In 1965, an old man dressed in simple clothes stood by the Luding Bridge, staring at the rushing Dadu River. He is Peng Dehuai, a Red Army general who once fought alongside Mao Zedong. Thirty years ago, they led the Red Army to stage a thrilling "flying capture of the Luding Bridge" here. Now that he is revisiting the old place, Peng Dehuai has mixed feelings in his heart. He walked slowly towards the river, and suddenly a move made the guards around him exclaim. Peng Dehuai actually stepped into the turbulent river! Just when everyone was nervous, the old general showed a meaningful smile. He looked at the scene in front of him and sighed softly: "Even if the Luding Bridge is bombed, the Red Army can still cross it." What is the meaning behind this statement? What secrets did Peng Dehuai discover by the Dadu River? Let's follow the footsteps of history and uncover this long-sealed past together.
In 1927, Chiang Kai-shek betrayed the revolution and launched the "April 12" coup, and the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party broke down completely
After that, the Kuomintang government launched a series of encirclement and suppression actions against the Communist Party. From 1930 to 1933, the Kuomintang army launched four large-scale "encirclement and suppression" in succession, trying to eliminate the Communist Party and the Red Army in one fell swoop. However, all four of these encirclement and suppression ended in failure.
In October 1933, Chiang Kai-shek personally commanded and launched a larger and better prepared fifth "encirclement and suppression". This encirclement and suppression campaign adopted a new strategy, which is no longer a simple military offensive but a policy of "three parts military and seven parts political." The Kuomintang army adopted the so-called "pillbox tactic" and built a large number of pillboxes around the revolutionary base areas in an attempt to separate and surround the Red Army and the revolutionary masses.
At the same time, the Kuomintang also adopted a series of political and economic measures. They implemented a "armor protection system" in the occupied areas to strengthen grassroots control; The "scorched earth policy" was pursued, grain was burned, the means of production were destroyed, and the Red Army was cut off from the source of supplies. These measures put tremendous pressure on the Red Army and the revolutionary base areas.
In such a grim situation, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has no choice but to consider the issue of strategic shift. In January 1934, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held an enlarged meeting of the Politburo in Ruijin, Jiangxi Province, to discuss strategies for dealing with the fifth anti-encirclement and suppression. The meeting decided to use the tactics of "short assault" in an attempt to break the enemy's encirclement. However, this strategy did not work as expected.
In October 1934, the Central Red Army was forced to abandon the Central Soviet District and began the arduous Long March. In the early days of the Long March, the Red Army suffered heavy losses due to underestimation of the enemy's situation and mistakes in military command. In the Battle of Xiangjiang, the Central Red Army suffered heavy casualties, from 86,000 at the beginning of the Long March to more than 30,000.
This painful lesson made the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China begin to reflect on its previous military line. In January 1935, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held the famous Zunyi Conference in Zunyi. The meeting corrected the mistakes of "leftist" dogmatism and established a new central leadership collective represented by Mao Zedong. This meeting was a life-and-death turning point in the history of the Communist Party of China, which saved the Party, the Red Army, and the Chinese Revolution.
After the Zunyi Conference, the marching route of the Red Army underwent a significant change. Mao Zedong put forward the strategic policy of "going north to resist Japan" and decided that the main force of the Red Army would advance to the Sichuan and Xikang areas in order to get rid of the encirclement and interception of the Kuomintang army. This decision forced the Red Army to face the rugged mountainous terrain of Sichuan and the turbulent Dadu River.
In the process, the Red Army showed extraordinary perseverance and wisdom. They climbed over snow-capped mountains, crossed meadows, and overcame unimaginable difficulties. Every step is a test of the will of the revolution, and every day is a contest of life and death. It was in such a difficult environment that the Red Army forged an indomitable revolutionary spirit.
In May 1935, the Red Army finally came to the banks of the Dadu River
However, an even more difficult hurdle awaits them - the Luding Bridge. The bridge became the last barrier between the Red Army and the pursuers, and it became a key point in determining the fate of the Chinese revolution. How to overcome this natural danger has become a life-and-death test in front of the Red Army.
On May 25, 1935, the main force of the Red Army came to the banks of the Dadu River. In the face of this surging natural danger, the officers and men of the Red Army were amazed by its majestic momentum, and at the same time realized the great challenge that lay ahead. The Dadu River originates from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and is one of the important tributaries of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. In the vicinity of Luding Bridge, the river is more than 100 meters wide, the water depth is more than 10 meters, and the turbulent water is rushing 4-5 meters per second. Such a natural barrier has been a battleground for soldiers since ancient times.
