In January 1937, Dong Zhentang, a Red Army general in Gaotai City, was faced with a life-and-death decision. Ma Bufang's army of 30,000 surrounded this important northwest town, and he only had more than 3,000 tired soldiers in his hands. Days of heavy fighting had exhausted most of the ammunition and had little food left. The walls were littered with scorched earth, corpses, and wounded soldiers, and it was a bleak scene.
At this critical moment, Dong Zhentang received a secret letter from his superiors. The contents of the letter left the battle-hardened general in deep perplexity. His gaze swept over the warriors fighting on the city walls, his heart full of contradictions and pain. Should we hold out to the end, or lead the troops to break through? This decision is not only about his own life and death, but also about the fate of thousands of soldiers.
When night falls, enemy bonfires illuminate the entire plateau. Dong Zhentang stood at the head of the city, staring into the distance, holding the secret letter in his hand. He knew that tomorrow would be the final showdown. And at this moment, only the last bullet was left in the chamber of his gun. Faced with such a desperate situation, what choice will this iron-blooded general make?
In October 1933, there was an atmosphere of slaughter in Ningdu County, Jiangxi. More than 5,000 officers and men of the Kuomintang 26th Route Army are gathering and preparing to launch an attack on the central Soviet area. However, at this critical moment, an astonishing news came: Dong Zhentang, deputy commander of the 26th Route Army, led the whole army to revolt and joined the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army!
This feat shocked the entire Kuomintang army. Dong Zhentang, a soldier from Dingzhou, Hebei Province, rose from an ordinary soldier to a deputy commander in just a few years, but now he resolutely chose another path. On the day of the uprising, Dong Zhentang delivered an impassioned speech to all officers and men, expounding his determination to defect to the revolution. His words were full of hatred for the old society and yearning for the new China, which infected everyone present.
After the uprising, Dong Zhentang was appointed commander of the 13th Army of the Red Fifth Army. He quickly adapted to the Red Army's way of fighting, and in the ensuing battles he performed many miraculous feats. In October 1934, the Central Red Army was forced to implement a strategic shift and began the world-famous Long March. As an important general of the Red Fifth Army, Dong Zhentang led his troops to participate in this arduous expedition.
During the Long March, Dong Zhentang showed outstanding military talent and perseverance. He played an important role in key battles such as the four crossings of Chishui and the forced crossing of the Dadu River. In particular, when forcibly crossing the Dadu River, Dong Zhentang personally led the assault team to successfully seize the position on the opposite bank in the face of bullets and bullets, thus creating favorable conditions for the follow-up troops to cross the river.
However, there were also some discordant voices during the Long March. When the main force of the Red Army arrived in the Maoergai area of Sichuan, Zhang Guotao, then the General Political Commissar of the Red Army, put forward the idea of going south to establish the Chuankang Base Area, which was contrary to the decision of the central government to go north. Dong Zhentang resolutely opposed Zhang Guotao's erroneous proposition and strongly advocated going north to join the Central Red Army. This position aroused Zhang Guotao's dissatisfaction, thus sowing the seeds of future contradictions.
In order to weaken Dong Zhentang's influence, Zhang Guotao began to implement an overhead plan. He first transferred the political commissar who had partnered with Dong Zhentang for many years, and sent his close confidant Huang Chao to take over. Subsequently, a large number of cadres in the Red Fifth Army who cooperated with Dong Zhentang were replaced. These moves seriously affected the combat effectiveness of the Red Fifth Army Corps and also brought many difficulties to Dong Zhentang's command.
Despite this, Dong Zhentang still insisted on his beliefs and led the troops to continue north. During the arduous Long March, he always shared weal and woe with the soldiers and set an example with his actions. Whether it was climbing over snow-capped mountains or crossing grasslands, Dong Zhentang charged ahead and led the troops to overcome many difficulties.
In 1936, the three main forces of the Red Army met in Gansu. At this time, the Red Fifth Army had been combined with the Fourth Front Army and the 33rd Army to form the Red Fifth Army, and Dong Zhentang also regained control of the army. However, political commissar Huang Chao still restricts him everywhere as a "representative of the party committee". The existence of such contradictions has laid hidden dangers for major decisions in the future defense of the high platform.
