On October 17, 1948, Chiang Kai-shek was having dinner with Du Yuming, and they were discussing the issue of Jinzhou. Suddenly, an intelligence agent rushed in with an urgent call from Zheng Dongguo and they interrupted them. Conversation.
Chiang Kai-shek stood up quickly with a pale face. Du Yuming asked hurriedly: "What happened to Brother Guiting?"
Chiang Kai-shek's face was solemn and silently said: "There are only 4 words on the telegram. See you in the next life."
Du Yuming instantly understood that this was Zheng Dongguo who was about to become a benevolent.
Speaking of "chengren", Chiang Kai-shek is most afraid of his subordinates surrendering in his life. As early as when he was the principal of Whampoa Military Academy, he had painstakingly gifted each graduate student a " Zhongzheng sword". The command "unsuccessful, you will become benevolent", that is to say, soldiers will fight to the last moment, if there is no hope, it is better to commit suicide and die for the country.
But at that time, there were actually many commanders and generals who surrendered to our party. This made Chiang Kai-shek's face nowhere to go. Seeing Zheng Dongguo's determination to become a benevolent, Chiang Kai-shek was also relieved and heartbroken.
Chiang Kai-shek and Du Yuming
As expected, Chiang Kai-shek received intelligence the next day: "Changchun was occupied by the Communists last night, and the 60th Army of the Changchun Defenders and the New Seventh Army all surrendered to the Communists, only General Zheng Dongguo , Led a lone army, refused to be humiliated and committed suicide after the Central Bank fought to the last pawn!"
Chiang Kai-shek and Du Yuming stood up immediately after listening.
"What?" Although they had expected it, they still refused to believe the bad news.
Chiang Kai-shek paused for a while, then calmed down. Knowing that Du Yuming and Zheng Dongguo are close friends, he comforted him in mourning. Du Yuming's eyes were red, and he murmured: "Gui Ting is a real soldier, and the principal's order is for him to guard Changchun.So he stayed to the end!
Chiang Kai-shek quickly proposed to send a message of condolences to Zheng Dongguo, hoping that his behavior would inspire more military generals.
So, there was such a report:
"Changchun National Army War to the last bullet . General Zheng Dongguo died heroically.
Zheng Dongguo’s wife and son Zheng An Teng were in grief after hearing the news. Under Chiang Kai-shek’s arrangements, Zheng An Teng returned to Shenyang on the afternoon of October 27 to mourn for his father in order to do his filial piety.
Came to Shenyang, Zheng An Teng I cried loudly in front of my father’s "portrait". After condolence, I originally planned to return to Beiping immediately. However, due to changes in the situation, I accidentally learned from our military command post: father is not dead!
Time goes back to October On the 18th, when Chiang Kai-shek received the news of Zheng Dongguo's death, he comforted Du Yuming, and then thought about how to use this to "make a big article", the intelligence agent hurried in:
"Just received more reliable information, Zheng Dongguo The general is not dead! Not only did he not die, he also surrendered to the Communists under the coercion of his subordinates! "
Chiang Kai-shek was furious. He didn't know what to say for a while, only the word "shameful" echoed in the room.
In Chiang Kai-shek's eyes, the life of soldiers is not enough. Only absolute loyalty can only be used. It is the most important thing! In order to take care of his own face and fear that Zheng Dongguo’s vote will disturb the military's spirit, he decided that in the KMT newspaper, Zheng Dongguo must be a "dead" person!
Thus, there was Zheng Anteng, Zheng Dongguo's son In the scene when he learned that his father was not dead, Zheng An-teng turned his grief to joy, and at the same time expressed indignation at the Kuomintang’s rumors.
Well, many people will wonder why Zheng Dongguo, who was stunned on the battlefield, was besieged in Changchun. Zheng Dongguo originally decided to "become benevolence", why did he suddenly surrender? After Zheng Dongguo surrendered, what was his fate? All this,Let’s start with Zheng Dongguo’s ambition to serve the country with all his heart.
Zheng Dongguo
1. Dedicated to Huangpu and dedicated to serving the country
In 1903, Zheng Dongguo was born in Nanyuesi Village, Shimen County, Hunan Province into a peasant family. There are 14-year-old elder brother Zheng Tongguo and 3 sisters.
Zheng Dongguo’s father is an upright farmer, who is fluent in writing, and his mother is a typical good wife and mother, with the simplicity and kindness of a rural woman. Although the family conditions are not very good, because Zheng's father had studied in a private school for two years, he knew well that only by studying can children get out of this "poor lump" and make a difference in the future.