Chiang Kai-shek was well aware of the strategic value of the Dadu River, and had already made a tight defense long before the arrival of the Red Army. He mobilized the elite of the Sichuan army, led by Liu Wenhui, Deng Xihou, Wang Zhangxu and others, and set up multiple lines of defense along the Dadu River. Especially near the Luding Bridge, the Kuomintang army deployed heavy guards. Not only did they build strong fortifications on both sides of the bridgehead, but they also laid heavy barbed wire on the bridge deck in an attempt to prevent the Red Army from forcing their way through.
To make matters worse, Chiang Kai-shek ordered all ships on the river bank to be destroyed or transferred to the other side of the river, intending to cut off all possibilities for the Red Army to cross the river. He firmly believed that as long as the Dadu River was held, the Red Army could be trapped in this treacherous terrain.
Faced with such a dire situation, Mao Zedong and the command of the Red Army engaged in heated discussions. A detour was proposed, but this would take a lot of time and give the enemy an opportunity to surround and intercept him. It has been suggested to travel up the river to find other crossings, but this is also a test of time and physical strength.
After careful consideration, Mao Zedong made a bold and strategic decision: divide his troops into two routes, one way to feint the Anshunchang ferry to attract the enemy's attention, and the main force secretly marched towards the Luding Bridge, striving to seize this key bridge in one fell swoop.
In order to realize this plan, the Red Army embarked on a march against time. On May 27, the 1st Red Army served as the advance team and began a rapid march to the Luding Bridge. They had to seize the bridgehead before the arrival of Kuomintang reinforcements to create conditions for the subsequent troops to cross the river.
The soldiers of the 1st Red Army showed amazing perseverance and speed. They marched 160 kilometers in 24 hours on rugged mountain roads, creating the legend of "240 miles of rapid march in one day and night". This feat, which was called "flying to capture the Luding Bridge" by later generations, not only reflected the extraordinary will of the officers and men of the Red Army, but also demonstrated the combat effectiveness and execution of the army under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
At the same time, in order to cover the main action, part of the Red First Army led by Lin Biao launched a feint attack on the Anshunchang Ferry. This strategy had an immediate effect, successfully attracting the attention of most of the enemy forces and buying valuable time for the operation in the direction of the Luding Bridge.
In the early morning of May 29, the vanguard of the 1st Red Army finally arrived on the west bank of the Luding Bridge
However, what awaits them is a heavily guarded chain bridge. On the east bank of the bridge, the enemy had already built strong fortifications and erected machine-gun and artillery positions. The barbed wire fence laid on the bridge deck shimmered coldly in the sunlight, as if silently announcing that "this road is impassable".
The commanders of the Red Army quickly organized reconnaissance and found that the enemy had at least one battalion on the east bank of the bridge, and the firepower was quite sufficient. How to seize this bridge while the enemy was strong and we were weak became a difficult problem for the Red Army.
At this critical moment, an old local boatman approached the command of the Red Army. He told the Red Army that in the upper reaches not far from the Luding Bridge, there was a hidden shoal where small groups of troops could be smuggled in. This unexpected intelligence provided new ideas for the Red Army's operational planning.
The command of the Red Army immediately adjusted its tactics. They decided to send an elite detachment, taking advantage of the cover of night, to secretly cross the river from the upper shoals, and then surprise the enemy troops defending the bridge from behind. At the same time, the main force will launch a fierce attack on the front of the Luding Bridge, forming a momentum of internal and external attack.
This plan was risky, but it was the one that was most likely to succeed in the circumstances. The officers and men of the Red Army were on standby, waiting for the order to attack. They knew that the next battle would determine the success or failure of the entire Long March, as well as the future of the Chinese revolution. The battle of Luding Bridge, a thrilling battle is about to kick off.
On May 29, 1935, the Red Army was faced with a critical moment to break through the natural danger of the Dadu River. After urgent consultations, the command of the Red Army decided to implement a bold and well-thought-out operational plan. The core of this plan was to launch a feint attack on the front of the Luding Bridge, and at the same time send an elite team to secretly cross the river from the upper reaches and surprise the enemy defending the bridge from behind.
In order to carry out this dangerous mission, the Red First Regiment selected 22 warriors to form a commando team. These soldiers are battle-hardened veterans, and each of them has a wealth of combat experience and extraordinary courage. The leader of the commando team is a young commander named Yang Chengwu, who is known for his composure and decisive decision-making.
