One day in June 1949, Mao Renfeng walked into the office of Chiang Kai-shek with a serious expression and handed a report to the worried Chiang Kai-shek with a trembling expression.
At this time, Chiang Kai-shek no longer had the prestige of the past. After the People's Liberation Army successfully crossed the Yangtze River, most parts of the country had been liberated, and Chiang Kai-shek's rule in Sichuan was in danger.
After reading the report sent by Mao Renfeng, Chiang Kai-shek was furious. He cursed Mao Renfeng for being incompetent, as if he wanted to vent all the anger he had accumulated for many years on Mao Renfeng.
Just when Mao Renfeng mistakenly thought Chiang Kai-shek would punish him, Chiang Kai-shek's emotions became much calmer. Then, he said to Mao Renfeng with a fierce look on his face: "It won't work twice, then come for the third time. This time, I will send Liu Quande to you. You can definitely kill Chen Yi !"
Why did he have to kill Chen Yi before Chiang Kai-shek retreated to Taiwan? What are the grudges between the two? This starts with Chen Yi participating in the revolution...
1. Abandoning literature and following martial arts, making it difficult to guerrilla
In August 1901, Chen Yi was born in a small village in Lezhi, Sichuan. The year when Chen Yi was born was the time when the Qing government signed the "HTM1 Xinchou Treaty ", China became a semi-colonial semi-feudal society, and Chen Yi's fate seemed to have been doomed since birth.
Chen Yi's ancestors were once a landlord, but unfortunately, his father lost his family. Due to the constant natural disasters and man-made disasters, all the acres of land in Chen Yi's family were sold, and his father could only make a living by working as a private school teacher in the village. Under the influence of his father, Chen Yi received a good education in his childhood. When he grew up, Chen Yi continued to work hard on the road of studying with the support of his mother.
At that time, China had undergone earth-shaking changes, and revolutionary ideas penetrated into the heart of China, and Chen Yi was deeply infected. At the age of 10, he and his brother came to the front of the provincial government together. Both of them cut off their braids that represented decay and backwardness.
1916, Chen Yi was admitted to a local industrial school to study tie-dye . However, compared to industry, Chen Yi prefers political literature. He tried to criticize the then Beiyang government by writing current affairs articles.
Two years later, Chen Yi successfully obtained a quota for studying in France. During his time in France, Chen Yi studied literature while working. At this time, he was determined to obtain a doctorate in literature.
At that time, European communist thought was spreading. With Cai Hesen's introduction, Chen Yi was fortunate to read " Communist Manifesto ", and the ideas in it inspired Chen Yi.
Originally, Chen Yi did not have the idea of joining Communist . Until something happened, Chen Yi completely changed his mind, and communism was closely linked to him from then on.
1921, the Beiyang government used tax and railway supervision rights as collateral to lend money to the French government, which aroused the dissatisfaction of French students such as Chen Yi. French students united and launched a protest movement at various universities in France, which was eventually suppressed by the French government. A large number of French students were deported to the country, and Chen Yi was also among them.
After returning to China, Chen Yi still dreamed of becoming a writer. He ran to major newspapers in Beijing. During this period, Chen Yi met Cai Hesen again.
Cai Hesen, who serves as editor-in-chief of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, introduced Chen Yi again to Communist Party of China . Looking back at the stormy motherland, Chen Yi gave up his "small ideal" and instead chose the "big ideal" that concerns the fate of hundreds of millions of compatriots.
Not long after, Chen Yi swore an oath to join the Communist Party of China. The future literary and artistic marshal abandoned literature and joined martial arts and began to strive for China's future.
1927, the Kuomintang reactionaries betrayed the revolution and suppressed Communists in a large manner. The unwilling Communists immediately launched the Nanchang Uprising and established the workers and peasants' armed forces.
After Chairman Mao led the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army to open up the Jinggangshan base, Chen Yi also led the remnants of troops to meet. Afterwards, Chen Yi assisted Commander-in-Chief Zhu to complete the division and rest work of the Red Army's , and his military talent was demonstrated for the first time.
