[The content of this article is based on authoritative historical data, and there are citations at the end of the article, please be aware.] 】
In that era of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, a friendship that was almost dusted by history has now seen the light of day. Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan, two military generals of the Communist Party, formed a deep friendship in the crucible of war and revolution.
Chen Geng, who became a "cripple" due to war injuries, laughed at himself with this, never used physical inconvenience as an excuse, but always pushed more opportunities and heavy responsibilities to his comrade-in-arms Zhou Xihan. General Liu Bocheng criticized Chen Geng for being lazy, and Chen Geng responded calmly: "I'm a cripple." What's the story behind this? Is it really lazy, or is it an ulterior motive?
1. First Encounter on the Battlefield: A Crossroads of Fate
In the Henan Campaign at the end of 1931, the fates of Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan were intertwined for the first time. At that time, Zhou Xihan, as an ordinary herald, accidentally met Chen Geng's troops due to a mission. Chen Geng, already a regimental commander with battlefield experience, witnessed Zhou Xihan's military potential for the first time in this battle.
Zhou Xihan demonstrated unconventional strategy and courage in carrying out his mission, successfully completing a critical intelligence transmission that directly affected the outcome of the battle. Chen Geng's first impression of Zhou Xihan was extremely deep. In the post-war rectification, Chen Geng found Zhou Xihan and said half-jokingly: "You are also a herald there, let's get you an official when you come back!" ”
Although this sentence was joking at the time, it really became a reality later. Soon after, Zhou Xihan was promoted to regimental staff officer, which marked a new stage in his military career.
The promotion of Zhou Xihan was not accidental. In the subsequent exchanges, Chen Geng found that Zhou Xihan not only has excellent ability in tactical execution, but also his understanding of the battlefield and grasp of military strategy also shows potential command ability. Chen Geng decided to train Zhou Xihan so that he could take on a more important role in future battles.
In the following years, with the deepening of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Zhou Xihan's military position rose rapidly, and his military talents were also tempered and displayed in actual combat. In 1932, Zhou Xihan had become the brigade's chief of staff, and he excelled in many battles that year.
His military judgment and command ability were highly praised by Chen Geng, who recommended Zhou Xihan to undertake important tasks in military meetings many times. Zhou Xihan also lived up to Chen Geng's expectations, and his command won crucial victories in many battles.
2. Fighting side by side: the friendship of quenching into steel
With the full-scale outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the military cooperation between Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan became increasingly close. After 1937, with the advance of the war and the continuous strengthening of the enemy, the strategic awareness and tactical execution of the two men were comprehensively exercised and demonstrated. Especially in the guerrilla warfare in the Taihang Mountains, their cooperation reached its peak.
In 1938, the Japanese army launched a large-scale "sweeping" operation with the intention of clearing the guerrilla forces in the Taihang Mountains. The troops under the command of Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan were entrusted with the important task of maintaining the guerrilla front in the area. At this stage, Zhou Xihan was not only responsible for directly directing the battles on the front line, but also participated in the adjustment and layout of the entire strategy.
Their military operations often required rapid movement and tactical changes in response to the changing offensive patterns of the Japanese army. In these operations, Chen Geng often handed over the direct command of the battle to Zhou Xihan, and he himself provided more support for the battle from the perspective of overall strategy.
This division of labor allows them to be more flexible in responding to complex situations on the battlefield. In particular, in a surprise attack on the Japanese army's logistics line in 1939, the troops under the command of Zhou Xihan successfully cut off the enemy's supply line, which constituted a major blow to the Japanese army and also demonstrated Zhou Xihan's outstanding talent as a military commander.
In 1940, Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan once again demonstrated their military prowess in a key battle in Hebei Province. In this campaign, Zhou Xihan was in charge of front-line command, while Chen Geng carried out strategic planning and resource allocation in the rear. Through their close cooperation, they not only succeeded in stopping the Japanese attack, but also forced the enemy to retreat, maintaining our strategic advantage.
The success of these battles was not only a demonstration of military skill, but also a manifestation of the deep friendship and mutual trust between the two men. In many battles, Chen Geng always did not hesitate to hand over important command tasks to Zhou Xihan, and Zhou Xihan was always able to accurately implement Chen Geng's strategic intentions and achieve victory on the battlefield through specific tactical actions.
In addition, the tacit understanding between the two men in strategic coordination has also provided valuable experience for commanders in other theaters. Their cooperative approach was seen as a model of effective military command and front-line execution, and had a profound impact on the entire anti-Japanese battlefield.
3. Inheritance and support: When one party is in trouble, all parties will support
In the common military career of Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan, it not only reflects their cooperation on the battlefield, but also shows their deep friendship in personal care and support. Especially when the other party encounters difficulties or illnesses, Chen Geng often shows care beyond ordinary comrades-in-arms.
In 1941, Zhou Xihan suffered from a severe cold and cough due to physical condition and excessive fatigue after a battle. After learning of this situation, Chen Geng immediately ordered the medical team in the army to give Zhou Xihan the best medical care, and specially ordered all members of the unit to refrain from smoking during Zhou Xihan's recovery, so as to reduce interference with Zhou Xihan's recovery.