Looking back at Dong Zhentang's early military career, we can see the growth trajectory of a Red Army general who was born from the Kuomintang army. His Ningdu Uprising demonstrated his firm belief in the revolutionary cause, and his performance during the Long March demonstrated his outstanding military talent and tenacity. However, the conflict with Zhang Guotao also indicates his weak position in the political struggle, which may be one of the important reasons for his dilemma in the defense of the high platform.
At the end of 1936, after completing the arduous Long March, the Western Route Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army began to march to the Hexi Corridor in accordance with the strategic deployment of the central government. The purpose of this move was to open up international lines of communication with the Soviet Union and to gain more international support for the Chinese revolution. However, this seemingly simple plan faced many obstacles.
The Hexi Corridor area was controlled by the Ma Jiajun, with the Qinghai warlord Ma Bufang being the most powerful. Although Ma Bufang is young, he is ambitious and has a tight defense of his territory. He knew very well that the combat effectiveness of the Red Army should not be underestimated, so after learning the news of the Red Army's westward advance, he immediately mobilized troops and prepared to meet them.
At the beginning of January 1937, the main force of the Red Army's Western Route Army arrived near Gaotai County. Gaotai, a small city located in the middle of the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province, is particularly important because of its unique geographical location. It is not only a hub connecting the east and west of the Hexi Corridor, but also the only way to Xinjiang. For the Red Army, the capture of the high platform meant that the door to the westward advance was opened; For Ma Bufang, the loss of the high platform is equivalent to the loss of the barrier of the entire Hexi Corridor.
The Red Fifth Army led by Dong Zhentang received an order to hold on to Gaotai City and wait for reinforcements. There are far-reaching strategic considerations behind this decision: on the one hand, Gaotai's geographical location makes it a key base for opening up international routes; On the other hand, the Red Army needed to contain Ma Bufang's main forces here and buy time for the actions of other troops.
However, the situation is not rosy. After a long journey and continuous battles, the strength of the Red Fifth Army has been sharply reduced to just over 3,000 people. In contrast, Ma Bufang mobilized nearly 30,000 troops in an attempt to annihilate the elite of the Red Army in one fell swoop. The disparity in power between the two sides was so great that the upcoming battle for the defense of the high platform was shrouded in a dark cloud from the beginning.
On January 12, Ma Bufang's army began a fierce attack on Gaotai City. Intensive artillery fire shrouded the ancient city in a cloud of gunsmoke. Ma Bufang was obviously confident in his own advantages, and he even came to the front line to command, vowing to capture Gaotai City in one fell swoop and completely block the road of the Red Army's westward advance.
In the face of such a fierce offensive, Dong Zhentang was in danger. According to the topographical characteristics of Gaotai Castle, he skillfully arranged the fortifications. Every nook and cranny of the city walls became combat posts for Red Army soldiers, and the two pillboxes outside the city were reinforced into impregnable fortresses. Dong Zhentang's command ability was fully demonstrated at this time, and he flexibly dispatched limited troops, so that every bullet and every soldier could play the greatest role.
However, the scales of war do not always favor the side of wisdom and courage. After four days of fierce fighting, the Red Army began to run out of ammunition and food. To make matters worse, the two pillboxes outside the city were finally captured by Ma Bufang's troops on the fifth day. This meant that Gaotai City had lost its most important perimeter defense, and the situation became even more critical.
At this time, Dong Zhentang received a secret order from the General Headquarters of the Western Route Army. The content of the order was unexpected: it was necessary to defend the high platform and live and die with the city. This order put Dong Zhentang in a dilemma. As an experienced commander, he knew that continuing to hold on to the current situation would only lead to total annihilation. But as a revolutionary soldier, it was his duty to obey orders.
The background of the battle to defend Gaotai is not only the prelude to a local battle, but also a microcosm of the course of the Chinese revolution. It reflected the dilemma faced by the Red Army at that time: how to find a balance between upholding the revolutionary ideals and preserving the revolutionary forces when the enemy was strong and we were weak. Dong Zhentang and his Red Fifth Army are about to stage a thrilling life-and-death struggle in this seemingly impossible battle.
On January 17, 1937, the situation in Gaotai Castle had reached a critical point. Dong Zhentang stood on the city wall, looked around, and saw Ma Bufang's army surrounding the entire city like a tide. Although the Red Army officers and men in the city were exhausted, they still stuck to their posts, ready to respond to the enemy's attack.
