Everyone in the world knows that Su Yu is the god of war of our army, and they know that he is a rigorous person and lives a simple life. But who would have thought that after a victory, he would angrily reprimand his subordinates for a meal? It all started with a battle in May 1947. At that time, Wang Bicheng, commander of the Huaye Sixth Column, had just commanded the troops to achieve a brilliant victory, not only annihilating the reorganized 74th Division, but also killing the famous enemy general Zhang Lingfu. Before the joy of victory subsided, Wang Bicheng remembered a promise made half a year ago. He once said to Su Yu: "When I win the battle, I will invite you." Now that victory has come, Wang Bicheng naturally wants to fulfill his promise. However, when Su Yu walked into Wang Bicheng's dormitory and saw the two bottles of red wine on the table, his face changed abruptly. He angrily reprimanded: "Wang Laohu, you will start to forget your roots when you win, and you are not far from the next defeat!" "What's going on? Why does the king have to put foreign wine on the table?
On December 3, 1946, the Second Battle of Lianshui began. Zhang Lingfu, commander of the 74th Division of the Kuomintang Army, vowed to avenge the defeat of Lianshui for the first time, and made full preparations. This time, Zhang Lingfu did come prepared, and his actions were very confusing.
Wang Bicheng, the commander of the Huaye Sixth Column, who guarded Lianshui, made a mistake in judgment and let Zhang Lingfu take advantage of the loophole. The reorganized 74th Division broke through the defense line of the Sixth Column with lightning speed and reoccupied Lianshui City. This sudden blow caused heavy losses to the Sixth Column and greatly affected its morale.
When the news reached the Huaye Headquarters, Commander Chen Yi was furious. He believed that Wang Bicheng's ineffective command led to a reversal of the tide of the war, and he once wanted to replace the commander of the Sixth Column. In Chen Yi's view, Wang Bicheng not only lost important strategic points, but also let the enemy dampen the spirit of our army, which is an unforgivable mistake.
However, Su Yu, chief of staff of Huaye, made an in-depth analysis of the battle. He believed that there were many objective factors in the defeat: first, the enemy was well prepared for this offensive and adopted the tactics of surprise; Second, there were omissions in our army's intelligence work, and it failed to detect the movement of enemy troops in a timely manner; In addition, the terrain of Lianshui is complex, and it is difficult to defend.
Based on these analyses, Su Yu suggested that Wang Bicheng should be guilty of meritorious service and reviewed at the Huaye Command. He believes that although Wang Bicheng has made mistakes, it is not irreparable, and he should be given a chance to mend his ways. Su Yu's analysis and suggestions calmed Chen Yi down, and finally did not remove Wang Bicheng from his position.
When Wang Bicheng made a review at the Huaye Headquarters, his mood was very heavy. He was well aware of the impact of this defeat on the morale of the troops and the overall battle situation, and his heart was full of guilt and self-blame. When he left the Huaye Headquarters, Chen Yi asked him what other problems he needed to coordinate and solve.
Facing Chen Yi's inquiry, Wang Bicheng said with tears in his eyes and a choked voice: "There is nothing that needs to be coordinated, just one thing to implore the chief." Chen Yi and Su Yu both looked at him seriously, waiting for his next step. Wang Bicheng took a deep breath and continued: "To fight the 74th Division, please don't forget the Sixth Column. "
This sentence contains Wang Bicheng's remorse, determination, and the meaning of asking for war. He hoped to get the opportunity to fight the integrated 74th Division again, so as to be ashamed.
After Su Yu heard this, he immediately patted Wang Bicheng on the shoulder and said to him: "Wang Bicheng, don't worry, Mr. Chen will not forget your six verticals, and will give you the opportunity to take revenge, it depends on whether you can grasp it." These words are both encouragement and warning, suggesting that Wang Bicheng must cherish the next opportunity and not make mistakes again.
Wang Bicheng nodded deeply, his eyes flashing with determination. That night, Su Yu wanted to keep Wang Bicheng for dinner, but Wang Bicheng politely refused. He said to Su Yu: "Boss, I am a defeated general, and I have no face to eat your food." When I win the battle, I'll ask you. After speaking, Wang Bicheng hurried back to the army.