After the failure of the fifth anti-"encirclement and suppression", Chairman Mao returned to the leadership position of the Red Army. Under Chairman Mao's instructions, the Red Army troops began to carry out the Long March .
At that time, Chen Yi was injured in the calf and was recuperating in the hospital. The leaders of the Party Central Committee arranged for Chen Yi to stay in the Central Soviet Area, and the camera restrained the Kuomintang's main force. After receiving the order, Chen Yi carefully analyzed the situation in the Central Soviet Area. He believed that: "If the troops in the Central Soviet Area want to not be eliminated, they must persist in guerrilla war to the end!" So, the guerrilla confrontation between Chen Yi and Chiang Kai-shek for three years began.
Chen Yi brought all the remaining Red Army troops into the mountains, using the complex terrain to restrain the Kuomintang army. Chiang Kai-shek tried every means to encircle and suppress the enemy, but he was always fooled by Chen Yi.
Seeing that the heavy army failed to "encircle and suppress" the troops, Chiang Kai-shek changed his strategy and changed the "encircle and suppress" to "encircle and suppress". Chiang Kai-shek believed that: "Track Chen Yi's troops in the mountains, after a long time, the Red Army will definitely not be able to hold on. Then find the right opportunity and annihilate it in one fell swoop!"
Faced with the blockade of the Kuomintang army, Chen Yi also began to change his strategy. He flexibly adopted the strategy of "turning enemies into friends" to develop the underground party organization within the Kuomintang.
Facts have proved that Chen Yi's strategy is very correct. Many local security chiefs have joined the Red Army, but, on the surface, they are from the Kuomintang again.
That's it. Chen Yi led the Red Army to persevere in the mountains for three years. During this period, the Red Army troops not only accumulated rich experience in guerrilla warfare, but also further strengthened the team, which made Chiang Kai-shek very angry.
2. Confrontation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, fighting wits and courage
Not only that, Chen Yi also used dangerous moves to play with Chiang Kai-shek. He first tied up his troops and then took the initiative to "send" to the local security captain.
Seeing that Chen Yi's troops came to him, the Kuomintang security team relaxed their vigilance because they thought Chiang Kai-shek's blockade policy had been effective. However, this was Chen Yi's bitter plan. When security team was about to take credit, Chen Yi cooperated with members of the underground party organization inside and outside to rescue the "captured personnel".
Watching Chen Yi play tricks on himself, Chiang Kai-shek cursed. He called Chen Yi: "The most cunning, most tricky, and eliminate the most difficult 'bandit leader'!"
1939 Anti-Japanese War fully broke out, for the common interests of the nation, the second cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party was imminent. Chen Yi took the lead in abandoning past grudges and issued an announcement "Stop the Civil War, Resist Japan Together", calling on the Kuomintang to put aside its prejudice and unite to fight against Japan.
Under pressure from both internal and external forces, the Kuomintang had to cooperate with the Communists again to resist the Japanese invaders. However, the Kuomintang embellished the cooperation and even published the words "Communist bandits surrender" in the newspaper.
Chen Yi was extremely angry when he learned about this. He said righteously: "Negotiation is OK, but surrender is absolutely not OK!"
Chen Yi argued with reason, and Chiang Kai-shek finally made a compromise, revoking the report with the words "submission", changing his attitude towards the Communists, and the Kuomintang and the Communist Party reached cooperation in the Jiangxi-Guangdong region.
During this period, Chen Yi unified the guerrillas in the Central Soviet Area, which led to the organization of the New Fourth Army. This move once again aroused Chiang Kai-shek's dissatisfaction, and a larger conspiracy was brewing.
After the establishment of the New Fourth Army, Chiang Kai-shek used secret operations to limit it to the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and near Nanjing. This was the key attack area of the Japanese army. Chiang Kai-shek tried to use the Japanese to get rid of the great troubles in his heart.
Chen Yi naturally understood Chiang Kai-shek's thoughts. In the face of Chiang Kai-shek's arrangements, Chen Yi also made corresponding arrangements.
