In August 1935, just after the Central Red Army passed the grassland, Zhang Guotao resisted the order to go north and privately ordered Chen Changhao to lead the Right Route Army to the south.
Ye Jianying hurriedly informed Chairman Mao, Zhou Enlai and others that they decided to go north overnight and sent a warning signal to the Four Front Army.
When Chen Changhao and Xu Xiangqian learned about it, they were shocked and made a calm decision to avoid the Red Army from killing each other.
However, this decision became a turning point in Chen Changhao's fate, he only served as deputy director in his later years, and even received nothing when he was conferred the title, while his descendants have made extraordinary achievements in the construction of New China.
Emergencies
In August 1935, the Central Red Army had just crossed the difficult meadows, physically and mentally exhausted, but ushered in a new crisis.
At this time, the leadership of the Central Red Army had repeatedly ordered Zhang Guotao to lead the Red Fourth Front Army north, but Zhang Guotao refused to obey.
He not only ignored the orders of the central government, but also arbitrarily decided to let Chen Changhao lead the Right Route Army south.
The news quickly reached Ye Jianying's ears, and he realized the seriousness of the situation and immediately reported the matter to Chairman Mao, Zhou Enlai, Zhang Wentian and Bogu.
Ye Jianying knew that Zhang Guotao's disobedience could lead to a split within the Red Army and even lead to a civil war.
He immediately notified Chairman Mao and several other central leaders to convene an emergency meeting. Chairman Mao, Zhou Enlai, Zhang Wentian and Bogu quickly made a decision and decided to lead the Red First Army, the Third Army and the Military Commission column to the north overnight in order to get rid of Zhang Guotao's control.
During the meeting, the central leaders were required to take with them the only detailed military map of the whole army. This map is the key information of the Red Army's marching operations, and it grasps the direction and strategic arrangement of the Red Army's actions.
Chairman Mao personally arranged for the map to be taken away to ensure that the Red Army going north could advance smoothly. At the same time, they sent a warning signal to the four front armies to prevent Zhang Guotao from taking further extreme actions.
When Chen Changhao and Xu Xiangqian received the news that the Central Red Army was heading north, they were leading their troops on the march.
Hearing this sudden news, the two couldn't help but be shocked.
Critical choices
After receiving the news that the Central Red Army was heading north, Chen Changhao and Xu Xiangqian quickly launched an operation.
Within the Fourth Front Army, many generals were confused and uneasy about this matter, and they asked Chen Changhao for advice on how to deal with it.
Xu Xiangqian summoned the senior commanders of the troops, and everyone sat around the rudimentary headquarters. Xu Xiangqian first analyzed the current situation and pointed out that if a conflict breaks out within the Red Army, it will bring incalculable losses to the entire revolutionary cause. The Red Army must not kill each other, must remain united and obey the command of the Central Committee.
Chen Changhao listened carefully on the side, and then agreed.
Subsequently, Chen Changhao and Xu Xiangqian decided to immediately convey this important decision to the commanders of the four front armies at all levels.
The telegram was quickly sent to the troops, and the content was clear and firm: "The Red Army does not fight the Red Army, maintains unity, obeys commands." ”
This order spread rapidly within the four front armies, and after receiving the order, the generals began to convey it to their respective troops. Although some of the soldiers were puzzled by this, under the command of their superiors, everyone quickly moved and prepared to align with the Central Red Army.
At the same time, after learning the news of the Central Red Army's northward movement, Zhang Guotao felt that the situation was serious. He tried to block the decision of Chen Changhao and Xu Xiangqian by various means, and even tried to directly intervene in the actions of the Four Front Army.
However, Chen Changhao and Xu Xiangqian, with their firm will and loyalty to the revolutionary cause, withstood the pressure from Zhang Guotao and insisted on carrying out the orders of the Central Committee.
In the process, Chen Changhao has demonstrated extraordinary leadership skills. He personally went to the units to explain to the soldiers the importance of the Central Red Army going north, and stressed the need for unity within the Red Army.
Chen Changhao's decision not only aroused positive repercussions within the Fourth Front Army, but was also highly appreciated by the leadership of the Central Red Army.