On this day, Ma Bufang decided to launch a general offensive. In the early morning, with an earth-shattering cannon sound, tens of thousands of soldiers of the Ma family army flocked to Gaotai City like a tide. They erected ladders and carried bags of explosives in an attempt to break through the walls in one fell swoop. Dong Zhentang had already prepared, he placed the few remaining artillery pieces at the key points of the city wall, and commanded the soldiers to block the enemy's attack with rolling logs and stones.
The battle was extremely fierce. Regardless of casualties, Ma Jiajun charged forward one after another. The Red Army soldiers fought bravely against the enemy. Every inch of the city walls was soaked in blood, and every brick and stone carried the loss of countless lives. Dong Zhentang personally led a death squad to launch a counterattack at the West City Gate, where the enemy was attacking the most fiercely. Taking advantage of the terrain, they skillfully set up several ambush points and successfully thwarted several enemy attacks.
However, the reality of the disparity in strength between the enemy and us did not change because of the bravery of the officers and men of the Red Army. By noon, a large gap had been made in the southern wall of the city by enemy fire. Ma Bufang's troops swarmed in and engaged in street battles with the Red Army defending the city. Dong Zhentang immediately made a decision, mobilized reserves to plug the gap, and at the same time organized the residents of the city to assist in defending the city. At this critical moment, many ordinary people also took up arms and fought side by side with the Red Army soldiers.
In the afternoon, the battle entered a white-hot phase. Ma Bufang's troops had occupied some of the city's neighborhoods, but the Red Army under Dong Zhentang's command still resisted stubbornly. They took advantage of the familiar terrain to set up barricades in the streets and alleys and play guerrilla tactics, causing a lot of trouble to the enemy. In particular, in an ancient temple in the center of the city, the Red Army soldiers, with their strong courtyard walls, managed to withstand many enemy attacks.
By evening, the fighting continued. Every street and building in Gaotai Castle has become a battlefield. The casualties of the Red Army were increasing, and the ammunition was almost exhausted. Dong Zhentang had to order the distribution of the remaining food and weapons to the fighters for a final resistance.
That's when an unexpected situation arises. Ma Bufang's troops suffered heavy losses during the siege, and their morale began to waver. Some of the rank and file officers even began to privately discuss whether or not to retreat. When Ma Bufang learned of this, he was furious. He personally came to the front line, coerced and enticed, and tried to regroup.
As night fell, there was a brief lull in and around the city. But beneath this calm lies a huge crisis. Dong Zhentang convened a meeting of the remaining commanders and fighters to discuss the next action. At the meeting, some people put forward a proposal to break out of the siege, arguing that continuing to hold out would only lead to the annihilation of the whole army. There are also those who insist on staying to the end and fulfilling the orders of their superiors. The discussion was intense and heavy, and everyone realized that their decision would affect the life and death of thousands of soldiers.
At this moment, a secret telegram from the headquarters of the Western Route Army was delivered to Dong Zhentang. The content of the telegram was unexpected: in view of the current situation, Dong Zhentang was authorized to decide for himself whether to break through or not. This decentralization of decision-making power undoubtedly put more pressure on Dong Zhentang. He had to weigh the pros and cons in a very short period of time and make a decision that could affect the fate of the entire Western Route Army.
In the dead of night, there was a tense atmosphere inside and outside the city. Dong Zhentang stood at the head of the city, looking at the bonfire of the enemy camp in the distance, and fell into deep thought. He knows that no matter what decision is made, tomorrow will be a day that will decide life and death. And at this moment, only the last bullet is left in the chamber of his gun, symbolically telling the cruelty of this battle.
The fierce process of defending Gaotai not only showed the bravery and fearlessness of the officers and men of the Red Army, but also reflected the difficult situation faced by the Chinese revolution at that time. Despite the huge disparity in the strength of the enemy and ourselves, the Red Army was still able to persist in fighting, and this spiritual strength was incomparable with any material force. However, the harsh realities of war also forced commanders to face difficult choices. The predicament faced by Dong Zhentang is a microcosm of the entire Chinese revolution in that particular historical period.
