General Xu Shiyou was born in poverty and learned martial arts in Shaolin at a young age, which laid a good foundation for him to make achievements in the revolution later. In 1921, 16-year-old Xu Shiyou joined the Red Army and became a Communist six years later. During the war years, he participated in the suicide squad many times and was a brave and good general who was powerful in fighting and shocked the enemy.
1. A life full of legends
In his early years, Xu Shiyou served as the company commander of the National Revolutionary Army. Later, he resolutely chose to follow our party on the revolutionary path. He not only participated in the Huangma Uprising, but also started as a platoon leader at the grassroots level, and finally became a commander of the Red Army.
In the anti-"encirclement and suppression" battle, Xu Shiyou performed extraordinaryly. He and the soldiers went on battle to kill the enemy, charge in battle, and beat the enemy to the point of losing their armor and fleeing in panic.
Later, Xu Shiyou personally commanded the Wanbaoyuan Battle. From the beginning of the battle, he led the troops to hold on the position for three months. Faced with the enemy with an absolute advantage in number, General Xu Shiyou and the soldiers were not afraid at all, and repelled the enemy's attacks again and again. finally won the battle.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he served as the brigade commander of the 3rd Brigade of the Shandong Column of the Eighth Route Army, Chief of Staff of the Shandong Column, and Commander of the Jiaodong Military Region. He led the troops to fight the Japanese army in the Jiaodong region, consolidating and developing the revolutionary base area.
After the Liberation War started, Xu Shiyou, as the commander of Shandong Corps, led his troops to participate in many important battles and made outstanding contributions to the victory of the Liberation War. In September 1948, the Jinan Battle started, and the East China Field Battle captured Jinan City. Xu Shiyou, as the commander of the battle, made an indelible contribution.
After the founding of New China, General Xu Shiyou went to the Korean battlefield one after another and served as the commander-in-chief of the counterattack battle in Guangxi direction. In many battles, he was an important general who was in charge of one side, and the series of achievements he achieved were unanimously recognized by the organization.
2. I only admire Chairman Mao
On the way to the Long March , Xu Shiyou met Chairman Mao for the first time. He told Chairman Mao that he had changed his name and changed "State" to "State" for soldiers, which means to be a friend of soldiers. After hearing this, Chairman Mao thought for a moment and said that since he wanted to change, would it be better to replace it with the world's "world"? It means friends of the world. also has the meaning of looking at the world and looking at the long-term.
What Chairman Mao said at that time made Xu Shiyou feel warm inside, so he made up his mind to listen to the party for the rest of his life, follow Chairman Mao's pace, and never look back on the revolution.
In 1937, a special meeting was held in Yan'an to criticize Zhang Guotao. At the meeting, Xu Shiyou proposed that he should seek practical criticism of Zhang Guotao, and that the facts should not be exaggerated, nor should he deny the achievements of Red Fourth Front Army . There were three html people who made a big fuss about this and kept holding Xu Shiyou. He was very angry about this and was admitted to the hospital because of the anger.
Xu Shiyou, who was recuperating in the hospital, learned that Zhang Guotao and others were executed by shooting, and felt that the Fourth Red Army had no "hope" and decided to leave the troops and "run away". This incident reached Chairman Mao's ears. Chairman Mao thought about it for a long time and felt that this matter was not Xu Shiyou's personal problem.
Later Xu Shiyou was sentenced to one year in prison for "running away". However, just one month later, at Chairman Mao’s suggestion, Xu Shiyou’s punishment was revoked and his party membership was restored.
Xu Shiyou soon went to see Chairman Mao, and Chairman Mao arranged for him the vice president of the Anti-Japanese University Affairs Department, hoping that he could study while working and not get some homework. During the anti-university period, Xu Shiyou often listened to Chairman Mao’s lectures, so he benefited a lot. He believed in Chairman Mao and admired him very much.
3. Special funeral
In October 1985, General Xu Shiyou died of illness in Nanjing. In fact, as early as the 1950s, the central leaders took the lead in signing the consent form for cremation.At that time, General Xu Shiyou raised an objection, hoping that he could still be buried in the ground after his death, and and be buried next to his mother's cemetery in his hometown.
Regarding Xu Shiyou's objection, Chairman Mao approved his request considering his contribution to the victory of the revolution. However, in 1985, Chairman Mao had already passed away. So will General Xu Shiyou's wish be fulfilled?
Shortly after he passed away, the report on applying for burial was sent to the central government. At that time, many people circulated the report, but they were not sure of their ideas. Therefore, at that time, the whole country advocated cremation, and Xu Shiyou was a senior general in the army. His funeral would inevitably attract the attention of many people.
Since many people are unsure of their minds, this matter was reported to Deng Xiaoping, hoping to ask Mr. Deng to make a resolution. Deng Xiaoping knew Xu Shiyou very well and knew that he had made contributions to the party, the country and the people at different times. Therefore, after careful consideration, Mr. Deng made relevant instructions on Xu Shiyou's request.
The instructions at that time included seven specialties. The first four specialties mainly talked about the special characteristics of General Xu Shiyou himself. He said that he was a special character, mainly reflected in his special personality, special experience, and special contribution. Based on the above four specialties, his special burial was approved. This is the special among the specialties, but I will not be an example.
Therefore, under the special approval of the central government, General Xu Shiyou's hearse entered the Dabie Mountains area in the early morning, and his coffin was also buried next to his mother's cemetery according to his requirements.
Conclusion
General Xu Shiyou wrote a legendary life with his upright character, heroic fighting, and fearlessness of sacrifice and created countless great achievements. It is precisely because of his considerable contribution that future generations will remember it in their hearts.
