troops of the 25th Red Army led by Xu Haidong and Guo Shushen fought bravely with the enemy's vanguard troops on the periphery for a day. They took advantage of the darkness and moved flexibly into the mountains to continue fighting at "Qingshan University" to welcome With the arrival of a new situation.

People from the Central Committee

Under the instructions of the Hubei, Henan and Anhui Provincial Committee, after the Baoziyan rendezvous, the 25th Red Army reunited, with Xu Haidong as commander and Wu Huanxian as political commissar. After Shen Zemin died of illness, Xu Baoshan became acting secretary of the provincial party committee.

Under the new conditions, the provincial party committee and military leaders actively responded to the cruel struggle situation with an unprecedented spirit. After many battles, in the autumn of 1934, the Wanxi Soviet Area recovered again, with people rejoicing, horses barking, water green and mountains red.

At this time, the Northeastern Army, which withdrew from the three eastern provinces in the face of the Japanese Kwantung Army's attack, was deployed to the Hubei, Henan, and Anhui regions and began a new large-scale "encirclement and suppression" campaign against the Red Army.

The survival and struggle situation of the 25th Red Army is once again facing a severe test, and they need guidance from a clear course of action.

Since the main force of the Red Fourth Front Army was transferred out of Hubei, Henan, and Anhui, without a radio station, the Provincial Party Committee and the 25th Red Army had to rely on secret communications to maintain contact with the central government, and often had to rely on the spirit and documents of the central government’s instructions a few months ago. When making various decisions, sometimes it feels like rushing in the dark.

They are very envious of the Soviet areas and the Red Army under the direct leadership of the Party Central Committee. How they hope that they can receive instructions and orders from the Central Committee at any time! In order to obtain instructions from the Party Central Committee, they even paid a frightening price.

Still when the "Left" opportunist line was prevalent, the 25th Red Army was thwarted in besieging Qiliping. The provincial party committee was undecided on whether to persist or retreat. In desperation, it sent Cheng Fangwu, the propaganda director of the provincial party committee, to report to the central government and ask for instructions.

Cheng Fangwu was ill at the time and had difficulty even walking. He had to ride on a mule and was escorted by a squad of strong soldiers. However, before they even left the Dabie Mountains, all the soldiers were attacked and sacrificed.

Fortunately, Cheng Fangwu, who narrowly escaped death, persisted in moving forward and went through many hardships. First he moved to Shanghai, and later, with the help of Mr. Lu Xun, he reached the Central Soviet Area via Shantou.

As a result, not only did the siege of Qiliping, which lasted for one and a half months, end with the defeat of the Red Army, but also almost lost a Red writer.

By the beginning of November, the 25th Red Army took advantage of every opportunity and fought back to the Kuedeng Mountain area. In order to prepare for the new battle, the entire army concentrated on military training.

At this moment, the traffic officer of the Hubei Provincial Committee, who was busy with work, sent an urgent letter written by Zheng Weisan, secretary of the Provincial Committee: Comrade Cheng Zihua sent by the central government has brought important instructions. Please accept the letter and send it as soon as possible. The troops came to Eastern Hubei ...

The headquarters of the 25th Red Army suddenly felt a long-awaited excitement: "Someone from the central government is coming!"

"Come to Eastern Hubei to find the Taoist Committee!"

"If you don't want to wait, come!" The Northeastern Army is on its way to the market! "

Originally, the 25th Red Army was within the four blockades of the Northeastern Army. The Provincial Party Committee and the Military Headquarters planned to use flexible guerrilla warfare to "encircle and suppress" them in northwest Anhui. enemies; now, Zheng Weisan's letter suddenly led their hearts to the east of Hubei, 400 miles away.

Act now! Xu Baoshan, Xu Haidong, Wu Huanxian and others immediately agreed on a plan of action: setting up a stay-at-home office to be responsible for digesting the wounded and sick and heavy supplies that could not travel with the army, and persisting in the struggle on the spot.

The main force of the army was led by Xu Haidong, who led the vanguard regiment to open the way. Wu Huanxian and Xu Baoshan then led the large forces and headed straight to the east of Hubei at maximum speed. Try to avoid entanglement with the enemy on the way. If it is difficult to escape, concentrate all your efforts to annihilate them.

At dusk on November 6, the tranquility returned to Kudeng Mountain for a day. The 25th Red Army was packed up and ready to go.

In the dim dusk, following the order from Army Commander Xu Haidong, the team took brisk steps and set off in an emergency on the mountain path quietly.