Late that night, the commandos, led by local guides, quietly came to the shallows upstream. The moonlight was obscured by dark clouds, and it was pitch black all around. Yang Chengwu ordered the team members to take off their shoes, tie their weapons to their bodies with ropes, and then go into the water one by one.
The current of the Dadu River is rapid, and even in the shallows, there is a waist-deep water level. The icy water of the river instantly soaked the commandos' clothes, but no one made a sound. They supported each other and cautiously moved towards the opposite shore.
At this moment, one of the team members accidentally stepped on a talc at the bottom of the river, and one of them almost fell. Yang Chengwu's eyes were quick and grabbed his arm. This episode did not attract the attention of the enemy troops, and the assault team continued to advance.
After nearly an hour of arduous trekking, the assault team finally succeeded in crossing the Dadu River. They quickly sorted out their equipment and moved towards the enemy's position on the east bank of the Luding Bridge. At this time, the sky was already white, and the time for action was getting more and more urgent.
At the same time, on the west bank of the Luding Bridge, the main forces of the Red Army were ready for the offensive. They set up several mortars and aimed at enemy positions east of the bridge. Just as the sun was about to rise, a cannon shot pierced the silence of dawn, a signal for an attack.
The main forces of the Red Army began a fierce attack on the Luding Bridge
Dense artillery fire covered the enemy positions, and immediately afterwards, groups of Red Army fighters rushed to the bridgehead. The enemy army apparently did not expect such a ferocious attack by the Red Army, and for a time fell into confusion.
Just when the enemy army was preoccupied with the frontal attack, the assault team led by Yang Chengwu launched a surprise attack from behind. Like a ghost, the squad silently infiltrated the enemy position. By the time the enemy spotted someone behind them, it was already too late.
The commandos took control of several important points of enemy fire with lightning speed. Yang Chengwu personally led a small team of men and horses to the enemy's command post. After a short but fierce exchange of fire, the enemy commander was killed, and the entire defense system was paralyzed.
Seeing the signal flag of the assault team, the main forces of the Red Army on the west bank of the Luding Bridge immediately launched a general attack. They braved the blockade of the remnants of enemy fire and rushed across the Luding Bridge. The chain bridge shook in the midst of dense footsteps, as if it might break at any moment, but the Red Army soldiers were undaunted and went forward one after another.
After nearly two hours of fierce fighting, the Red Army finally took full control of the Luding Bridge and its positions on the east and west banks. In this crucial battle, the Red Army won a great victory at very small cost. The victory in the Battle of Luding Bridge not only opened the passage of the Red Army's Long March, but more importantly, it greatly boosted the morale of the whole army.
However, the Red Army did not stop. They were well aware that enemy reinforcements could arrive at any moment. Therefore, immediately after taking control of the Luding Bridge, the Red Army organized a large-scale operation to cross the river. Beginning on the afternoon of May 29, all units of the Red Army took turns to cross the Luding Bridge and advance to the east bank of the Dadu River.
In order to ensure safety, the Red Army also organized river crossings at several crossings near the Luding Bridge at once. They used local materials to make improvised rafts out of wood to transport batches of soldiers and supplies to the other side. This strategy of crossing the river at multiple points greatly accelerated the speed of crossing the river and also dispersed the firepower of the enemy troops that might arrive.
Over the next few days, the main forces of the Red Army successfully completed the crossing of the Dadu River. When the last troops passed through the Luding Bridge, the rumbling of enemy reinforcements could already be heard in the distance. But by this time, the Red Army had firmly controlled the favorable terrain on the east bank of the Dadu River, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent northward advance.
The Battle of Luding Bridge and the breakthrough of the Dadu River became an important turning point in the Red Army's Long March. It not only demonstrated the bravery and strategic wisdom of the officers and men of the Red Army, but more importantly, it opened up a life channel for the future of the Chinese revolution. It was through such difficult breakthroughs that the Red Army finally completed the Long March, which attracted worldwide attention, and laid the foundation for the victory of the Chinese revolution.
The victory in the Battle of Luding Bridge was not only an important milestone in the Red Army's Long March, but also a key turning point in the history of the Chinese revolution. The impact of this campaign was manifold, and its significance was far-reaching and widespread.
First, from a military-strategic point of view, the Battle of Luding Bridge broke Chiang Kai-shek's plan to encircle the Red Army. Chiang Kai-shek originally believed that as long as he held the Dadu River, he could trap the Red Army in the mountains and mountains of western Sichuan. However, the Red Army, with its extraordinary courage and wisdom, broke through this barrier, which was considered insurmountable. This not only smashed the Kuomintang army's plan of encirclement and suppression, but also disrupted their overall deployment.