Chen Yi decided to take advantage of the situation. In the Nanjing area where the enemy and puppet are stubbornly intertwined, the New Fourth Army united as many forces as possible to fight against the Japanese invaders. The New Fourth Army fought wits and courage against the stubborn warlords and the Kuomintang armed forces.
1940, according to the instructions of the Party Central Committee, Chen Yi took the New Fourth Army to northern Jiangsu to open up the northern Jiangsu base area and consolidate our party's military strength in central China.
The strategic mobilization of the New Fourth Army made Chiang Kai-shek realize the strategic importance of the central China region. In order to compete with the New Fourth Army, Chiang Kai-shek also ordered his troops to enter the northern Jiangsu region.
Jiangsu Provincial Chairman Han Deqin even received an order from Chiang Kai-shek to try to create friction with the New Fourth Army and eliminate the New Fourth Army while it has not yet gained a stable foothold.
In mid-October, Chen Yi and Su Yu led the New Fourth Army to establish a base in the Huangqiao area, and Han Deqin immediately led more than 30,000 people to "encircle and suppress".
The New Fourth Army has only more than 7,000 people, and its weapons and equipment are also diverse. However, this battle is related to the survival of the northern Jiangsu base, and Chen Yi and Su Yu have to fight well.
Faced with the fierce enemy, Su Yu keenly found a solution. It turned out that Han Dequan ordered the troops to attack in three directions, which gave the New Fourth Army a chance to defeat one by one.
Chen Yi immediately gave instructions, and the entire New Fourth Army was dispatched to use mobile combat, centered on the Huangqiao area, to attract invading Kuomintang troops, and specifically adopt blocking, slugging, ambushing and assault methods to encroach on the enemy.
Not only that, Chen Yi also mobilized the underground party organization force. Before the battle began, the right-wing army in Han Dequan's three armies revolted on the battlefield, and the Kuomintang army was shaken.
Then, Chen Yi ordered the New Fourth Army to attack one after another, cutting Han Dequan's army into several segments. The Kuomintang army that could not be assembled was immediately defeated, and Han Dequan led the remaining deserters to retreat in a hurry. In the end, the Battle of Huangqiao achieved a successful victory. The New Fourth Army annihilated more than 10,000 Kuomintang troops and captured nearly 4,000 people. The northern Jiangsu base was successfully established.
The consolidation of the anti-Japanese base in central China not only had a significant impact on the process of the anti-Japanese war, but also laid the foundation for the victory of the War of Liberation in the future.
After the New Fourth Army took root in the northern Jiangsu base, Chiang Kai-shek frowned. The New Fourth Army led by Chen Yi wedges in the central China region like a nail, which made Chiang Kai-shek feel like a thorn.
In order to compete with the New Fourth Army for the central China region, Chiang Kai-shek did not give up on the "encirclement and suppression" of the northern Jiangsu base areas in the late period of the Anti-Japanese War. Unfortunately, they all ended in failure.
3. Vow to seize Shanghai and assassinate three times
After the Japanese invaders surrendered, Chiang Kai-shek unilaterally tore up the Double Tenth Agreement, and the War of Liberation broke out. Chiang Kai-shek's plan was: "Turn the war to the People's Liberation Army and consume the People's Liberation Army's manpower, material resources and financial resources!"
In the early stage of the Liberation War, the East China Liberated Area was the focus of the Kuomintang army's offensive. In Chiang Kai-shek's view, the decisive battle with Chen Yi and Su Yu in East China was the first step to eliminate the "Communist bandits". Chiang Kai-shek was full of confidence, and he wanted to calculate the new and old hatreds together.
Chiang Kai-shek sent a telegram to the Kuomintang's 74th Division, the reorganized 11th Division and the 5th Army to form a coalition force, and 450,000 troops rushed to the East China Liberated Area to launch an attack on Chen Yi's 270,000 troops.