The longing for people from the central government and the yearning for a better revolutionary future injected a magical power into all the officers and men of the 25th Red Army.

While marching more than 200 miles in one day and two nights, they also broke through three blockades in Shangcheng, Macheng, and Huangchuan areas; and in the face of the enemy's blockade, they successively eliminated four enemies on the first two blockades. Company, defeated two regiments.

The former arrogant enemies were beaten to pieces along the way and fled in panic. As a result, before the Red Army arrived, the third and fourth blockades of Huangchuan and Huangma Highway were already empty.

On the highway, the 25th Red Army rushed past at an astonishing speed of 50 miles per hour.

The four blockades were all left behind. When they arrived at Fushan Village south of Guangshan on the morning of the 8th, the 25th Red Army, which was already extremely exhausted, fell into a more dangerous situation.

Hearing that the Red Army, which was surrounded in the mountains of northwest Anhui, was continuously breaking through the blockade and advancing towards eastern Hubei, Shangguan Yunxiang, the commander-in-chief of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui "Pursuit and Suppression Army" detachment, immediately became angry.

He urgently ordered all the enemy troops near the original third and fourth blockade lines, including the 107th Division, 117th Division, 64th Division and 65th Division, to quickly organize their troops and turn around to pursue them. It was impossible to continue " Flying" Red Army.

himself got on the plane and rushed to the sky with several other fighter jets . During the indiscriminate bombing, he stared at the blood-red eyes and personally supervised the battle.

Of course, the 25th Red Army needed a rest very much, but just over an hour after they stopped marching, dark enemies came to attack from the east and south of Fushan Village.

In the blink of an eye, one regiment was surrounded, and the other regiment was pressed into a depression. The planes in the sky were bombing and strafing with extra vigor...

The situation was critical!

Xu Haidong and Wu Huanxian quickly climbed to a commanding height near Fushan Village. First, they ordered a division to resolutely hold the commanding heights of Fushan Village and block the enemy from the front; a regiment detoured from the north of the village, disrupting the enemy's formation and forcing their attack to temporarily stop. .

Then the two of them had an urgent discussion. After continuous fighting, it was impossible for the troops to get rid of this big tail by fast marching. The only option now was to fight.

Only by destroying the enemies along the way can we find our way! With the sound of gunfire and the roar of artillery, a plan to use roundabout tactics to defeat the enemy bravely and boldly was instantly finalized.

On the front, Wu Huanxian commanded a division to strengthen the defensive force. Xu Haidong personally led the leading group and penetrated behind the enemy's 107th Division without knowing it.

At present, there is a formidable enemy, and propagandists cannot be used to talk fast and shout slogans to boost morale. The example of Army Commander Xu Haidong once again gave the commanders and soldiers of the vanguard regiment immense courage and strength. They held their weapons tightly, were full of energy, and worked bravely one by one. Be first and be ready to deal an overwhelming blow to the enemy at any time.

With the cooperation of the aircraft, the rampant enemy tried to seize the commanding heights of Fushanzhai with a fierce attack, but it backfired and launched six attacks in a row. In addition to falling more and more corpses, they still stayed at the foot of the mountain.

seems to be difficult to achieve in a short time, so let’s take a breather. Just as the enemy was reorganizing its forces and was about to launch its seventh attack on the commanding heights, gunfire suddenly erupted from behind, and the sound of killing was loud. An unstoppable Red Army pounced on them like a tiger.

is really unexpected!

The light and heavy weapons of the 25th Red Army's vanguard regiment screamed in joy and clicked on the enemy's butt. There was a melee in Fushan Village.

The fierce battle continued from noon to dusk. Gradually, instead of the enemy forces attacking the Red Army, the Red Army surrounded the enemy forces from three sides.

One division of the Northeastern Army had all its casualties and casualties, and the rest, seeing nightfall coming, flew back along the way they came. Shangguan Yunxiang 's plane slipped away at some point, and only his subordinates who stayed on the ground were busy raising their hands in groups to surrender.

The Red Army soldiers excitedly lit torches, counted the large quantities of weapons and ammunition they had seized, and gathered countless prisoners.

This battle finally allowed the arrogant Shangguan Yunxiang to experience the heroic fighting of the 25th Red Army. The front-line "pursuit and suppression" he commanded ended with nearly 5,000 casualties and a complete retreat.

Encouraged by the news of "people coming from the central government", the 25th Red Army not only became more courageous as they fought, but also felt brighter than before.

