Preface
In the years of the Chinese revolution, heroes were born one after another, and love and righteousness were even more precious. The story I want to tell today happened in that turbulent era, and the two names, Zhang Zhen and Su Yu, are like comrades-in-arms who fight side by side, and like brothers who depend on each other in life and death. Their friendship sprouted in a hail of bullets, tested in a political storm, and finally condensed into a moving historical legend.
In 68, Zhang Zhen was beaten by the rebels, and his son went to Beijing with a bloody coat to ask for help. At this time, General Su Yu was desperate for his friends and scolded the secretary for being "nosy". This incident not only shows the deep friendship between the two generals, but also reflects the changes of that era.
Today, let's walk into this history and feel the true friendship between heroes.
The rise of General Zhang Zhen
Zhang Zhen was born in 1909 in an ordinary peasant family in Huitong County, Hunan Province. As a teenager, he witnessed the turmoil of the country and the suffering of the people, and planted the seeds of revolution in his heart. In 1927, Zhang Zhen joined the Communist Party of China and began his revolutionary career.
In the early days, Zhang Zhen was not conspicuous. During the agrarian revolution, he served as a grassroots commander in the Red Army; During the Anti-Japanese War, he served in the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army and performed mediocrely. It wasn't until the War of Liberation that Zhang Zhen's military talent was truly displayed. In 1947, in the East China Field Army (Huaye), Su Yu promoted him to chief of staff of the Field Army, a decision that not only changed Zhang Zhen's fate, but also laid the foundation for the deep friendship between the two.
Su Yu and Zhang Zhen's first collaboration
In 1947, the main force of Huaye was defeated in the battles of Nanma and Linqu, and the morale of the troops was low. In the face of the enemy's powerful offensive, Huaye's main force was reduced to 21,586 people, and the situation was precarious. At this time, Su Yu was facing tremendous pressure from his superiors. Chen Yi and Tan Zhenlin asked Su Yu to conduct a deep review, and Su Yu's military career fell into a trough.
It was at this critical moment that Zhang Zhen stepped forward. He wrote the article "Improving Our Tactics and Discussing Command -- Starting from the Attack on Zimu Fort", in which he analyzed in detail the reasons for the defeat and put forward suggestions for improving tactics.
This article not only relieved Su Yu, but also made Zhang Zhen reused. Subsequently, Zhang Zhen was promoted to Huaye's deputy chief of staff, and performed well in the subsequent battles, making important contributions to Huaye's victory.
The turmoil of the time of the movement
In 1967, the storm of the Cultural Revolution swept across the country. General Zhang Zhen specially asked Ye Jianying, then vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, because of a problem with foreign students, and then stayed at the Jingxi Hotel in Beijing.
However, the situation in Nanjing deteriorated rapidly, "rebels" were rampant, and Zhang Zhen was charged with various trumped-up charges and severely tortured.
In May 1968, Zhang Zhen was seriously injured by the "rebels", and his son, with his bloodied clothes, traveled thousands of miles to Beijing to seek help. Hearing this, General Su Yu was furious. He immediately reported the situation to Premier Zhou and demanded that Zhang Zhen be rescued immediately. Premier Zhou was also well aware of the deep friendship between Su Yu and Zhang Zhen, and quickly took measures to enable Zhang Zhen to be rescued.
The incident did not end there. After Zhang Zhen was rescued, he still had to face pressure and scrutiny from all sides. In order to protect his friends, General Su Yu stood up to defend Zhang Zhen regardless of his personal safety.
He scolded the secretary at a meeting: "Nosy! Zhang Zhen is my comrade-in-arms, and I know his problems best! Su Yu's righteous indignation moved everyone present.
Su Yu's heart knot and Zhang Zhen's efforts
In 1981, General Su Yu suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage and was seriously ill and hospitalized. Zhang Zhen, who learned the news, was so anxious that he personally rushed to Su Yu's hospital bed, accompanied him, and took a group of photos of his hometown, hoping to soothe Su Yu's mood.
And the knot in Su Yu's heart has never been untied. Although he made great achievements in the War of Liberation, due to various historical reasons, he always wore a "hat" and failed to receive the fair evaluation he deserved.
General Su Yu died of illness in 1984 and left this world with an unresolved knot. General Zhang Zhen was deeply grieved, and he was well aware of the hardships and grievances of this comrade-in-arms in his life. In order to give Su Yu justice, General Zhang Zhen used his position as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission in 1993 to jointly publish an article "Reminiscence of Comrade Su Yu" with Liu Huaqing. In the article, Zhang Zhen reviewed in detail General Su Yu's combat experience and outstanding contributions, and called for his rehabilitation.
summary
The friendship between Zhang Zhen and Su Yu lasted throughout his life, whether it was life and death in the war years or in peacetime, this deep friendship was deeply moving. For the sake of Su Yu's reputation, General Zhang Zhen did not hesitate to take huge political risks to appeal for him, and finally General Su Yu received the fair evaluation he deserved.
Through this period of history, we have not only seen the great affection and righteousness of the two generals, but also felt the deep friendship between revolutionary comrades-in-arms that transcends life and death. This kind of friendship is not only a precious memory of their individuals, but also a part of the history of the Chinese revolution, which deserves to be remembered forever.
How do you feel about the friendship between Zhang Zhen and General Su Yu?
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Let us remember this touching history together and pay tribute to the great friendship between the two generals.