Chairman Mao, Zhou Enlai, and others fully affirmed his resolute decision, and expressed their support and encouragement to the Fourth Front Army through telegrams.
Chen Changhao's decision effectively avoided conflicts within the Red Army and laid the foundation for the unity and victory of the Red Army.
In the ensuing operation, Chen Changhao continued to lead the Fourth Front Army to maintain close contact with the Central Red Army. Overcoming many difficulties, they managed to cross the enemy's blockade line and smoothly rendezvous with the Central Red Army.
The meeting of the two armies not only strengthened the overall strength of the Red Army, but also greatly boosted morale.
Chen Changhao and Xu Xiangqian made great achievements for the unity and victory of the Red Army, and their names have been recorded in history.
However, this decision also brought a huge personal pressure on Chen Changhao. In the years that followed, he faced many questions and challenges, both internal and external.
The Western Expedition failed
In 1932, the encirclement and suppression of the Red Army by the Kuomintang intensified, and the Red Fourth Front Army, under the leadership of Chen Changhao and Xu Xiangqian, had to withdraw from the Hubei-Henan-Anhui base area and move to Sichuan.
In the course of this difficult transfer, Chen Changhao and Xu Xiangqian continued to command their troops, conquered a number of important towns, and opened up new Sichuan-Shaanxi base areas for the Red Fourth Front Army.
After arriving in Sichuan, the Red Fourth Front Army did not get a moment of rest, and the encirclement and suppression of the Kuomintang were still pressing.
In this difficult environment, Chen Changhao exerted his excellent organizational and leadership skills, he not only commanded the battle, but also actively carried out party and mass work, and established deep ties with the local people.
In just three years, the Sichuan-Shaanxi base area developed rapidly and became an important revolutionary base area second only to the Central Soviet Region.
In 1935, the Long March began, and the Red Fourth Front Army had to embark on the journey again. Chen Changhao and Xu Xiangqian led their troops through many difficulties and dangers, and finally crossed the vast grassland and joined the Central Red Army.
However, at this time, the contradictions and crises within the Red Fourth Front Army gradually became apparent.
Zhang Guotao's separatist attempt put the Red Army in danger of internal splitting, and Chen Changhao, as political commissar, had fierce arguments with Zhang Guotao on many occasions and resolutely opposed the separatist acts.
Together with Xu Xiangqian, he led his troops north to rejoin the Central Red Army, ensuring the safety and unity of the Red Fourth Front.
In October 1936, the three main forces of the Red Army triumphantly joined forces. In order to open up a new political and military situation, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission of the Central Revolution decided to launch a campaign in Ningxia.
Chen Changhao was ordered to lead his troops across the Yellow River in an attempt to seize Ningxia and open an international route to the Soviet Union.
However, halfway through their river crossing, the Kuomintang reinforcements from southern Hu Zong had already broken through the Ningxia defense line, cutting off the Red Army from the troops that had already crossed the river, forcing the Red Army to abandon this plan.
The Party Central Committee reorganized the Hexi troops into the Western Route Army, hoping that they would advance west alone in order to obtain military material assistance from the Soviet Union. Chen Changhao led the Western Route Army to embark on the tragic journey of the Western Expedition.
The Western Route Army faced the regular Kuomintang army and local militia groups, and the disparity in strength between the enemy and us, coupled with the special terrain of the Hexi Corridor, the harsh climatic conditions, and the lack of logistical supplies, made the battle extremely difficult.
The Western Route Army fought a bloody battle in the Hexi Corridor, annihilating more than 20,000 enemies, providing strong support for the strategic operations of the main Red Army in Hedong. However, due to the strength of the enemy, the Western Route Army eventually had only a few thousand elite soldiers.
In order to preserve the viable force, Chen Changhao decided to organize the remaining troops into three detachments and withdraw to Yan'an in batches.
However, this decision did not completely save the Western Route Army, which still suffered great losses during the retreat.
The failure of the Western Expedition became the pain of Chen Changhao's life. After this, he was transferred back to Yan'an, facing the shadow of defeat and inner self-blame. At the same time, the aggravation of stomach problems forced him to go to the USSR for treatment.