After cleaning the battlefield, the provincial party committee and military leaders unanimously decided that in order to win over the Northeast Army to resist the Japanese and at the same time to reduce the trouble of continuing the march, all the prisoners would be released on the spot after explaining the policies of our party and our army!

The 25th Red Army marched westward overnight. After one day and one night, we successfully arrived at Yinjiawan, north of Xuanhuadian in Hubei, where the Hubei Provincial Committee is located, on the evening of the 10th.

At this time, Zheng Weisan, Cheng Zihua and others, who had already received the news, happily welcomed him out of the village.

Huashanzhai Resignation

In the early morning of November 12, 1934, in the yard of a farmhouse in Huashanzhai, the lights were still on, and the 14th Standing Committee Meeting of the Hubei, Henan and Anhui Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, which had been held all night, was still going on.

It’s been a long time since we had such a meeting. The members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Committee sitting around a square table were in excitement all night. Although they had not slept all night, their faces were all filled with excitement. lustrous and piercing eyes.

The white fish belly in the east began to grow larger and brighter. Outside the courtyard, the third shift of soldiers on guard had already posted their posts. The agenda of the meeting was finally almost in progress.

Yes, this meeting is really important. First, Zheng Weisan conveyed the verbal instructions from Zhou Enlai, Vice Chairman of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission brought by Cheng Zihua. The members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Committee were excited and responded enthusiastically.

After active discussion, the meeting decided to respond to the spirit of the instructions of the Central Committee and Vice Chairman Zhou and determined to implement the strategic shift!

Then, a series of questions followed, where to go? How to go? What to do with the old base area? Throughout the night, whether short or long, all these problems found feasible solutions.

The transfer target is initially set to be relatively easy to develop in the west direction, the Tongbai Mountain District on the border of Hubei and Henan or the Funiu Mountain District in western Henan.

The transfer strategy was externally called the "Second Advance Team of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army Going North to Resist Japan", while internally it told the commanders and fighters to "create new base areas" and "fight guerrillas far away."

For the old base areas, led by Comrade Gao Jingting, member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, some armed forces were left behind to persist in long-term armed struggle in order to wait for the arrival of new revolutionary opportunities.

The topic seemed to have been discussed almost. Zheng Weisan, who was presiding over the meeting, breathed a sigh of relief, looked around everyone, then rubbed his face with his palms, rubbed his eyes, and asked: "Do you have anything else to say? ?"

Xu Haidong drank a few sips of water, put the big bowl back on the small table behind him, looked at Zheng Weisan, and then looked at other comrades on the Standing Committee, and said in a firm tone: "Comrade Cheng Zihua should be allowed to participate in the provincial party committee and The leader of the army!"

Zheng Weisan slapped his forehead and said, "Confused! Confused! Let's discuss this problem quickly."

Cheng Zihua walked through the distance of more than 2,000 miles from the Central Soviet Area to Huashan Village. It took more than three months to reach the enemy's numerous checkpoints, overcoming many unimaginable difficulties, and many twists and turns.

His arrival not only brought the long-awaited central directive to the Hubei and Henan Provincial Committee, but he himself also left a very deep and very good impression on the comrades of the Provincial Committee.

Cheng Zihua is not tall and has a slim build. His sharp eyes always shine with wisdom, but he is very humble no matter what he says or does.

Since he was not a member of the Hubei, Henan and Anhui Provincial Committee, he took the initiative not to participate in this meeting. In fact, his revolutionary qualifications are old enough, and he is a strong military player: he studied at the Wuhan branch of the Whampoa Military Academy, and was a division commander when he was still in the Red Army.

As a result, Comrade Cheng Zihua was unanimously by-elected as a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee.

Just when Xu Baoshan was about to propose that he be the deputy commander of the 25th Red Army, Xu Haidong stood up and said sincerely, "I think Comrade Cheng Zihua should be the commander! I can be the deputy commander. Our army He is needed for future tasks and actions!"

The members of the Standing Committee paused for a moment, just "discussing" something in their eyes. Xu Haidong further emphasized his tone: "Since there is no objection, let's finalize it as soon as possible. Let everyone take some time to get to bed before dawn!" He looked at the bright white window paper and smiled first.

Guo Shushen also laughed and said loudly: "Haidong, you are now used to changing from 'director' to 'deputy'!"

Guo Shushen was talking about when the Red Fourth Front Army was still in Hubei, Henan and Anhui, Xu Haidong was the commander-in-chief at that time. The commander of the 38th Regiment was injured in a battle. When the treatment was basically completed, he returned to the army more than a month later. The commander and political commissar of the 38th Regiment were already there.