After the Battle of Luding Bridge, the Kuomintang army had to readjust its strategy
The heavy troops they had originally deployed along the Dadu River were forced to retreat, creating favorable conditions for the Red Army's subsequent northward advance. This battle actually opened up a new phase of the Red Army's Long March, laying the foundation for its eventual arrival in northern Shaanxi.
Secondly, from the internal point of view of the Red Army, the battle of Luding Bridge greatly boosted the morale of the whole army. Prior to that, the Red Army had experienced a long and arduous trek and continuous fierce battles, and the troops were exhausted. Especially in the Sichuan region, the Red Army was faced with multiple tests of terrain, climate, and enemy troops, and its morale was inevitably affected.
However, the victory at Luding Bridge was like a shot in the arm, which regained the enthusiasm of the entire Red Army for fighting. This battle demonstrated the extraordinary wisdom and extraordinary courage of the Red Army, and made every Red Army soldier feel the hope of victory. This kind of spiritual uplift is of immeasurable importance for the continuation of the Long March.
From a political point of view, the victory in the Battle of Luding Bridge greatly increased the influence and prestige of the Chinese Communist Party and the Red Army throughout the country. News of the battle quickly spread across the country and even attracted the attention of the international community. Many who had been skeptical of the Communists and the Red Army began to re-examine the strength and determination of this contingent.
Especially in the international context at that time, the victory of the Battle of Luding Bridge had more far-reaching significance. In 1935, on the eve of the World Anti-Fascist War, China was facing the threat of aggression from Japanese imperialism. Under these circumstances, the extraordinary combat effectiveness displayed by the Red Army not only inspired the anti-Japanese enthusiasm of the people of the whole country, but also accumulated valuable experience for the subsequent war of resistance against Japan.
In addition, the Battle of Luding Bridge also left a strong mark in China's military history. This battle is a rare example in China's modern military history of defeating the strong with the weak and winning with intelligence. The Red Army's skillful tactic of "feints to attack the front and secretly cross the river" became a reference for many later military operations.
It is particularly worth mentioning that the Red Army commanders' ability to adapt to emergencies and the heroic and fearless spirit of the soldiers displayed in the Battle of Luding Bridge have become an important part of the Chinese revolutionary spirit. The story of "Flying to Luding Bridge" was widely praised in later years and became the spiritual food that inspired future generations.
At the cultural level, the Battle of Luding Bridge also had a profound impact. This battle was later written into textbooks and became an important part of modern Chinese history education. Countless literary works, films, and dramas have taken the Battle of Luding Bridge as the theme, creating a number of heroic characters and enriching the connotation of Chinese revolutionary culture.
Luding Bridge itself has also become an important red tourist attraction because of this battle. Every year, a large number of tourists come to visit and relive this revolutionary history. This not only promoted the economic development of the local area, but also continued to play the role of education in the revolutionary tradition under the new historical conditions.
From a broader historical perspective, the Battle of Luding Bridge is a typical case of the revolutionary forces led by the Communist Party of China showing tenacious vitality in the most difficult period. It proved that the Chinese Communist Party and the Red Army under its leadership, even in the most sinister circumstances, were able to find a breakthrough and open up new paths.
This spirit of finding hope in a desperate situation and never giving up in the face of difficulties not only influenced the Long March at that time, but also profoundly affected the entire course of the Chinese revolution. It became an important spiritual driving force for the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people to overcome difficulties and achieve victory in the later War of Resistance against Japan and the War of Liberation.
In general, the impact of the Battle of Luding Bridge was all-round, it not only changed the military situation at that time, but also had a far-reaching impact on politics, culture, spirituality and other levels. The victory in this battle marked the beginning of a new stage for the Chinese revolution after going through the most difficult period. It was an important turning point in the Long March of the revolutionary forces led by the Communist Party of China, and also a glorious chapter in the history of the Chinese revolution.
The revolutionary spirit embodied in the Battle of Luding Bridge has been continuously inherited and developed in the historical process of the Communist Party of China. This spirit not only stays in the record of history, but is constantly enriched and sublimated in practice.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the spirit of Luding Bridge was transformed into an indomitable determination to resist the war. In 1937, after the outbreak of the all-out War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army under the leadership of the Communist Party of China opened up a vast anti-Japanese base behind enemy lines. They faced the well-armed Japanese invaders, but just as the Red Army soldiers braved the dangers of the Dadu River in those years, the anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians waged an arduous struggle against the enemy in the North China Plain and the Taihang Mountains with rudimentary weapons and tenacious will.