So, Zheng's father did everything possible to provide for Tongguo and Dongguo, and his two sons to study.
Later, his elder brother Zheng Tongguo had the opportunity to study in Japan. After returning, he taught in his hometown. In the ears of young Zheng Dongguo, he often heard new words such as "democracy" and "revolution" from his brother. Zheng Dongguo had such a concept since he was a child: the Qing Dynasty is not good, and the monarchy must be overthrown and the Republic of China established, so that China can have hope.
But unlike most people's idea of "reading for the country", Zheng Dongguo wanted to "serving the country from the army."
Until 1924, Zheng Dongguo really did his wish to apply for the Whampoa Military Academy. During this period, Zheng Dongguo had been exploring, with many twists and turns, even quite legendary.
In 1921, Zheng Dongguo abandoned his school to apply for Hunan Army Lecture Martial Hall . However, due to the turmoil of the current situation, Lecture Martial Hall could not be opened normally. In desperation, Zheng Dongguo could only return to Shimen County and continue to study.
Since you can't join the army, it's better to start a business, maybe you can also help the country!
After thinking about it again and again, Zheng Dongguo could only retreat to the next best place, and applied for the Changsha Business School (now Hunan University predecessor), and began to study business. But Zheng Dongguo was still unwilling. He had been waiting for an opportunity, and at that time, he didn't know whether this opportunity would come.
may be dictated by faith, or it may be the destiny of the times. In 1924, Mr. Sun Yat-sen founded the Army Officer School in Guangzhou. Zheng Dongguo was very excited when he heard the news. This time, we must seize the opportunity!
Whampoa Military Academy
However, a problem lies in front of Zheng Dongguo-no money!
Zheng Dongguo thought about it, but he could only turn to his elder brother Zheng Tongguo. Seeing his brother's passion, Zheng Tongguo promised to lend him money, so Zheng Dongguo once again abandoned his studies to join the army. This time, he came to Guangzhou.
I thought that the dream was right in front of my eyes, but who knows, it was almost shattered by reality once again!
It turned out that Zheng Dongguo finally rushed to Guangzhou to apply for the Whampoa Military Academy, but only then realized that he had missed the application date for the first period.
Zheng Dongguo was anxious, annoyed, and frustrated, but there was no way out of the world. At this time, a fellow villager named Huangao paid his attention, but Zheng Dongguo hesitated after hearing this.
It turned out that Huang Ao came to Guangzhou earlier. At that time, he was worried that he would not be able to pass the exam, and he applied for twice. Unexpectedly, he was successful the first time. That is to say, at this time, he had one more. Quota.
He suggested that Zheng Dongguo take the exam instead of his name!
Huang Ao
But at this time, Zheng Dongguo hesitated! It’s not that he was worried about other things. It’s just that the "replacement" is really contrary to the "honest" creed he has always believed in. But when I thought, if I didn't do this, I would have to wait for the second period of enrollment. After pondering for a long time, Zheng Dong Guoxin Heng, took the test under the name "Huang Ao".
A few days later, the admission list came out. What makes people laugh is that the two "Huang Ao" are actually placed in the second team!
When the instructor called, the true and false Huang Ao responded at the same time, and the scene was very embarrassing.
In those few days, Zheng Dongguo has been anxious, after several sleepless nights, he finally mustered up the courage and blushed to report the origin of the impostor to the district captain.
Later, on the one hand, the school understood that his impostor was really helpless, on the other hand, he also cherished this talent, so he decided not to pursue it any more, but just asked him to change his name!
Zheng Dongguo was so happy that he could finally use his name and walked into the gate of Whampoa Military Academy dignifiedly!
In his later years, Zheng Dongguo still clearly remembered the couplet in front of the military academy gate:
"Please go to other places for promotion and fortune; don't enter the door if you are greedy of life and death", the horizontal critic is "come the revolutionaries!"
In this military academy, there are the insightful teachings of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and the advanced ideas of famous revolutionaries like Liao Zhongkai, Deng Yanda, Zhou Enlai, etc. The patriotic and revolutionary spirit advocated by the Whampoa Military Academy is exactly the philosophy and goal of Zheng Dongguo's lifelong struggle!
At that time, Zheng Dongguo couldn't think of it. After the failure of the 1927 Revolution, due to his own ideological limitations, he chose a political path that was completely opposite to the original intention of the Huangpu Military Academy.