But Xu Haidong didn't care, so he took the initiative to move down a level and became the deputy commander of the 38th Regiment.

The members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee present here are all familiar with this allusion, so towards the end of the meeting, a burst of hearty laughter erupted in the small farmyard.

Amidst this laughter, the meeting finally decided to by-elect Cheng Zihua, member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Committee, who also serves as commander of the 25th Red Army; Xu Haidong was re-elected as deputy army commander; Wu Huanxian remained as political commissar of the army.

When the sky was dark, with a series of decisions passed decisively, the Huashanzhai meeting ended successfully!

Having made up their mind, time became extremely tight. Most of the members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee were busy all day long. As various tasks were arranged, news that Army Commander Xu Haidong was reassigned as Deputy Army Commander also spread among the cadres and soldiers.

Xu Baoshan, secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, was not in good health. He took the time to take a nap and woke up late. So while he regained his energy, he went around to see the progress of the work.

After turning around, the attentive secretary of the provincial party committee came to see Xu Haidong because he heard some cadres and soldiers talking about Xu Haidong's change to deputy army commander along the way.

"Is this decision of the provincial party committee a bit hasty?" he thought a little uneasily.

As soon as they entered the farmyard of the army headquarters, Xu Baoshan saw Xu Haidong happily directing the soldiers to pack their bags under the lights, while seriously talking about something with the new army commander Cheng Zihua.

Wu Huanxian and the guards were busy carving wax paper and writing propaganda slogans.

Xu Baoshan couldn't help but feel excited. She approached them and asked with a smile: "Haidong, you changed to become deputy commander, but it's not because you are not good at work or fighting. Have you heard anyone gossiping about you?"

Xu Haidong With a smile, he helped Xu Baoshan sit down first, then pointed at Cheng Zihua, and said cheerfully: "I have thought of this a long time ago and have discussed it with Commander Cheng. Please rest assured, provincial committee, I can be a good military commander, why can't I be a good one?" Deputy Commander? Gossip can’t be spread for three days. Let’s prove it with facts!”

Everyone gathered around and talked. The orderly brought a brighter lantern, and Xu Haidong hung it on the beam, illuminating the room brightly, and said loudly: "If the revolution hadn't conquered the world, I would still be a little potter. What's the point? Nothing at all! "

Yiyi Dabie Mountain

A flock of wild geese flew across the dark blue sky, and the cold wind tightened. In October of 1934 on the lunar calendar, the Hejiachong area in Luoshan County, Henan Province in the Dabie Mountains was already in the scene of early winter, with dead branches everywhere and the river retreating to the center of the river bed.

But in the past few days, bright red flags are flying everywhere, the sweet-scented osmanthus in August is blooming again in the singing, and the usually silent mountains and forests are like a city that never sleeps, with gongs and drums noisy and people flowing in like a weave. What's going on with

? An open secret began to spread among the nearby folks that our large Red Army troops were about to go far away.

said it was open to the public, because everyone seemed to know it, and some young and middle-aged laborers were busy running to the army; the soldiers also took advantage of every opportunity to help at all costs with an unprecedented solemn attitude and familiar hometown talk. The fellow villagers do farm work.

The secret is that no one said the word "go". Some old ladies touched the soldiers' faces and cried immediately, but they didn't ask more questions; the soldiers also had red eyes and pretended to be okay to comfort the old ladies. , and they were still talking about the topic of being together in the future.

But "going" is becoming more and more a reality. The cadres of the farmers' association were busy raising food together with the Red Army; the sisters of the women's association worked all night to weave cloth and make shoes; some pigs were slaughtered by their owners without hesitation before they were big enough, but their children were not even allowed to eat pork. There was no fishy smell, so it turned out that the whole thing had been given to the Red Army; some homes had already quietly housed sick and wounded Red Army patients...

On the other side, the 25th Red Army was extremely busy, and the scouts ran further. More diligently; the army's supplies were quickly gathered and sorted, and a large number of horses and mules were pulled together and numbered for distribution throughout the army.

The soldiers are even more strange. They shout slogans in frequent gatherings, and their voices are extremely loud and uniform. It is obvious that the fellow villagers often hesitate to speak, or even whimper.

Yes, since the bright red flag was erected, Dabie Mountain has become a revolutionary mountain, a mountain of heroes. This is the home of the Red Army soldiers. In a way that has not been done for generations, the Red Army turned the Dabie Mountains into a world of poor people, and they themselves became the most proud and loyal sons and daughters of the Dabie Mountains.