On January 18, 1937, the pre-dawn Gaotai Castle was shrouded in a dead silence. After a night of thinking, Dong Zhentang finally made the decision to break through. This decision was not taken lightly, but was based on a prudent judgment of the current situation. Continuing to hold on to the ground would only lead to the annihilation of the entire army, while a breakthrough would likely preserve some of the living forces and leave a spark for future struggles.
In the early morning, Dong Zhentang summoned the remaining commanders and fighters and announced the plan to break through. He divided the remaining 2,000 or so warriors into three lines: the main force, led by him personally, broke through from the West Gate; Two other small units made feins from the north and south in order to attract the enemy's attention. After the plan was developed, the Red Army fighters began to prepare in full swing. They distributed the only food and ammunition they had left to everyone, and destroyed documents and supplies that could not be taken away.
Just as the Red Army was preparing to break through, Ma Bufang's troops were also preparing for the final general offensive. Ma Bufang believed that the Red Army had reached the point of exhaustion, and as long as he increased his strength, he could completely annihilate this stubborn opponent. He mobilized most of his forces and prepared to launch a final charge on Gaotai City.
At 9 o'clock in the morning, with an order, the Red Army began a breakthrough operation. Dong Zhentang led the main force to rush out from the west gate, and at the same time, the feint troops from the north and south also launched operations. This sudden attack caught Ma Jiajun off guard. The position of the Ma Jiajun outside the west gate was quickly broken through, and the Red Army poured out of the city like a tidal wave.
However, Ma Bufang quickly reacted and immediately mobilized troops to surround and intercept. Fierce battles unfolded in the wilderness outside the castle. The Red Army fighters desperately rushed to the death, trying to break through the enemy's encirclement. Dong Zhentang took the lead and led his troops to attack the enemy's defense line again and again. In the process, many Red Army soldiers died heroically, using their lives to open up a bloody path for their comrades.
The battle continued into the afternoon, and the breakout forces of the Red Army had dispersed into several small units. The main force led by Dong Zhentang successfully broke through the encirclement and retreated in the direction of Qilian Mountain. However, the fate of the other two troops was not so lucky. The troops of the southern route encountered a strong enemy in the process of breaking through, and most of the soldiers died heroically. Although the troops of the northern route succeeded in attracting the attention of the enemy, they could not escape the fate of being surrounded in the end, and only a few fighters broke out of the encirclement.
The battle to defend the high platform came to an end. The fierce fighting, which lasted for several days, took a heavy toll on both sides. The Red Army's Western Route Army lost nearly half of its troops, while Ma Bufang's troops also suffered heavy casualties, estimated at more than 10,000 men.
The outcome of the Battle of Gaotai had a profound impact on the Red Army's Western Route Army. First of all, this battle seriously weakened the strength of the Western Route Army, putting them in an even more disadvantageous position in subsequent operations. Secondly, the loss of Gaotai meant that the Red Army had lost an important foothold in the Hexi Corridor, and the plan to open up the international route suffered a serious setback.
However, the battle to defend the high platform is not without positive significance. The tenacious fighting spirit displayed by the Red Army in this battle dealt a heavy blow to Ma Bufang's troops and shook the morale of the enemy. More importantly, the breakthrough operation led by Dong Zhentang preserved a number of backbone forces and provided valuable human resources for the follow-up struggle of the Western Route Army.
After the end of the Battle of Gaotai, the situation of the Western Route Army became even more difficult. They had to continue their arduous struggle in the desolate Hexi Corridor region. Dong Zhentang led the remnants to move in the direction of Qilian Mountain, trying to find a new living space. However, the harsh natural environment and the pursuit of the enemy made the situation of this force worse.
At the same time, the news of the defense of Gaotai reached Yan'an, which aroused great concern from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Mao Zedong and other leaders began to reassess the strategic positioning of the Western Route Army and began to consider how to rescue the troubled force. However, due to the complex situation in the country at that time and the geographical constraints, the central government was able to provide very limited help.
Although the Battle of Gaotai ended with the retreat of the Red Army, this battle left a strong mark in the history of the Chinese revolution. It not only shows the heroic and fearless spirit of the officers and men of the Red Army, but also reflects the tenacity of the Communist Party of China in exploring the revolutionary road under difficult circumstances. The lessons of this battle had a profound impact on the subsequent Chinese revolution and became an indispensable part of the revolutionary process.