This choice made him take a detour for more than 20 years. Until 1948, at the critical moment of the Liaoshen battle , he was trapped in Changchun and had to lay down his weapons and surrender to our party.
Although it was forced by the situation at the time, it became the starting point for Zheng Dongguo to gain a new life in politics.
2. Defeated in Changchun and was forced to surrender
"Food is scarce and prices are soaring. A bundle of banknotes is used to buy a bundle of grass, and a golden iron is exchanged for a big girl."
This is 1948 and was trapped. Changchun has become a "dead city".
Zheng Dongguo, as the deputy commander of the "General Suppression", once wanted to encourage the morale of the defenders. He even held a military parade in late May on the grounds that Chiang Kai-shek was elected as the national president.
can first face the strong onslaught of our army, and secondly, because of the loss of the airport,Food is scarce in the city, and people's hearts are scattered. The military parade at this time looked like a funeral.
At the beginning of September, the Kuomintang’s Northeast "Suppression General" sent troops north to Siping to respond to the Changchun defenders' breakthrough, but a few days later, Lin Biao attacked Jinzhou, and Zheng Dongguo’s last hope was lost. .
Since there is no hope for reinforcements, it is better to put all your bets than to wait and die!
So, Zheng Dongguo ordered the defenders to make a desperate breakout while the Northeast Allied Forces marched south to attack Jinzhou.
But where is the hungry defending army, where can the PLA be able to fight for nothing? The staggered person was beaten back before he could get out of the city. For three days, he was hopeless to break through.
At this time, the KMT in Shenyang asked Zheng Dongguo to use gas bombs, but Zheng Dongguo categorically refused. He had tried the powerful gas bombs during the War of Resistance Against Japan. Now, how can he bear the heart to use this kind of weapon on his compatriots?
Zheng Dongguo still has a conscience, but he chose the wrong camp, and he has accepted the traditional Chinese "loyalty, filial piety, justice and righteousness" since childhood. This concept has been deeply ingrained, which makes him unable to "betray the master and forget the righteousness", although At this time, the "justice" he insisted on in his heart had long since changed.
When Chiang Kai-shek repeatedly ordered Zheng Dongguo to break through, he obviously regarded him as an "abandoned son", but what he didn't know was that in the remote Xibaipo, the leaders of our party never thought Give him up.
Before the battle of Liaoshen, several members of the Standing Committee discussed: "It is best to mobilize the Zheng Dongguo uprising."
Especially Zhou Enlai, once a teacher of Zheng Dongguo, knew that Zheng Dongguo's nature is not bad: "I still know this person. He belongs to a more honest and responsible person."
In the end, Mao Zedong also decided to "find a way to fight for his uprising." Zhou Enlai also asked Zhou Enlai to write a letter to Zheng Dongguo in the name of a teacher.
Unfortunately, the city of Changchun was in chaos at that time, and Zheng Dongguo did not read the letter Zhou Enlai wrote to Zheng Dongguo.
However, I think based on the degree of "stubbornness" of Zheng Dongguo at the time,Even after receiving that letter, the possibility of an uprising is unlikely.
Zheng Dongguo's philosophy is: "If you fail to succeed, you will become benevolent." He wants to be loyal to death, but other generals are unwilling!
Stills of Zeng Zesheng's "The Great Battle"
At that time, Zeng Zesheng of the 60th Army had secretly contacted the People's Liberation Army to prepare for an uprising, but Zheng Dongguo didn't know it. When Zeng Zesheng called Zheng Dongguo and asked him to evaluate the situation and join in Zheng Dongguo realized this when he was doing the righteous act!
He sternly refused: "I am a soldier. I must maintain the integrity of the soldier. If I fail to succeed, I will be benevolent!"
At this time, Long Guojun, Chief of Staff of the New Seventh Army, also came to see him and said: "The officers and soldiers have decided to let go. Arms, the People’s Liberation Army has agreed to protect the life and property of the commander and below, and hope that the commander will act with us!”
Zheng Dongguo also refused!
It turns out that from beginning to end, "If you fail to succeed, you will become benevolent", it is just wishful thinking of Zheng Dongguo! But for him, he has no choice!
Zheng Dongguo immediately called Chiang Kai-shek, saying "goodbye in the next life."
Then, he heard gunshots from the central bank building. It seemed that the PLA had already attacked. Zheng Dongguo stretched his hand under his pillow to touch the portable body. The pistol that has been worn for many years has only one bullet in the barrel, which he prepared for himself.
