Speaking of Marshal Xu Xiangqian, what do you think of?
Xu Xiangqian
There are two points that immediately came to my mind and impressed me the most.
First, his outstanding military ability, which is a gift.
The second is his humble and low-key character, which is acquired.
Throughout the ages, those with outstanding military abilities and outstanding military exploits were often arrogant and even arrogant, leading to tragic endings.
Xu Xiangqian is not the case. He perfectly combines these two points. He has outstanding military exploits and is low-key and humble. He is respected by the whole party, the whole army and the people of the country. He has turned back the tide many times and has made great achievements.
Among the top ten marshals, Xu Xiangqian was the second to last to die at the age of 89, second only to Nie Rongzhen who died in 1992.
This is not accidental, but inevitable.
In addition to Xu Xiangqian's good physical and mental qualities, it was also because he understood the general situation, took the overall situation into consideration, and knew how to deal with people. Therefore, he survived many ups and downs and survived long life.
Xu Xiangqian graduated from the first batch of the Huangpu Military Academy. There are many talents in the first batch, including "star figures" such as Chen Geng, Jiang Xianyun, and He Zhonghan. During his time in school, he was dazzling and dazzling.
Xu Xiangqian, who comes from an ordinary background and is not good at speaking, is inconspicuous among the crowd and his performance is mediocre.
It is said that the then principal of Whampoa Military Academy Chiang Kai-shek once inspected the students. When it was Xu Xiangqian's turn, he saw that Xu Xiangqian was "unattractive", taciturn, and even a little dull.
Xu Xiangqian during the Whampoa Military Academy
Facts have proved that Chiang Kai-shek was completely mistaken.
Xu Xiangqian is a typical " person who is ruthless and doesn't talk much ". He can speak well but it doesn't work. He can see the truth on the battlefield, otherwise it is just talk on paper.
During the Agrarian Revolution, Xu Xiangqian was the first among the first batch of students at the Huangpu Military Academy to become a senior military officer and a unique general.
When Xu Xiangqian served as the commander-in-chief of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, he was the main commander for most of the successive counter-campaigns in the Hubei, Henan, Anhui, and Sichuan-Shaanxi revolutionary bases, and the Kuomintang was in a state of disarray. He became the Red Army general who commanded the most annihilated enemies. one.
Later, when Chiang Kai-shek mentioned Xu Xiangqian, he couldn't help but pause and sigh, regretting that he had looked away.
Speaking of Xu Xiangqian, I have to mention the Red Fourth Front Army.
The Fourth Red Army is famous for its many fierce generals, many brave generals, and many unafraid of death. It is good at fighting big battles, tough battles, and vicious battles. The formation of this style is inseparable from Xu Xiangqian's command.
In all the battles, Xu Xiangqian always took the lead and charged forward. Wherever the battle was the fiercest, he would appear with his shell gun and command from the front, never fearing.
Li Xiannian, Xu Xiangqian's close comrade-in-arms and former political commissar of the 30th Army of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, said:
"Comrade Xu Xiangqian has amazing military courage and never knows what fear is. The more big, tough, and vicious battles come, the more energetic he becomes." , full of energy."
However, Xu Xiangqian, a "ruthless man" who is good at fighting tough battles, also has a "soft" side.
's "softness" is mainly reflected in his care, especially towards soldiers and fellow villagers. He has achieved true care and love.
Xu Xiangqian during the Red Army period
The first thing is his love for soldiers. It can be said that he loves soldiers like his own children.
Xu Xiangqian was born in the army and knew that being a soldier is not easy. The relationship between cadres and soldiers is like the relationship between fish and water. Cadres must clearly establish the idea of "serving the soldiers" and all work must start from and be based on soldiers.
Every time there is a meeting, Xu Xiangqian often tells the Ministry of Education to cherish the soldiers:
"As a cadre, you must love the soldiers. Every cadre must understand that you need cadres only if you have soldiers, not only if you have cadres. We must regard soldiers as We love our brothers as if they were our own sons and daughters."
Xu Xiangqian loved his soldiers as much as his own son. The soldiers truly admired him, and the combat effectiveness of the Red Fourth Front Army was naturally second to none.