This time, Chiang Kai-shek learned from the past lessons and no longer divided his troops, but instead concentrated his superior forces and focused on breakthroughs. Chiang Kai-shek believed that Chen Yi would definitely not be able to deal with such a large-scale attack. There are two reasons: First, Zhang Lingfu 's 74th Division is known as the elite of the national army, and the 30,000 troops are all American-style equipment, and all kinds of heavy weapons and are available; second, Chiang Kai-shek believed that Chen Yi could only fight guerrilla warfare , and large-scale battles were not his strength.
Chen Yi disagreed with this. Faced with the mighty Kuomintang army, Chen Yi and Su Yu decided to lure the enemy into depth, overcome the urgent situation, and slowly destroy the morale of the Kuomintang army.
Looking at the retreating Communist army, the arrogant commander of the 74th Division, Zhang Lingfu, was indeed trapped. He ordered the troops to advance without authorization and tried his best to pursue the retreating Communist army. This caused the 74th Division to be surrounded by the East China Field Army in Menglianggu. In order to completely annihilate this elite division, Chen Yi adopted the "heart-to-heart tactic". In the end, the 74th Division was completely annihilated and Zhang Lingfu was killed.
After the end of the Battle of Menglianggu, Chairman Mao sent a congratulatory message to Chen Yi: "You can wipe out Zhang Lingfu's 74th Division, Chiang Kai-shek was unexpected!"
The disastrous defeat of the Battle of Menglianggu did make Chiang Kai-shek heartbroken. Later, Chiang Kai-shek said to the generals around him: "This is the most heartbreaking and difficult battle of our party since the suppression of bandits!"
Chiang Kai-shek, who changed his tactics, still failed to defeat Chen Yi. In every battle with Chen Yi, Chiang Kai-shek never gained the upper hand, and this situation continued to the battle to liberate Shanghai later.
At the end of May 1949, the People's Liberation Army's Crossing the River Campaign was in full swing, and Chen Yi led the East China Field Army to launch the urban battle to liberate Shanghai.
Shanghai is a famous economic center. In order to reduce the damage to the city, Chen Yi ordered the troops to protect the city and the people. In Chen Yi's view, liberating Shanghai is easy.
, and Chiang Kai-shek also attaches great importance to the security work of Shanghai. For this reason, he also flew from Chengdu to Shanghai and threatened: "In less than three months, the national army can defeat the People's Liberation Army!"
After the Shanghai urban attack war started, Chen Yi ordered the troops to go into Shanghai and block the maritime passage. Then, the East China Field Army entered the downtown area of Shanghai in two routes, and surrounded the Kuomintang army guarding the city.
In just half a month, the East China Field Army occupied the city of Shanghai. Chiang Kai-shek, who once expressed his resistance for half a year, returned to Chengdu in disappointment.
After the liberation of Shanghai, Chen Yi became the first mayor of Shanghai. Chiang Kai-shek, who failed many times in battle, was furious and began to prepare for the assassination of Chen Yi.
Chiang Kai-shek first sent 28 spies to carry out the assassination plan, but these spies were arrested by local public security personnel as soon as they landed on the shore of Zhoushan.
Then, Chiang Kai-shek, who was unwilling to fail, ordered Mao Renfeng to assign a more reliable spy. The spy tried to instigate the secretary of the Shanghai Theater Troupe, but failed. Instead, he exposed his whereabouts. In the end, he was arrested by public security personnel at night.
Both assassinations of Chen Yi were not successful, and Chiang Kai-shek was so angry that he was angry. After scolding Mao Renfeng, he personally assigned the spy Liu Quande to carry out the third assassination mission. Chen Yi, who received the news, laughed loudly. He said heroically to his staff: "Although he wants him to come, he must catch him when he comes!" Although the spy Liu Quande is meticulous, the public security personnel successfully captured Liu Quande through the analysis of the relationship network. At this point, Chiang Kai-shek lost a mess in the showdown with Chen Yi.
In 1955, Chiang Kai-shek, who fled to Taiwan, looked at Chen Yi on the list of the "Top Ten Marshals" after being awarded the title, and was reluctant to divert his sight for a long time. He smiled bitterly and said to Soong Mei-ling : "This person is so amazing!"