In August 1940, the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army launched the famous "Battle of the Hundred Regiments"
This unprecedented scale of the war against Japan fully embodied the continuation of the spirit of the Luding Bridge. With ingenious tactics and heroic operations, the officers and men of the Eighth Route Army carried out large-scale destruction of the Japanese army's communication lines and military installations, and dealt a powerful blow to the arrogance of the Japanese army. This tactic of defeating the strong with the weak and outwitting the enemy is another sublimation of the Battle of Luding Bridge.
During the Liberation War, the spirit of Luding Bridge was once again reinterpreted. In 1947, the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army led by Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, surrounded by heavy Kuomintang troops, resolutely launched the famous "Advance to Dabie Mountain" campaign. This force traveled thousands of miles, broke through the blockade, and finally succeeded in gaining a firm foothold in the Dabie Mountains, creating the conditions for the later strategic counteroffensive. This spirit of daring to make breakthroughs and make innovations is very similar to the Red Army's capture of the Luding Bridge.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the spirit of Luding Bridge continued to play an important role in national construction. In the "Great Leap Forward" movement in the 50s of the 20 th century, although some radical practices appeared, the enthusiasm and enthusiasm displayed by the broad masses of cadres and masses to change the backward appearance of the country was, to a certain extent, a manifestation of the spirit of Ludingqiao. They were faced with a new China that was in ruins, just like the dangers of the Dadu River faced by the Red Army back then, but they also showed the spirit of not being afraid of difficulties and forging ahead bravely.
In the early 1960s, China was hit by severe natural disasters and economic difficulties. Under these circumstances, the broad masses of cadres and masses have carried forward the spirit of arduous struggle and overcome difficulties. Especially in the rural areas, many localities have carried out agricultural production movements represented by the "agricultural science village". The cadres and masses of Dazhai Village, Xiyang County, Shanxi Province, transformed the mountainous areas by building terraced fields and digging wells under extremely difficult natural conditions, and finally achieved an increase in grain production. This indomitable spirit in the face of difficulties is another practice of the spirit of Luding Bridge.
In the early days of reform and opening up, the spirit of Luding Bridge was once again carried forward under new historical conditions. In 1978, 18 peasants in Xiaogang Village, Fengyang County, Anhui Province, took a huge risk by pressing a red handprint on a contract and implementing an attempt to "package production to households". This spirit of daring to be the first and making innovations is similar to the Red Army's risky and forcible crossing of the Dadu River. The practice of Xiaogang Village became an important starting point for China's rural reform and laid the foundation for the subsequent comprehensive reform and opening up.
In the 21st century, the spirit of Ludingqiao has been newly embodied in China's scientific and technological innovation. In 2003, China successfully launched the Shenzhou-5 manned spacecraft, becoming the third country in the world to independently master manned space technology. In this process, Chinese astronauts faced many difficulties such as technical blockade and lack of experience, but with their indomitable spirit and determination to be self-reliant, they finally overcame one difficulty after another. This spirit of daring to challenge and innovate is undoubtedly the continuation of the spirit of Ludingqiao in the new era.
In 2008, after the Wenchuan earthquake, the whole country worked together to carry out a large-scale earthquake relief operation. In the face of this disaster, the Chinese people have shown the spirit of unity and unity. Risking aftershocks, many rescue workers risked aftershocks to search for and rescue the victims. This spirit of sacrificing life and forgetting death and forging ahead bravely is in the same vein as the spirit of the Red Army soldiers who braved the rain of bullets and bullets to cross the Dadu River.
In recent years, in the battle of poverty alleviation, the spirit of Luding Bridge has once again been reinterpreted. Cadres and masses throughout the country carried forward the spirit of "nailing nails", tackling tough problems village by village, and helping poor households one by one, and finally achieved the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way. This spirit of defying difficulties and persevering is the vivid embodiment of the spirit of Ludingqiao in the new era.
In the process of fighting the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the spirit of Luding Bridge once again demonstrated its strong vitality at a critical juncture. In the face of the sudden epidemic, medical staff across the country rushed to the front line of the fight against the epidemic without hesitation, thousands of volunteers devoted themselves to community prevention and control work, and the majority of scientific researchers worked day and night to carry out vaccine research and development. This spirit of defying hardships and dangers and having the courage to take responsibility is exactly the same as the spirit of the Red Army soldiers who were not afraid of life and death and marched forward bravely.