At the inspection ceremony of the 118th Regiment of the 40th Division of the 14th Army of the Kunming Military Region, Hu Yaobang personally listened to the heroic deeds of the officers and men in the self-defense and counterattack against Vietnam. These deeds not only reflect the heroism and fearlessness of the soldiers, but also demonstrate the strong will and combat capability of the Chinese army. In the 12-year-long self-defense and counterattack war against Vietnam, although the 14 th Army of the Kunming Military Region was not the most outstanding in terms of the number of enemies destroyed and the number of captures, it successfully resisted the large-scale offensive of the Vietnamese army with its tenacious fighting spirit and superb tactical level in the Songmaoling defensive battle in the Laoshan Theater, and won dignity and honor for the country.
Hu Yaobang spoke highly of the heroic performance of the 14 th Army, which was not only an affirmation of the officers and men of the 14 th Army, but also an encouragement to the entire Kunming Military Region and even the whole country. His seven big words, "the prestige of the country and the military look at the southwest," are full of profound meaning, which is not only a recognition of the national prestige and military prestige displayed by the 14 th Army in the war, but also an affirmation of the important position of the entire southwest region in national defense construction. This sentence, like a shot in the arm, inspires every soldier and makes them more determined to guard the country's borders and defend the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
During the inspection, Hu Yaobang also gained an in-depth understanding of the actual situation in the Yunnan Theater, including the living conditions and training of officers and men, as well as the geographical environment of the theater. He was concerned about the daily life of officers and men, their physical and mental health, and stressed the need to improve the living and working conditions of officers and men and enhance their quality of life. At the same time, he also put forward requirements for the army's training and combat readiness, stressing the need to continuously improve the army's actual combat capability and ensure that it can quickly and effectively respond to various security threats at all times.
The self-defense and counter-attack operation against Vietnam was an important military operation in China's history, and its strategy and execution demonstrated the superb command art and strong will to fight of the Chinese army. On February 17, 1979, with an order, the 14th Army, as one of the main forces, quickly launched a self-defense counterattack against Vietnam.
In this operation, the 14th Army adopted the strategy of concentrating superior forces and achieving a quick victory. The core of this strategy lies in rapidly massing troops, forming an overwhelming superiority over the enemy, and striking a fierce blow at the Vietnamese army with lightning speed, striving to achieve a decisive victory in the shortest possible time. The implementation of this strategy has not only tested the army's rapid reaction capability, but also tested the decision-making wisdom and tactical application of the command level.
In just 25 days, the 14th Army conquered 35 important military positions of the Vietnamese army, and this achievement was achieved thanks to the army's strict organization and efficient execution. On the battlefield, the officers and men of the 14 th Army displayed extremely high fighting qualities and tenacious fighting spirit, and they braved hardships and dangers, marched forward bravely, and interpreted the loyalty and bravery of the soldiers with practical actions. In the fierce battle, the 14th Army killed a total of 4,146 enemies, and behind this number were the blood and sacrifices of countless officers and soldiers, as well as their infinite loyalty to the country and the people.
The victory of the 14 th Army was not only a phased achievement in the self-defense and counter-attack operations against Vietnam, but also a great boost to the morale of the whole army. After the war, Commander Zhang Jinghua summed up his experience and particularly emphasized the importance of taking advantage of the terrain to deal with the Vietnamese army. The Vietnamese army fought on the ground and had a deep understanding and use of the terrain, which brought considerable difficulties to the offensive of the Chinese army. Based on actual combat experience, Commander Zhang Jinghua summed up a series of effective countermeasures and extended these experiences to the entire corps, thus enhancing the ability of the entire army to deal with the Vietnamese army and take advantage of the terrain.
This move by Commander Zhang Jinghua reflects his strategic vision and sense of responsibility as a senior commander. He knows very well that only by constantly summing up experience and drawing lessons can he achieve better results in future battles. Through the study and response to the tactics of the Vietnamese army, the 14th Army not only won victory on the battlefield, but also accumulated valuable experience at the tactical and strategic levels, laying a solid foundation for subsequent military operations.
