In April 1936, Liu Zhidan was hit by a bullet during the battle. He died heroically and was laid to rest on the battlefield. Chairman Mao learned the bad news and lamented the inscription: "Leader of the masses, national hero."
In front of the hero's body, countless soldiers swore that they must serve for Liu Zhidan takes revenge!
Nine years after Liu Zhidan's death, in the Battle of Shangdang in October 1945, the brave and fearless People's Liberation Army won the battle, and Shi Zebo, commander of the 19th Army of the Kuomintang Army, was captured alive.
And he was the person who fired bullets at Liu Zhidan, the murderer of Liu Zhidan!
When people expected that the murderer would be brought to justice as soon as possible, Shi Zebo was released, and even Xu Xiangqian personally paid him travel expenses to protect him from leaving.
Why not execute the murderer of the national hero? This puzzled many soldiers and civilians...
Picture | Statue of Liu Zhidan
Liu Zhidan sacrificed
In October 1935, the main force of the Red Army led by Chairman Mao and Zhou Enlai walked through the barren grassland and climbed over the snow-capped mountains. After many hardships, they finally finally Arrive at the anti-Japanese base area in northern Shaanxi.
Northern Shaanxi is strategically located in a dangerous location, but its resources are limited. After the Red Army from all walks of life moves in, it will inevitably bring great challenges to the land of northern Shaanxi. Chairman Mao is far-sighted and determined to take precautions and expand the base area in time to prepare for future battles.
In this case, the central leaders decided: The Red Army will march eastward . The main forces of the Eastern Expedition were the Central Red Army, the 28th Red Army led by Liu Zhidan, and the 15th Red Army led by Xu Haidong.
In March 1936, Liu Zhidan, commander of the 28th Red Army, and Song Renqiong, political commissar, led their troops to march eastward, and successfully joined forces with the 15th Red Army led by Xu Haidong in Baiwen Town, Linxian County, Shanxi Province.
Picture | Long March
In early April, Liu Zhidan received a telegram from the Military Commission , requesting the 28th Red Army to march to the area along the Yellow River south of Lishi, and seize the fighter plane to attack Sanjiao Town, Zhongyang County (now part of Liuzhou). Lin County) enemies launched an attack.
Liu Zhidan immediately ordered that the Red Army troops set out from Baiwen Town, Linxian County, where they were stationed, and took advantage of the darkness to feign an attack on the enemy, covering the main force to Sanjiao Town. Although they were ambushed by the enemy on the way, they finally arrived at Sanjiao Town on time. position.
Sanjiao Town is located in the southwest of Liulin County, facing Northern Shaanxi Soviet Area Qingjian and Suide counties across the river to the west. It is an important crossing where the enemy troops are stationed. During the Red Army's Eastern Expedition in March, Zhou Enlai came to Sanjiao from northern Shaanxi and organized the establishment of the first red political power in Shanxi Province: the Yangxian Soviet Revolutionary Committee.
As soon as Liu Zhidan arrived at the position, regardless of the fatigue of the past days of marching, he immediately went to the nearby mountains to look out, observed the surrounding terrain, inspected the fortifications, and passed some enemy prisoners to inquire about the specific situation of the enemy officers.
Those responsible for garrisoning Sanjiao Town were a regiment headquarters, two battalions, and an artillery company under the "King of Shanxi" Yan Xishan . Among them, the second battalion under the command of Shi Zebo of the 206th Brigade of the Jinsui Army was the most stubborn.
As a veteran on the battlefield, Liu Zhidan quickly held a meeting of cadres above the regiment level. When he learned that there was only one regiment in the area, Liu Zhidan warned everyone earnestly not to be careless or underestimate the enemy at any time. They had just arrived here and had a poor mass base, so every step must be taken. cautious.
Picture | Liu Zhidan
Before the war, Liu Zhidan made detailed and careful arrangements. On April 13, our army's attack on Sanjiao Town officially started. Each regiment of the 28th Army split up to attack and block the enemy.
Liu Zhidan was always paying attention to the battle situation in the military headquarters. He was so tired that his eyes were bloodshot, but he could not take a moment to rest. The guards brought him meals several times, but Liu Zhidan had no time to eat. He would pace for a while and stare at the map. , and never closed his eyes.
Chief of Staff Tang Yanjie came to him and persuaded him: "Commander, just go and rest for a while. I'll call you if something happens. How can you bear it?"