After the defense of Gaotai, Dong Zhentang led the remnants of the army to retreat in the direction of Qilian Mountain. During this difficult march, they had to face not only the pursuit of the enemy, but also the harsh natural environment. The Qilian Mountains had a severe climate and complex terrain, which posed great challenges to the already exhausted Red Army soldiers.
At the beginning of February 1937, the troops led by Dong Zhentang finally arrived in the hinterland of the Qilian Mountains. However, they did not get a respite. Ma Bufang's troops pursued them and soon reached the Qilian Mountains. Under these circumstances, Dong Zhentang made a difficult decision: to disperse the troops into small units in order to increase the chances of survival.
Dong Zhentang personally led a small detachment of about 300 people and continued to move westward. They tossed and turned in the Qilian Mountains, looking for an opportunity to join up with other Red Army units. During this period, they experienced numerous encounters with the enemy and guerrilla warfare. Despite the difficult situation, Dong Zhentang has always remained calm and determined. He used his rich military experience to lead his troops to save the day on many occasions.
However, fate did not favor the valiant Red Army general. On March 25, 1937, Dong Zhentang's team was besieged by Ma Bufang's troops in Minhe County, Qinghai Province. Faced with an enemy several times his size, Dong Zhentang organized his troops to put up stubborn resistance. In battle, he took the lead and personally commanded the battle. In the end, when the ammunition and food were exhausted, Dong Zhentang and his comrades-in-arms died heroically at the age of 41.
Dong Zhentang's sacrifice marked the fall of the main leaders of the Western Route Army. After the news of his death reached Yan'an, it attracted great attention from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Mao Zedong personally wrote a eulogy for Dong Zhentang, speaking highly of his revolutionary spirit and military talents.
After Dong Zhentang's death, his deeds were widely spread in the Red Army. Many surviving soldiers of the Western Route Army recalled Dong Zhentang's heroic performance in the defense of Gaotai, as well as his tenacity in the difficult retreat. These memories not only became the spiritual strength that inspired the later Red Army soldiers, but also provided valuable first-hand information for the study of the history of the Western Route Army.
In the decades that followed, Dong Zhentang's historical status underwent several changes. In the early 50s of the 20th century, he was listed as a revolutionary martyr, and his deeds were written into the party history textbooks. However, during the "Cultural Revolution", because the defeat of the Western Route Army was regarded by some as the result of the "right-leaning line", Dong Zhentang and other generals of the Western Route Army were unfairly evaluated for a time.
It was not until after the reform and opening up that Dong Zhentang's historical achievements were comprehensively and objectively evaluated. In 1981, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China rehabilitated Dong Zhentang and restored his reputation. Subsequently, many provinces and cities successively established memorial halls and monuments to commemorate Dong Zhentang. In Zhangye City, Gansu Province, a memorial hall for the West Route Army was also set up, which comprehensively displayed the heroic deeds of the officers and men of the West Route Army, including Dong Zhentang.
Dong Zhentang's military talent and leadership skills have also become the focus of later research. His ability to make decisive decisions in the face of danger and his flexible tactics in the process of breaking through the high platform are all considered valuable experiences worthy of learning from future generations. In particular, his spirit of adhering to the revolutionary ideal and not forgetting his original aspiration in a desperate situation is regarded as an excellent character of the Chinese Communists.
In the narrative of the history of the Chinese revolution, the story of Dong Zhentang and the Western Route Army has always occupied an important place. It is not only an important part of the history of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, but also a vivid portrayal of the Communist Party of China's exploration of the revolutionary road in a difficult environment. Dong Zhentang's deeds have been compiled into many historical works and textbooks, and have become a spiritual wealth that inspires future generations.
In recent years, with the in-depth study of the history of the Western Route Army, Dong Zhentang's image has become fuller and more three-dimensional. Researchers not only focused on his military talents, but also conducted in-depth discussions on his personality and leadership skills. Some newly discovered historical materials and memoirs have further enriched people's understanding of Dong Zhentang.
In Chinese military history, Dong Zhentang is known as an outstanding military commander and strategist. The commanding skills he displayed in the defense of the high platform were repeatedly studied and used for reference by later military experts. In particular, his tactics of organizing a breakthrough under disadvantaged conditions were considered a model of guerrilla warfare and had a profound impact on the strategy and tactics of the later Chinese People's Liberation Army.