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The early days of the revolution: Geng Biao's participation and struggle
In 1925, Geng Biao joined the Chinese Communist Party, and five years later, he entered the ranks of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and began his military career. As soon as he joined the Red Army, Geng Biao revealed his extraordinary military potential and deep enthusiasm for the revolution. He was first appointed regimental commander of the Red Army, responsible for commanding a contingent of several hundred people. In this position, Geng Biao focused not only on improving combat skills, but also on raising the political awareness of the soldiers and ensuring that they could adhere to the Communist Party's fighting goals and principles in battle.
With the passage of time, Geng's leadership ability has been further verified and affirmed. In many battles, he demonstrated excellent strategy and decision-making skills, which led to his rapid promotion to chief of staff of the division and later to chief of staff of the corps.
The bloody battle of Xiangjiang was an important node in Geng Biao's military career. In this battle, the Red Army troops led by Geng Biao fought to the death with the enemy. The battle lasted five days and five nights, and the two sides fought fiercely on the shoals of the Xiang River. The Red Army was not superior in numbers or equipment, but under the command of Geng Biao, they used the terrain and night operations to neutralize the technical and firepower superiority of the enemy army. Geng Biao personally inspected the front line, guided the deployment, and ensured that every counterattack could inflict an effective blow on the enemy.
The Wujiang River, a fast-flowing river, has become a hurdle on the Long March. In the task of forcibly crossing the Wujiang River, Geng Biao showed his strategy and decisiveness. The troops began to move at nightfall, and Geng Biao personally supervised the construction of rafts and improvised bridges to ensure that the troops could cross the river quickly and safely. Despite the enemy's attempts to obstruct it, the Red Army soldiers under Geng Biao's command completed the crossing with astonishing speed, and were firmly on the opposite bank almost before the enemy fully reacted.
The ensuing battle of Loushan Pass was another test of Geng Biao's command ability. Loushan Pass was a natural fortress where the defenders took advantage of the favorable terrain to build a strong defensive line. Geng Biao deployed a series of detours and feints to skillfully disperse the enemy's firepower, and then concentrated his forces to break through the enemy's defensive line.
Geng Biao's heroic performance and excellent command in these battles caused his popularity among the troops to rise rapidly, and the soldiers' admiration and trust in him also increased. His name gradually spread among the Red Army, and the nickname "Geng Mengzi" became widely known for his fearlessness and determination in battle.
Anti-Japanese War Period: Show military wisdom
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Comrade Geng Biao served as chief of staff, deputy brigade commander and deputy political commissar of the 385th Brigade of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, responsible for directing and organizing military operations and maintaining the security of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningbo border region. He led his troops to garrison the precipitous Longdong area, where the terrain was complex, and it was both a front line and an important anti-Japanese base. Geng Biao and his troops fought many battles with the Japanese puppet army in this area, effectively defending the security and stability of the border area.
In July 1941, Geng Biao was sent to Yan'an to study at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which was a further training of his military and political ability. There, he not only studied the party's theories and policies, but also gained an in-depth understanding of the political situation at home and abroad, which had an important impact on his later military command and political work.
In September 1944, Geng Biao was appointed deputy chief of staff and head of the Liaison Department of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region. In this position, he was responsible for coordinating military operations in the three provinces of Shanxi, Chahar and Hebei, as well as liaison with other anti-Japanese base areas, ensuring the effective flow of information and resources. During this period, his work played a key role in improving the combat effectiveness and organizational and coordination capabilities of the theater.
In August 1945, as the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression came to an end, Geng Biao commanded the troops to launch an attack on Zhangjiakou. Zhangjiakou, as a strategic point connecting North China and Inner Mongolia, was occupied by the Japanese puppet army for a long time. After careful planning and continuous fighting, Geng Biao's troops finally succeeded in recapturing the city and breaking the Japanese control in the area.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, from January to August 1946, Geng Biao served as the deputy chief of staff of the CPC delegation and the director of the Transportation Department of the Beiping Military Mediation Office. During this period, the situation in China was once again tense, and the contradictions between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party gradually became public. Under the leadership of Comrade Ye Jianying, Geng Biao actively participated in various activities against the Kuomintang to sabotage peace and provoke civil war. He was mainly responsible for supervising and ensuring the safety of transportation in the Beijing-Tianjin area and ensuring the movement of troops and materials, which was of great significance for preventing the expansion of the Kuomintang's military operations.
Diplomatic preparations for the new China
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in the face of various challenges and opportunities on the international stage, Chairman Mao quickly determined a new set of foreign policy, that is, "starting anew." At the heart of this policy was the complete severance of diplomatic ties with the old KMT, including the abolition of their diplomatic institutions and the purge of relevant personnel, in order to demonstrate the independence and new starting point of the new China.