"I don't know what happened, but when the gun went off, I didn't feel sleepy at all." Yes." Liu Zhidan's smile exuded simplicity and sincerity.
On April 14, political commissar Song Renqiong came back from the battlefield and said that the group attacking the enemy in the south was not going well. Liu Zhidan decided: Let political commissar Song Renqiong stay at the military headquarters to command, while he went to the position to personally command.
Picture | Song Renqiong
Liu Zhidan came to the command post of the First Regiment and said to the first regiment leader Huang Guangming and political commissar Wang Zaixing: "This battle is related to the safety of the entire Red Army in Hedong. We must call on every party member and all commanders and soldiers to show their strongest With perseverance, we will strike hard at the enemy. "
Most of the positions in Sanjiao Town have been successfully captured by our army. Liu Zhidan encouraged everyone to work hard to annihilate the enemy. After they discussed the deployment, they immediately rushed to the forward positions.
With the help of the second regiment, gunshots fired. The enemy was attacked from two sides and forced to retreat. Just when the Triangle Ferry was about to be captured, the enemy set up a machine gun in front to block our front. road.
Liu Zhidan ran to the top of a nearby hill and observed the enemy's movements through the telescope. He held the telescope in one hand and propped it on the ground with the other, looking for the specific location where the machine gun was fired. Soon, Liu Zhidan locked the bunker where the bullets were fired.
He told staff officer Xie Wenxiang: "Go over immediately and tell Commander Huang to organize a commando team as soon as possible to eliminate this machine gun firepower point, and organize several combat groups to attack the enemy bunker in separate ways."
Xie Wenxiang hurried to Huang again. Commander Guangming told him Liu Zhidan's order, and the gun battle began again. Liu Zhidan had been standing on the top of this hill less than one kilometer away from Sanjiao Town, always paying attention to the enemy's situation and directing operations.
Picture | Liu Zhidan's old photo
Just as Liu Zhidan was observing attentively, a bullet fired by the enemy pierced his left chest, causing blood to flow instantly. Liu Zhidan covered his chest with both hands and staggered down.
Commissioner Pei Zhouyu on the side quickly took a step forward and hugged him tightly. While the enemy was not paying attention, Pei Zhouyu quickly carried Liu Zhidan to the back of the hillside. Before the doctor arrived, Liu Zhidan was already very weak, and he remained weakly awake. , grabbed Pei Zhouyu's hand and said intermittently:
"Let the political commissar Song... command the troops and quickly... eliminate... the enemy... people."
He Trying hard to say something more, but no more sound came out of his mouth, Liu Zhidan left his last words of command in the battle in Pei Zhouyu's arms, then closed his eyes and never opened them again.
When the doctor arrived, Liu Zhidan, the admired national hero, had left forever. He died on the battlefield where he had been fighting for many years, and his life was forever fixed at the age of 33.
And the bullet shot towards Liu Zhidan was shot by Yan Xishan's subordinate Shi Zebo.
Liu Zhidan died, and the officers and soldiers of the 28th Army were in grief. Every passionate man had never accepted defeat on the battlefield, but could not stop crying at this moment.
Political commissar Song Renqiong arrived and had to accept the bad news. He stood next to Liu Zhidan's body, took off his military cap, and observed a solemn moment of silence. Surrounded by sad soldiers, Song Renqiong endured the grief and said to everyone:
"Commander Liu has served the Chinese people He sacrificed his life and shed the last drop of his blood for the cause of liberation. We must turn grief into strength, inherit his legacy, complete his unfinished business, destroy more enemies, and avenge the beloved Commander Liu!”
At this moment, a seed was planted in everyone's heart: revenge for Commander Liu Zhidan!
Picture | Martyr Liu Zhidan
The Sanjiao Town ferry was finally captured by our army, and Liu Zhidan’s body was properly transported back to northern Shaanxi. The 28th Red Army carried Liu Zhidan’s ideals and continued on the road to the Eastern Expedition.
The sad news of Liu Zhidan's death spread quickly in northern Shaanxi, and people cried bitterly. At the cadre meeting, the people's leader Chairman Mao said this:
"When a person dies and a memorial service is held, how the masses respond is a criterion. After Comrade Liu Zhidan died, the people of northern Shaanxi were very sad. This shows that he was A true leader of the masses."