The second is the love for my father and fellow villagers, which can be described as caring.
Xu Xiangqian is from Shanxi and grew up in Wutai Mountain, but the place where he really grew up was Dabie Mountain.
What worries him the most is the Dabie Mountains.
In 1929, Xu Xiangqian was sent to northeastern Hubei and began to demonstrate his outstanding military talents. The vast Dabie Mountains became the stage for him to show off his talents.
In just two years, Xu Xiangqian commanded many defeats of enemy encirclement and suppression, and continued to expand the Hubei, Henan, and Anhui revolutionary base areas. Instead of being wiped out, the Fourth Red Army was not wiped out, but more and more were fought, once growing to 80,000 people.
Because of this arduous and glorious history of struggle, Xu Xiangqian had deep feelings for the Dabie Mountains.
Xu Xiangqian
After the liberation of the country, Xu Xiangqian often thought of the Dabie Mountains, missed the years of fighting side by side with his comrades, and missed the folks in the old area. He never went back to see it because of his busy schedule.
In 1983, several comrades from the old Dabie Mountain area came to Beijing to report on their work and visited Xu Xiangqian by the way.
This year, 82-year-old Xu Xiangxiang was in poor health, fell ill again, and was bedridden.
Hearing that someone was coming from Dabie Mountain, Xu Xiangqian was very excited and struggled to get up to receive him.
But he was weak and unsteady, so he had to sit on a recliner to communicate with everyone.
"How is the situation in the old areas? How is the economic development? How are the people's lives?"
Xu Xiangqian asked three questions in a row.
Comrades from the old areas talked about the economic development achievements of the old areas one after another.
At first, Xu Xiangqian was very happy, interjecting a question or two from time to time, but as he went on, his expression became more and more wrong, and he was obviously unhappy.
"You have talked so much, how is the life of the masses? Is there anyone who is hungry?"
Xu Xiangqian couldn't help but interrupt.
's question immediately silenced the audience.
Several comrades in the old district of Dabie Mountain looked at each other and stopped talking.
It turns out that after seeing Xu Xiangqian's poor health, everyone unconsciously formed a tacit understanding to report only good news and not bad news, so as not to worry the old man and make him anxious, which would affect his body.
Xu Xiangqian
Seeing this scene, Xu Xiangqian became even more unhappy. His face darkened and he was about to get angry.
At this time, a young cadre spoke:
"Do you remember Qiliping? We went down and conducted a survey. The lives of the people there are still very difficult. Many people depend on the weather for food and do not have much income..."
said At this point, he quietly glanced at Xu Qianqian and saw that the old commander was listening attentively, so he continued.
"There is a man named Wang. He has a family of 7 and only has 6 bowls..."
Xu Xiangqian listened and slowly sat up from the recliner unconsciously. He seemed to have forgotten the physical pain and murmured in his mouth. Repeating:
"7 people, 6 bowls, only 6 bowls..."
Everyone quickly helped Xu Xiangqian sit down, and Xu Xiangqian asked in detail about the situation of the poor people.
After the comrades in the old district left, Xu Xiangqian's heart was filled with ups and downs. That night, the old commander couldn't sleep, and he didn't sleep a wink all night.
A few days later, it was Xu Xiangqian’s 82nd birthday, and the staff around him were preparing to celebrate his birthday.
According to northern folk customs, people start celebrating their birthdays when they reach sixty years old, commonly known as "birthday".
A ten-year birthday is very grand. When you are over eighty years old, it is a must-celebrate birthday every year and cannot be missed.
Xu Xiangqian has always been thrifty and rarely celebrates birthdays, but starting from the age of 70, the staff began to celebrate his birthday.
But on his 82nd birthday, when the staff was preparing, Xu Xiangqian said gloomily:
"It's too late."
The staff was puzzled, why?
Xu Xiangqian and his wife
"The people in the old district are suffering so much, how can I live longer!"
The staff was puzzled because Xu Xiangqian's birthday celebration was actually cooking more dishes than usual, so they advised him not to think too much.
But Xu Xiangqian firmly refused,
"Do you know? There are 7 people in this village, but only 6 bowls. I feel uneasy!"
The staff was silent.