He decided to die calmly, and to die tragically, but strangely, there was nothing under the pillow, and the gun was gone!
Zheng Dongguo realized that his subordinates must be afraid that he would kill himself, so he stole the pistol. He was afraid that he would be a prisoner of the People's Liberation Army if he was one step late, and he hurried around the house, looking for something that could end his life.
At this time, the guards outside heard the movement in the house and rushed in and hugged Zheng Dongguo desperately!
"The Great Battle" still shows Zheng Dongguo in the middle
The nephew Zheng Anfan, who lives next door, also rushed over and knelt in front of Zheng Dongguo and begged: "Uncle, you must never go to a dead end!"
At this point, Zheng Dongguo looked at the accompanying guards around him,Looking forward to the look, he waved his hand helplessly, and whispered: "Let's put down the weapon..."
At this time, the representatives of the People's Liberation Army and the vanguard troops have already entered the headquarters.
It turned out that it was not the People's Liberation Army who came in. It was Zheng Dongguo’s Chief of Staff Yang Youmei and his staff, who had secretly caught up with the People’s Liberation Army. They pretended to fight with the People’s Liberation Army in order to encourage Zheng Dongguo to surrender with them, so as to protect Zheng Dongguo. Life.
all say that "people who know the current affairs are brilliant", I think these aides are not the people who are afraid of life and death. Since the siege of Changchun for several months, the People's Liberation Army has long surrendered their hearts. Sometimes justice and compromise, It is not impossible to coexist.
I think, many years later, when Zheng Dongguo recalled this scene, he might also feel lucky.
However, for Zheng Dongguo, who had just surrendered at that time, he did not think so.
3. In a word from Chairman Mao, let Zheng Dongguo be completely "reborn"
When Zheng Dongguo put down his weapons and followed the troops out of the city in frustration, he drove an American jeep towards him.
Sitting in the car are the Corps Commander Xiao Jinguang and Political Commissar Xiao Hua who have been fighting with him for several months.
Zheng Dongguo thought they would be arrogant and domineering when they saw him, the defeated soldier, but he didn't expect Xiao Hua to order people to stop immediately after seeing him, and walked over to shake hands with him when he got out of the car. Fan, and then left by car.
There is no arrogance in the whole process, only the sympathy and honesty between the heroes.
This detail made Zheng Dongguo feel a little better, who was already extremely depressed.
Xiao Jinguang
In the evening, Xiao Jinguang and Xiao Hua specially invited Zheng Dongguo to dinner. At the dinner, the two generals eagerly persuaded him to drink, but Zheng Dongguo was still depressed, drinking with his head and saying nothing.
Although he was defeated, he still clung to his former position and his loyalty to Chiang Kai-shek.
After a few wine tours, Zheng Dongguo said: "Thank you very much for the hospitality of the two generals. I have failed now. Let me deal with it.As for the officers and soldiers under your command, if anyone is willing to go home, I hope you can let them go.
Xiao Hua replied kindly, the party has a policy, go and stay freely. Those who want to go home will help them go home, and those who want to stay will also be properly settled.
At this time, Xiao Jinguang, who was sitting on the side, asked with a smile: "What is General Zheng's plan in the future? Are you willing to go home or stay?"
At that time, Zheng Dongguo was ashamed of death, although he also felt the two The general's sincerity, but still holding the loyalty of "loyal ministers do not matter to the second dynasty", he is unwilling to work for our party. At this time, he just wants to be a flat-headed common people and talk about this dying life.
At the end, he also put forward several requirements: does not broadcast, do not publish in the newspaper, do not participate in public banquets!
After hearing this, the two generals did not force it, so they suggested that they could go to Harbin to rest or study for a period of time.
Xiao Hua
This proposal is obviously in line with Zheng Dongguo's mind. In fact, Zheng Dongguo has always wanted to go to the liberated areas. He wants to study why the Communist Party can win people's hearts and win battles. If you lose, you have to lose.
So, Zheng Dongguo left Changchun, a sad city, and went to Harbin to think about life.
At this time, Zheng Dongguo's "stubborn" thoughts slowly began to be transformed.
As a result, Zheng Dongguo learns about the changes outside through newspapers every day, especially the news of economic construction in the liberated areas. He seems to realize something when he looks at the people's aspirations.
Secondly, He began to study Chairman Mao's works with great concentration. Later, he also read "Selected Works of Lenin", Stalin's "Basic Leninism" and other works. Through these books, he really got to know China The Communist Party and their revolutionary propositions.