In response to this policy, Premier Zhou proposed three main ways to select diplomatic cadres to ensure that the new diplomatic contingent is both professional and loyal. The first way is to select comrades from the former Central Foreign Affairs Group and the underground and united front work in major cities. These people have not only accumulated rich experience in foreign affairs because of their long-term work in related fields, but also are fluent in foreign languages, and have the necessary ability and sensitivity to handle international affairs.
The second way is to select key elements from the PLA's main strategic units -- the first, second, third, and fourth fields -- as well as from the organs directly under the Central Military Commission and the major military regions. These military personnel have honed their resilience and organizational skills during the war, and their discipline and execution are particularly critical to the emerging conduct of diplomacy.
The third way is to focus on domestic higher education institutions and select young students who are enthusiastic, proficient in foreign languages, and have some professional knowledge. The modern perspectives and academic backgrounds of these young people make them suitable candidates to understand and respond to new currents in international affairs.
Guided by this set of carefully set selection principles, the nationwide selection process was rapidly launched. A large number of talented people from different backgrounds but with their own strengths were discovered and began to undergo a short but very targeted diplomatic training to ensure that they could quickly adapt to their new responsibilities.
Among the outgoing diplomatic ambassadors, Geng Biao's name is particularly eye-catching. As deputy commander and chief of staff of the 19th Corps, Geng Biao not only had brilliant military achievements, but his organizational and strategic skills during the war were also considered an important asset in handling complex international relations. Geng Biao's military background and leadership experience, especially in the handling of foreign affairs during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, made him equally comfortable in diplomatic posts.
After being officially appointed as a diplomatic envoy to the People's Republic of China, Geng Biao and his colleagues received further training, covering diplomatic etiquette, international regulations, and analysis of the current international political and economic situation. The purpose of these trainings is to enable them not only to understand the basic skills of diplomacy, but also to have a deep understanding of the international challenges and opportunities facing the People's Republic of China, as well as how to safeguard national interests and enhance the country's image in a complex and ever-changing international environment.
National Day feast in Stockholm
On October 1, 1950, in the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, the atmosphere was solemn and warm, which was the first National Day reception held by the Chinese Embassy in Sweden. The banquet hall was filled with red lanterns and five-star red flags, symbolizing the celebration of the first anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Guests were dressed formally, gentlemen dressed in crisp suits, and women dressed in evening gowns, creating a solemn festive atmosphere.
The embassy staff busily guided the guests to their seats, and more than 500 Swedish VIPs from all walks of life arrived one after another, and the dinner began, Geng Biao took the stage to deliver a speech, and he concisely and forcefully introduced the achievements and future prospects of the founding of the People's Republic of China in the past year.
At this moment, the Supreme Commander of the Royal Swedish Navy, a tall Nordic man, felt that Geng Biao, the ambassador, was a little rustic, and asked Geng Biao very unconvinced: "You are a general, how many soldiers have you led?" The question was clearly provocative, as if it were questioning Geng's military background and qualifications as a diplomat.
The scene fell into a subtle embarrassment for a while, and the surrounding guests also noticed this scene, and the atmosphere suddenly became a little tense. However, Geng Biao did not show any excitement or displeasure, he smiled and responded in a relaxed tone: "My soldier is more than 100,000 people!" ”
The commander may have asked the question tentatively, but he did not expect such a shocking answer. Hearing that Geng Biao had commanded more than 100,000 troops, the commander's expression gradually changed from contempt at the beginning to solemn awe. He immediately put down the wine glass in his hand, and the glass made a crisp "pop" sound on the table, which was particularly loud in the quiet banquet hall.
Immediately, the commander stood up straight and performed a soldier's unique upright etiquette to Geng Biao. This gift, needless to say, is already the highest respect for Geng Biao's military career. Then he took a step and took the initiative to extend his hand to Geng Biao. His handshake was firm and warm, expressing his respect and recognition for Geng Biao: "It's really amazing, you have led more troops than our country's army!" ”
When the surrounding guests saw this, any doubts or contempt that they might have had were dissipated. They gathered around to get a closer look at and get to know the Chinese ambassador. Geng Biao's background and experience have become a hot topic in people's conversations. For a while, the atmosphere in the banquet hall became more enthusiastic, and people no longer just talked out of politeness, but sincerely expressed their respect for Geng Biao.
Many of the guests began to discuss his military experience with Geng Biao, and they were amazed and admired that Geng Biao had commanded such a large army. Several Swedish military officials joined the discussion, with a keen interest in strategy and tactics and eager to learn something from Geng's experience. The words of the people were full of appreciation: "He is a great ambassador sent by a great nation." Such comments were heard endlessly at banquets. Geng Biao's military background gave him a unique prestige in the diplomatic field, which was fully displayed and recognized at the banquet that night.
References:[1]Chen Hui. Geng Biao: Mao Zedong praised the good ambassador who dared to speak the truth[J].Party History Bocai (I),2022(1):4-9