From then on, until his death at the age of 89, Xu Xiangqian never celebrated his birthday again. He only took a group photo with everyone on his 85th birthday.
Even so, Xu Xiangqian kept saying for several days in a row: "There are only 6 bowls for 7 people..."
No matter where he was, he always had the people in the old area of Dabie Mountain in his heart.
Xu Xiangqian cares about the people in the old district, not just in words or in his heart, but in real actions.
After the comrades from the old district of Dabie Mountain left, Xu Xiangqian thought a lot.
Dabie Mountain is an old revolutionary area. The people have made many sacrifices and made significant contributions to the revolution. How come they are still so poor that they don’t have enough to eat? Not even enough people to eat?
Moreover, according to his understanding, there are many old revolutionary areas like Dabie Mountain, northern Shaanxi, Yimeng ... The more old revolutionary areas are, the more poverty and backwardness they have.
Xu Xiangqian
What is the reason? Is it because too many sacrifices have been made in the old areas, or is it because of traffic congestion and rigid thinking? This probably requires some in-depth research before we can make an overall judgment.
If he were ten years younger, Xu Xiangqian would definitely go to the old district in person to visit the people there.
But he is old and sick, and he really can't walk.
After thinking for a period of time, Xu Xiangqian submitted an "Opinions on Please Pay Attention to the Construction of Old Areas" to the Party Central Committee, hoping that the central government would invest more support in the old revolutionary areas including the Dabie Mountains to help the people in the old areas get rid of poverty and become rich.
Lao Shuai's opinion has been highly valued by the Party Central Committee, because this is indeed a common issue.
In 1984, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the "Notice of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Helping Poverty-stricken Areas to Change Their Faces as Quickly as possible", making unified arrangements to help people in old areas get rid of poverty. Provide support to poverty-stricken counties.
Under the care of the central government, the economy of the Dabie Mountains began to improve, and the natural economy began to gradually move onto the track of commodity economy development, and the people's life began to change.
In 1986, the Party Central Committee and the State Council issued the "Instructions on Paying Attention to the Use of Science and Technology to Develop the Dabie Mountains", and arranged for State Councilor and Director of the State Science and Technology Commission Song Jian to lead a 14-member inspection team to conduct an in-depth inspection of the Dabie Mountains. Anhui, Henan, and Hubei provinces participated in the Dabie Mountains Symposium on Science and Technology Development.
Xu Xiangqian and his family
More than a month later, a "Report Outline on the Inspection of the Dabie Mountains" was presented to the desk of the central leadership, and it also appeared in front of Xu Xiangqian. The
report believes that there are many reasons for poverty in the Dabie Mountains, including war trauma, ideological rigidity, resource destruction, water and soil erosion, ecological imbalance, backward transportation, information blockage, and other factors.
In short, the task of getting rid of poverty and becoming rich in old revolutionary areas is arduous, but there is hope to get rid of poverty in the next three to five years. This requires strong support from superiors and the hard work of local people.
Immediately afterwards, the State Council announced the establishment of an office for old, young, border and poverty-stricken areas. As a discussion and coordination agency specifically responsible for poverty alleviation and development, my country's systematic poverty alleviation and development career began.
Seeing this series of major measures, Xu Xiangqian's eyes were filled with tears. There is hope for the people in the old district!
On September 21, 1990, Xu Xiangqian passed away.
When Xu Xiangqian was seriously ill, he told his wife and children many times: "I have three last words: first, not to bid farewell to my body; second, not to hold a memorial service; third, scatter my ashes in Dabie Mountain, Daba Mountain, Hexi Corridor and Taihang Mountain . "
Old comrade Li Xiannian came to visit, and the old commander solemnly made the above request again.
Li Xiannian nodded with tears in his eyes and agreed.
On November 1, a special plane flew quietly to the Dabie Mountains.
In accordance with Xu Xiangqian's will, part of his ashes were scattered in the Dabie Mountains.
In this way, Xu Xiangqian rested in the Dabie Mountains. This is the place where he fought during his lifetime. Here are his comrades who fought with him during his lifetime. Here are the people in the old district who he cared about most...
Today, we have built a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way. , Xu Shuaiquan knows, I can be relieved.
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