Now, when the enemy is destroying your home even more crazily, how can you bear to leave? What's more, most of the Red Army members are only fifteen or seventeen or eighteen years old?

However, the Red Army is an army led by the party, and the first article of discipline of the Red Army is "all actions must obey orders." Since we are fighting for the poor in the world, we must think about the poor in the world.

I heard that all the Red Army in Jiangxi have moved to Hunan. It seems that the revolutionary situation in the country has really changed. The 25th Red Army must also adapt to the new situation.

What's more important is that Japan invaded our three northeastern provinces. Chiang Kai-shek's National Government not only did not resist, but instead transferred the Northeast Army to Hubei, Henan and Anhui to "pursue and suppress" the Red Army.

In order to win the final victory, the Red Army must make a strategic shift. From the overall perspective, it is a move that must be made.

Within two or three days after receiving the order to "go far away", the 25th Red Army not only made material preparations for departure, but also its thoughts were like a sharpened blade that had just been polished, including personal and local concepts. The rust has been worn away, and it has become brand new, bright, and extremely sharp. It is ready to meet unprecedented challenges at the call of the party at any time.

Just as the soldiers were waiting anxiously, just after noon on November 16, the mobilization and swearing-in meeting of the entire army began.

A few days of busyness and worry, a few days of divorce and excitement, all settled down at this time. The Red Army soldiers and folks present looked at the bright and determined faces on the rostrum, and their hearts became light and transparent.

The conference was mainly delivered by military political commissar Wu Huanxian. This 27-year-old talented man from the Red Army in the Dabie Mountains had just changed into a military uniform, with belts and leggings tied meticulously. Under the sunshine, he is handsome and resolute, and his youth is mature.

As soon as the villagers saw him standing up to speak, although everyone knew each other, they still introduced each other and told: "This is Political Commissar Wu, Political Commissar Wu has spoken."

Cadres and soldiers of the 25th Red Army were particularly fond of Wu Huanxian. As for feelings, I usually love to listen to him speak, but at this time, I listen especially attentively.

If so, I have heard it from different leaders on different occasions in the past few days, but it still feels strange and fresh. "The same thing can only be heard ten times by Political Commissar Wu!" Almost everyone has this experience.

"Comrades and fellow villagers!" Wu Huanxian's eyes were so wise and calm. Finally, he scanned the venue excitedly again, "Chiang Kai-shek transferred the Northeast Army to the Dabie Mountains to fight the Red Army. His mind is getting narrower and narrower. . The Red Army under the leadership of the Communist Party wants to see the whole country and the whole world. Instead, we have to attack the whole country and drive Japan out of China!"

Wu Huanxian's speech not only lit up the hearts of the soldiers and villagers! The ever-burning lamp once again ignited the revolutionary passion of everyone present.

When the conference came to an end, the crowd was excited and reluctant to leave. I don’t know who suggested it, but the 25th Red Army and the surrounding villagers sang "Osmanthus flowers bloom everywhere in August":

Osmanthus flowers bloom everywhere in August, bright red flags are erected, lanterns are put up and colored, lanterns are put up again and again. Colorful decoration, a new world shines brightly. The Red Army team is truly majestic and the most heroic in winning every battle.

A red flag is floating in the air, and the Red Army team needs to expand. Dear co-workers, dear co-workers, if you pick up a sword or a gun, you will become a Red Army. If you pick up a sword or a gun, you will become a Red Army.

Singing and singing, the 25th Red Army set off on the road, with hurried steps and non-stop singing. There were tears and blessings; there was pain and longing. As I walked, the bridges in the countryside were getting further and further away, and my hometown was faintly visible.

As they walked, comrades from the Organization Department of the Provincial Party Committee discovered that at some point there were more people in the team, and some sick, sick and young soldiers who were not on the starting list were also walking with the team.

There are still a few folks who have not been approved to join the team and cannot be persuaded to come back or driven away. What should I do? Since the blood of revolution also flows through us, let’s embark on the revolutionary journey together, no matter how difficult and dangerous it is!

The main force of the 25th Red Army left, but the "Departure Declaration of the Second Advance Team of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army Going North" engraved overnight by the military headquarters remained on the street, in the courtyard, and even in the bedroom.

As soon as the folks in the Dabie Mountains saw the neat and powerful fonts, they felt that those lovely Red Army soldiers were beside them. They depended on the Red Army who stayed to fight, hiding in the embrace of the Dabie Mountains like fire, resisting the long harsh winter.