As the works of Marxism-Leninism finished, Zheng Dongguo's heart became brighter and brighter.He began to reflect on the path he had traveled in the past two decades. He also gradually realized his "crisis" and his thoughts gradually became brighter.
In August 1950, Zheng Dongguo went to Shanghai for medical treatment because he was unwell. When passing by Beijing, two generals Xiao Jinguang and Xiao Hua asked him to go to Quanjude to eat roast duck.
The meal this time was much more harmonious than the one in Changchun. When Zheng Dongguo saw the second general, he apologized for his rudeness. The three of them ate and talked and talked about the issue of national construction. .
The two generals expressed their hope that Zheng Dongguo would participate in the work of "liberating Taiwan"!
Although Zheng Dong's domestic heart has changed a lot at that time, he still hesitated. When he thought of meeting his old friends on the other side of the strait, he still couldn't overcome that obstacle in his heart.
refused!
The two generals understood Zheng Dongguo's thoughts. Although a little disappointed, they also expressed respect.
Zheng Dongguo's late years
Until October 1950, Zhou Enlai specially received and banquet Zheng Dongguo, hoping that he could go out of the mountains and make contributions to more people.
Zhou Enlai's attitude was very sincere, which greatly moved Zheng Dongguo, so Zheng Dongguo finally broke through the psychological defense line, saying: "Prepare to go back to Shanghai for treatment, take care of the housework, and wait for the arrangements!"
June 1952, Zheng Dongguo The family moved to Beijing and he was appointed as the counselor of the Ministry of Water Resources. This was the first time that Zheng Dongguo had a relationship with the actual work of the people's government. He secretly made up his mind to do his best.
In September 1954, one day, Zheng Dongguo suddenly received a set of red invitations in gold letters. When he opened it, it turned out that Mao Zedong was going to entertain him in Zhongnanhai.
Zheng Dongguo was both excited and nervous. He was excited to be Mao Zedong's courteous corporal, caring enthusiastically, and nervously, his defeated general could not bear such a honor.
On the day of the banquet, Mao Zedong greeted Zheng Dongguo as soon as he arrived. After some greetings, Chairman Mao asked Zheng Dongguo if he smoked. After getting a positive answer, Chairman Mao stood up, wiped the match very quickly, and personally Help Zheng Dongguo light a cigarette.
Chairman Mao did this move very naturally, which made Zheng Dongguo's heart ups and downs for a while.
Think of myself in front of Chiang Kai-shek. I have never been so easy-going. And Mao Zedong, now, as the leader of a country, can be such a courteous corporal, Zheng Dongguo realized the reason why the new China can flourish. s reason!
During the dinner, Chairman Mao asked Zheng Dongguo some questions. The two of them were talking about their interest. Zheng Dongguo suddenly asked a question: "Chairman, why did you learn Marxism-Leninism so well?"
Chairman Mao was taken aback for a moment, and then he smiled heartily.
Subsequently, his remarks let Zheng Dongguo completely remove his ideological burden and he was deeply educated.
Chairman Mao said: “When I was in the labor movement, the workers ignored me at first. I wandered around on the railway all day, and my heart was very painful and anxious. Later I realized that my face was still a baby face. It’s still a student outfit, so the worker is at a distance from you. A person can only change his position if he puts down the shelf and his mind changes.”
I have to say that Chairman Mao’s remarks are really clever.
On the one hand, it solved Zheng Dongguo’s confusion, on the other hand, it hinted that Zheng Dongguo could really change by putting down the shelf and changing his mind.
fifth from right: Zheng Dongguo
After that, Zheng Dongguo did a lot of things for the reunification of the motherland in the second half of his life. Especially in his later years, Zheng Dongguo took the promotion of the peaceful reunification of the motherland as his own mission. He used various methods. , To promote the party’s Taiwan policy to Whampoa alumni in Taiwan and overseas.
In 1991, at the moment when his life was about to end, Zheng Dongguo said to his children laboriously:
"I used to be a soldier, and I had a very indifferent view of life and death. Live your life.Don't be sad for me. I have no regrets about national affairs or family affairs, but unfortunately I did not see the reunification of the motherland..." Span2span, Taierzhuang, and Kunlun also had their lives hanging by a thread in the lonely city on the way of turning off the lights, but they were lucky to get a new life, which is admirable!
In 1991, January 27, a generation of famous generals finished his life. The final journey.
This article pays tribute to General Zheng Dongguo, and even more tribute to the soldiers of the People's Liberation Army who throw their heads and blood for New China!
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