More than ten years later, Chen Changhao finally returned to his homeland in 1951. When the train arrived in Beijing, his eyes were full of tears, and he was greeted by senior leaders such as Liu Shaoqi and Xu Xiangqian, as well as many old comrades-in-arms.
Although he returned to the motherland, Chen Changhao did not let go of the heavy burden in his heart. In the years that followed, his physical condition gradually improved, but the guilt and anxiety in his heart still lingered.
He had been away from the army for too long, and when he was awarded the title in 1955, he received nothing. In his later years, Chen Changhao served as the deputy director of the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau and continued to contribute his strength to the country.
However, during the special period, Chen Changhao was inevitably involved in a political storm. Due to the problem of the Western Route Army, he was labeled with many exaggerated and unfounded charges.
During the interrogation, in the face of the interrogators' questioning, he resolutely did not affect his comrades-in-arms in his early years. Eventually, he committed suicide by taking sleeping pills on the night of July 30, 1967, ending his life.
Achievements for future generations
Chen Changhao's life was full of revolutionary passion and arduous struggle, but his descendants made brilliant achievements in the construction of New China and made great contributions to the country.
Chen Changhao has experienced a total of four marriages, and his original wife Liu Xiuzhen unfortunately died in the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union.
He has three sons, namely Chen Zuze, Chen Zutao and Chen Zumo.
Although Chen Changhao's revolutionary career was full of twists and turns, his two sons, Chen Zuze and Chen Zutao, made extraordinary achievements in the nuclear and automobile industries of New China.
Chen Changhao's eldest son, Chen Zuze, lived in the Soviet Union with his father when he was a child and received a good education. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chen Zuze returned to the motherland and actively responded to the call of the country to devote himself to the nuclear industry.
He has extensive expertise and experience in the nuclear industry, making him a well-known technologist in the nuclear industry.
Chen Zuze, with his rigorous work attitude and superb technology, has made important contributions to the development of nuclear energy in China.
In the early days of China's nuclear industry, Chen Zuze was involved in the development and implementation of several key projects. He has provided important support and technical guidance in the construction of nuclear power plants, the research and development of nuclear weapons, and the application of nuclear technology.
Chen Zuze and his team worked day and night, overcoming one technical problem after another, and laying a solid foundation for China's nuclear industry to grow from scratch and from weak to strong.
At the same time, Chen Changhao's second son, Chen Zutao, also played an important role in the industrial construction of New China.
Chen Zutao majored in mechanical engineering in the Soviet Union during his university years, and after returning to China, he became one of the founders of the automobile industry in New China, and participated in the preparation of the FAW and the Second Automobile.
Chen Zutao brought back the advanced machinery manufacturing technology of the Soviet Union to China, combined with the actual situation in China, and promoted the rapid development of the automobile industry.
Under the leadership of Chen Zutao, in 1978, the second automobile was officially put into production, and the annual output value reached 5,000 vehicles, becoming the largest automobile factory in China at that time.
Chen Zutao and his team continue to innovate and strive to improve product quality and production efficiency, which has promoted the modernization process of China's automotive industry.
They have developed a series of automotive products with independent intellectual property rights, which not only meet the needs of the domestic market, but also successfully enter the international market, winning a good reputation for China's automobile industry.
In addition to Chen Zuze and Chen Zutao, Chen Changhao's third son, Chen Zumo, although he did not achieve the same achievements as his brothers, he also worked hard in his own life.
He chose to settle in Australia and live a relatively quiet life.
Although his achievements were not as remarkable, he was still an indispensable member of the family, contributing to the unity and happiness of the family.
Chen Changhao's descendants have proved their worth with practical actions, and their efforts and achievements have also made up for their father's unfinished business to some extent.
In different ways, they have made important contributions to the construction and development of New China and have become the pillars of the country.
Resources:
The Paper "Chen Zutao, one of the founders of New China's automobile industry, passed away, and his brother Chen Zuze passed away a few days ago"2022-08-23
Phoenix.com, "The Truth About Chen Changhao's Disappearance After the Defeat of the Western Route Army", 2008-04-16