Chairman Mao personally wrote an inscription for him: "Leader of the masses, national hero! Zhou Enlai called it: "For five thousand years, there are thousands of heroes; the people's hero is Liu Zhidan!" ”
In the Dangjiazhai Guozi Geda, one kilometer south of Sanjiao Town, Liulin County, there is a stone monument “General Liu Zhidan’s Sacrifice Place” to express the memory of the people’s hero!
There are thousands of people like Liu Zhidan in the history of revolution The brave and fearless comrades, under the leadership of Chairman Mao, achieved victory one after another in their struggle.
Picture | Chairman Mao wrote an inscription for Liu Zhidan.
The murderer was captured.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the civil war resumed. Chiang Kai-shek. While inviting Chairman Mao to Chongqing for peaceful negotiations, he actively prepared for war and mobilized various Kuomintang troops to invade the liberated areas.
In August 1945, Yan Xishan, commander of the Kuomintang's Second Theater in southwest Shanxi, first occupied Taiyuan and other important towns. Then he ordered Shi Zebo, deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Army and commander of the 19th Army, to attack the Shangdang area controlled by the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Liberated Area, formerly known as Shangdang County, including Changzhi, Changzi, and tunliu. , Xiangyuan, Lucheng, Huguan6 counties are important transportation hubs in southeastern Shanxi. Their strategic location is very important. Once Shangdang falls into the hands of the national army, the connections between the liberated areas will be blocked. Putting our army into a disadvantageous position.
Shanxi-Hebei-Luyu Military Region Commander Liu Bocheng and political commissar Deng Xiaoping made up their minds: "The conspiracy of Chiang Kai-shek and Yan Xishan must not be allowed to succeed!" " Our army is bound to fight Yan Xishan's troops in the Shangdang area, and we must not let them snatch the fruits of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War wantonly.
Picture | Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping
On September 10, 1945, Taihang Column Commander Li Da and Deputy Commander Chen Xilian led his troops to attack the enemies of Tunliu. Within ten days, Xu Qichang, the commander of Yan's column, was captured, and Tunliu was successfully captured.
Chen Geng led the Taiyue column to capture the eldest son city, and Chen Zaidao led Jinan. The column attacked Lucheng, and the Taihang column attacked Huguan. By September 19, the People's Liberation Army of the Shanxi-Hebei-Luyu Military Region had recaptured the five counties seized by Yan Jun. Tens of thousands of soldiers led by Shi Zebo were still holding on to Changzhi. On September 20, Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping signed "Order No. 5", ordering the rapid capture of Changzhi.
Three days later, the Taihang Column, the Jinan Column, and the Taiyue Column launched an offensive to encircle and annihilate Changzhi.
Yan Xishan. Peng Yubin, deputy commander-in-chief of the Seventh Group Army, was sent south for reinforcements. Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping analyzed the battle situation and issued instructions. Some of the troops were to attack Changzhi where Shi Zebo was holding, and part of the troops were dedicated to Peng Yubin's reinforcements.
Picture | Yan Xishan
In and around Changzhi City. Thinking of the sound of gunshots, Shi Zebo, who was guarding the city, was restless and restless, worried that he would be defeated. He kept sending telegrams to Yan Xishan, hoping that reinforcements would arrive quickly.
But Peng Yubin on the way to reinforcements had already been trapped. Targeted, surrounded on all sides, with no way forward and no way back, under the siege of the People's Liberation Army, Peng Yubin was killed in the rebel army, and all other army generals were captured.
Peng Yubin's troops had not yet reached Changzhi, they had all been captured. When the news reached Shi Zebo's ears, he was shocked and panicked. If he persisted, he would be dead.
Shi Zebo didn't even think about it. On October 8, he led the remaining troops. The troops abandoned the city and fled, trying to flee to Linfen, Shanxi. Liu and Deng's army followed closely, and finally surrounded Shi Zebo's troops in the Jiangjunling and Taochuan areas east of the Qinhe River. On October 12, the enemy troops were captured. During the encirclement and annihilation, Shi Zebo, commander of the 19th Army of the Kuomintang Army, was captured alive.
Picture | Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping
This was the first large-scale annihilation battle in which the people's armed forces counterattacked the Kuomintang army after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War. It dealt a heavy blow to the Kuomintang army. It effectively supported Chairman Mao's negotiations in Chongqing and won us more voice and status.
Chairman Mao commented on the Shangdang Campaign: "Such a battle must continue!"
And Shi Zebo became the first senior general captured in the Kuomintang army. Many People's Liberation Army soldiers will deeply remember: Shi Zebo was captured alive , the person who shot Liu Zhidan back then, and the murderer of Liu Zhidan.