This move not only shows the importance that Chen Geng attaches to Zhou Xihan's health, but also reflects his control over the discipline of the troops. In the same year, Chen Geng also participated in some details of Zhou Xihan's family life, especially in Zhou Xihan's marriage. Knowing that Zhou Xihan was interested in a woman, Chen Geng not only actively helped, but also personally came forward to match Zhou Xihan and help them successfully complete the marriage.
This intervention shows that Chen Geng not only values Zhou Xihan on the battlefield, but also hopes to see his happiness and stability in his private life. Chen Geng's actions greatly strengthened the trust and intimacy between the two.
Through these specific actions, Chen Geng not only supported Zhou Xihan strategically and tactically, but also provided practical help in life, ensuring that Zhou Xihan could continue to perform his military duties in good condition. This all-round care also made Zhou Xihan more trusting Chen Geng's decision-making and command in the subsequent battle.
In 1942, at an important battle planning meeting, Zhou Xihan was unable to arrive in time due to health reasons, and Chen Geng, after learning about the situation, took the initiative to postpone the meeting time to wait for Zhou Xihan's arrival. This kind of attention and consideration of Zhou Xihan's situation enabled Zhou Xihan to continue to participate in strategic discussions and decision-making after recovery, and to maintain the continuity of combat effectiveness.
4. Strategic wisdom: support from the rear, victory at the front
Between 1943 and 1945, Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan were particularly prominent in their strategic wisdom, especially in coordinating large-scale military operations and resource allocation. During this period, Zhou Xihan was responsible for the specific operational command of the front, while Chen Geng focused on the overall strategic planning and coordination, and the working methods of the two formed an effective joint force of command and execution.
In a key battle in 1944, Zhou Xihan successfully commanded his troops to break through the Japanese defense line according to Chen Geng's strategic deployment, and this victory had an important impact on the battle situation in the entire theater. On the eve of the battle, Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan had several tactical discussions, and finally formed a sophisticated attack plan.
In these discussions, Chen Geng provided critical intelligence on the enemy's weaknesses and provided the necessary logistical support for Zhou's attack strategy. While the campaign was underway, Zhou Xihan commanded at the front, while Chen Geng maintained close contact with the front line by radio in the rear, ensuring that the commander's instructions could be accurately conveyed and implemented.
This efficient communication and coordination mechanism allows troops to respond quickly to changes on the battlefield and effectively execute tactical actions. Later that year, Zhou Xihan faced a complex battlefield environment and needed to make quick decisions to deal with the Japanese counteroffensive.
In this case, Chen Geng provided Zhou Xihan with a variety of possible coping strategies through strategic analysis, helping him choose the best way to defend and counterattack. Through such cooperation, Zhou Xihan successfully defended key positions and avoided the collapse of the battle line.
In addition, Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan also participated in a number of post-war evaluation and summary meetings, in which they analyzed the successes and failures in the battle, summarized lessons and lessons, and provided valuable references for future campaigns. This continuous process of learning and improvement has enhanced the combat effectiveness and adaptability of the troops.
5. Cripple and Thin: Not only comrades-in-arms, but also brothers
In the later stages of the War of Resistance Against Japan, especially between 1944 and 1945, the friendship and cooperation between Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan were deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. During this period, one thing that is particularly eye-catching, that is, Liu Bocheng's criticism of Chen Geng and Chen Geng's response, this incident shows the deep trust and tacit understanding between the two.
At a preparatory meeting before the battle, Liu Bocheng publicly criticized Chen Geng for being too dependent on Zhou Xihan and not personally participating in the specific affairs of the battlefield, suggesting that Chen Geng was a little "lazy" in the war.
In the face of this criticism, Chen Geng responded with humor, saying, "I am a cripple", a phrase that expressed that his physical inconvenience limited his ability to move on the front line, but did not diminish his strategic responsibility. This response not only eased the atmosphere of the meeting, but also showed Chen Geng's self-awareness of his role.
In fact, Chen Geng's physical condition was indeed affected by injuries he was made in the early stages of the war, and one of his legs was injured in a battle, making it difficult for him to move. Despite this, he still played an important role in strategic planning and military command. Through wisdom and strategic vision, he ensured the coherence and efficiency of military operations.
This role of his was indispensable in the War of Resistance Against Japan, especially in cooperation with Zhou Xihan, and Chen Geng was always able to provide guidance and support to Zhou Xihan from a strategic height.
In addition, this situation also reflects the complementarity between Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan. As a military executor, Zhou Xihan was able to understand and execute Chen Geng's strategic intentions, and the cooperation between the two undoubtedly strengthened the effectiveness of the battle. This not only improved the combat effectiveness of the army, but also boosted the morale and confidence of the entire anti-Japanese army.
Regarding Chen Geng's self-positioning and humorous response, Liu Bocheng finally expressed his understanding and acceptance. This exchange not only reflected the respect and understanding between Chen Geng and Liu Bocheng, but also strengthened the relationship between Chen Geng and Zhou Xihan, allowing them to continue to work together in an efficient manner. Through such cooperation, they contributed an important force to the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan.
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Resources:
From Gu Yuezuo. Red Classic Series Mao Zedong and the Ten Marshals[M]. 2021