In the self-defense and counterattack against Vietnam, the officers and men of the 14 th Army displayed outstanding military ability and strong will. They are not afraid of hardships and sacrifices, and have defended the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity with concrete actions. This battle was not only a test of the combat effectiveness of the 14th Army, but also a demonstration of the overall strength of the Chinese army. Through this operation, the Chinese army proved its strength and determination to the world and demonstrated the demeanor and spirit of the Chinese soldiers.
In every aspect of the battle, from strategic deployment to tactical execution, from troop deployment to fire support, the 14th Army has shown a high degree of professionalism and coordination. The formation of this kind of professionalism and coordination is inseparable from the usual rigorous training and actual combat drills. The officers and men of the 14 th Army have constantly sharpened their skills in daily training and accumulated experience in actual combat, thus forming a well-trained elite force capable of winning battles.
In addition, the victory of the 14 th Army in the self-defense and counterattack against Vietnam also benefited from the army's advanced equipment and scientific and technological support. With the continuous development of military science and technology, the equipment level of the Chinese army is also constantly improving. In this operation, the 14th Army made full use of modern weapons and equipment, improved combat efficiency, and reduced its own losses. At the same time, the military's informationization has also provided effective support for the command and coordination of battles and ensured the smooth progress of combat operations.
In short, the self-defense and counterattack operation against Vietnam was an important operation in the history of the Chinese army, and the 14th Army played a key role in it. Through meticulously planned strategies, efficient tactical execution, heroic performances by officers and men, and the support of scientific and technological equipment, the 14 th Army has achieved remarkable results in just 25 days and made important contributions to national peace and security. The experience of this operation not only has a far-reaching impact on the 14 th Army itself, but also provides a valuable reference for the future development of the Chinese army.
In this critical military operation, the 14th Army received strong artillery support. The artillery units of our army played a huge role, they not only provided dense fire coverage in the battle to regain Lao Son and effectively suppressed the defensive forces of the Vietnamese army, but also provided strong fire support for the infantry in the subsequent defensive operations. Through accurate artillery strikes, our troops successfully destroyed a number of important firing points and fortifications of the Vietnamese army, creating favorable conditions for the offensive of the infantry.
In the operation to recover the Laoshan area, the 14th Army showed superb tactical literacy and tenacious will to fight. They not only engaged the Vietnamese army fiercely on the frontal battlefield, but also successfully broke through the Vietnamese army's defense line and quickly occupied a number of key heights in the Lao Son area through the strategy of covert penetration and covert engagement with the enemy. This action not only thwarted the Vietnamese army's counterattack attempt, but also dealt a heavy strategic blow to the Vietnamese army.
On July 12, the performance of the 14th Army in the defensive battle of Songmaoling was particularly prominent. On this day, the Vietnamese army gathered a large number of troops and launched a fierce offensive against the Songmaoling position. However, the officers and men of the 14th Army relied on strong fortifications and played an excellent defensive ability. In the fierce battle, our artillery once again played a decisive role, they covered the offensive line of the Vietnamese army with fierce and accurate artillery fire, causing heavy casualties to the Vietnamese army. According to post-war statistics, our army consumed 1261 tons of shells in this day's fighting, which is enough to prove the great power of our artillery fire.
The Battle of Songmaoling was not only a successful defensive operation, but also a victory in psychological warfare. After this battle, the Vietnamese army top brass had a new understanding of the combat effectiveness of the 14 th Army, and they realized that if they wanted to attack our army's positions through large-scale troops at and above the battalion and regiment level, they would pay an extremely heavy price. Therefore, in the following time, the Vietnamese army did not dare to easily launch a large-scale attack on our army.
The outstanding performance of the 14 th Army in the reconquest of the Laoshan area and the great victory in Songmaoling on 12 July not only demonstrated our army's high combat morale and strict organizational discipline, but also embodied the superb command art of our army commanders and the heroic and fearless courage of the vast number of officers and men. This battle not only won a major military victory, but also dealt a heavy blow to the Vietnamese army politically and psychologically, and made important contributions to safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.