After Liu Zhidan died, the soldiers stood in front of the hero's body and secretly vowed to avenge him in the future. Now that Shi Zebo is captured, everyone hopes to execute the murderer early to avenge Liu Zhidan's murder.
The organization did not do it, but the organization decided: The prisoner of war Shi Zebo will be sent to Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Border Region , and he will be given preferential treatment!
Picture | Chairman Mao
Shi Zebo’s ending
Unlike the Kuomintang army, our army attaches great importance to the education and transformation of prisoners of war. During the Liberation War, our party boldly believed in them and transformed them without executing them. Instead, it used spring breeze and rain to change them. thought of.
After Shi Zebo was captured, the People's Liberation Army adopted this policy of tolerance towards him, hoping to win him over to the people's ranks. In the liberated areas, Liu Bocheng and other generals specially hosted banquets for prisoners of war, including Shi Zebo, Yang Wencai and others. .
Some people are influenced, and some are always stubborn enemies. Shi Zebo belongs to the latter group. Under the tolerant policy of our party, Shi Zebo is still very stubborn and has no intention of reforming. Perhaps he also knows that he has too many communists on his hands. Blood cannot be forgiven.
Picture | Chairman Mao and Xu Xiangqian
By 1947, Shi Zebo had already carried out ideological transformation in the liberated areas for two years.
In June of this year, Xu Xiangqian took office as deputy commander of the Shanxi-Hebei-Luyu Military Region. The task of combat training was still arduous, but Xu Xiangqian still attached great importance to the work of reforming prisoners of war.
Xu Xiangqian often taught the staff around him: Treat prisoners preferentially, reform prisoners, and strive to add them to our combat team within 7 days to half a month.
Xu Xiangqian emphasized that as long as the enemy troops are willing to lay down their weapons and surrender, we will treat them with courtesy, without scolding, killing, beating, discriminating, or searching their pockets. We will give them humane education and let them fight in two completely different armies. , find your own life path.
The same is true for himself. Regarding the captured Kuomintang officers, Xu Xiangqian followed the guidance, fully listened to their wishes, and respected their choices.
For example, Xing Wei, commander of the Second Engineer Regiment of Yan Xishan, later joined the People's Liberation Army, and Liang Peihuang, deputy commander-in-chief of the Sixth Group Army Lieutenant General Yan Xishan and commander-in-chief of the local armed forces in southern Shanxi, studied in Yongnian County, Hebei Province. Liang Peihuang later sent a telegram to his former colleagues saying: "The people will win, and Yan and Chiang will lose."
Pictures | Without any obstruction, he readily agreed to his request.
Before releasing Shi Zebo, Xu Xiangqian personally came forward, gave him a fare home, and personally escorted him away. Before leaving, Xu Xiangqian said to Shi Zebo with sincerity:
"Don't say anything when you go back. All the benefits of the Communist Party are You can say nothing, as long as you return to Taiyuan, you are still alive and the Communist Party has not killed you. This is the best propaganda for people who see you or hear that you came back alive. "The Communist Party didn't even kill Shi Zebo, so will it kill us?"
Shi Zebo nodded. He didn't expect that the leader of the Communist Party would be so tolerant and caring about him. But thinking about it conversely, Shi Zebo made a contribution in the Anti-Japanese War, and during the special period of the Liberation War, it is more meaningful to treat prisoners of war preferentially.
Picture | Shi Zebo
No one expected that Shi Zebo, who had regained his freedom, would return to the command of Yan Xishan again on his way back to his hometown. However, Yan Xishan was not a good person. He organized prisoners of war like Shi Zebo into the "Avenging Meritorious Service Group", so that They always fight with this hat on.
This was tantamount to "shame." Shi Zebo deeply felt at this moment that the contrast between the tolerance of the People's Liberation Army and the ruthlessness of Chiang Kai-shek and Yan Xishan was too obvious.
Shi Zebo was completely disappointed with Yan Xishan. He ignored Yan Xishan's order and secretly disbanded the "Avenging Meritorious Service Group". He also quietly left Yan Xishan's team. Just as he told Xu Xiangqian at the beginning, he went home. Being a doctor means you are doing your best to benefit the people.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Shi Zebo was among the masses, feeling the arrival of a new era. Few people knew his past history...
In 1986, Shi Zebo died at the age of 87!