This promise is not only a promise made by Wang Bicheng to Su Yu, but also an oath he made to himself and all the soldiers of the Sixth Column. He secretly determined that he must seize the next opportunity, live up to his mission, and save honor for the Sixth Column.
After returning to the army, Wang Bicheng immediately convened a military meeting to sum up the lessons of this defeat. He called on all officers and men to heighten their vigilance, strengthen training, and maintain combat readiness at all times. At the same time, he also stepped up his intelligence work, closely monitoring the movements of enemy forces and making full preparations for the next battle.
In the following months, under the leadership of Wang Bicheng, the Sixth Column underwent arduous training and rectification. Every fighter remembers Lianshui's defeat and longs to prove himself again. They waited, waiting for that opportunity to be disgraced.
In May 1947, the strategic situation of Huaye underwent major changes. After repeated studies and careful analysis, Chen Yi and Su Yu believed that the current battlefield situation was favorable to our army and decided to adopt the strategy of taking the initiative to attack. They set their sights on the Huaye Sixth Column, believing that although this unit suffered setbacks in the battle to defend Lianshui, after several months of rectification, it had regained its combat effectiveness and was the best choice for carrying out this mission.
Chen Yi and Su Yu summoned Wang Bicheng and explained to him in detail the current battlefield situation and Huaye's strategic intentions. They pointed out that the Sixth Column should quickly advance to the south to break the enemy's defensive line and create favorable conditions for Huaye's subsequent large-scale operations. After listening to the report, Wang Bicheng immediately said that he would resolutely carry out the order and promised to live up to his mission.
However, the situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly. On the third day of the Sixth Column's southward movement, an unexpected situation occurred. The enemy seemed to have learned of our army's plan of action in advance, and quickly mobilized two elite divisions to pursue the Sixth Column. These two divisions were not only well armed, but also marched extremely fast, and soon caught up with the rearguard units of the six columns.
Faced with this situation, the Sixth Vertical fell into an extremely unfavorable situation. The enemy's two divisions were like two sharp swords, piercing straight into the flanks of the Sixth Column, and it was possible to cut the Sixth Column into several sections at any time. To make matters worse, the Sixth Vertical was in the plains at this time, with few natural barriers to use.
At the critical moment, Wang Bicheng showed extraordinary military talent and calm judgment. Instead of panicking, he quickly summoned the heads of the regiments and the chiefs of staff to convene an emergency meeting. At the meeting, Wang Bicheng briefly analyzed the current dangerous situation, and then put forward a bold plan: instead of continuing to move south, nor confronting the enemy head-on, but leading the whole army to quickly move eastward to the Lunan region.
This decision came as a surprise to many. Doubts have been raised that doing so would deviate from the original plan and that they could be punished by their superiors. But Wang Bicheng insisted on his own judgment, he pointed out: "The key now is to preserve our strength, and only by preserving our strength can we prepare for the subsequent battle." The terrain in the Lunan area is complex, which is conducive to our concealment and defense. What's more, the enemy would never have thought that we would suddenly change direction. "
At Wang Bicheng's insistence, the Sixth Column began this adventurous operation. They dismantled all unnecessary heavy equipment overnight, buried or destroyed it to ensure the speed of the march. The whole army remained absolutely silent, not even a single cough was allowed.
It worked. When the two divisions of the enemy army chased them to the predetermined location with great vigour, they found that the Sixth Column had disappeared without a trace. They didn't expect that the Sixth Column would suddenly change direction, and they fell into a daze for a while.
At this time, the Sixth Vertical has quietly entered the mountainous area of Lunan region. Wang Bicheng ordered the troops to immediately begin building fortifications and setting up camouflage, and at the same time sent scouts to closely monitor the enemy's movements. In just a few days, the Sixth Vertical took root in this complex terrain.
When the news reached the Huaye Headquarters, Chen Yi and Su Yu were very surprised. They originally thought that the Sixth Column might have fallen into a bitter battle, but they didn't expect Wang Bicheng to resolve the crisis in such an ingenious way.
After Su Yu carefully studied the map, he couldn't help but exclaim: "Okay, Wang Bicheng's trick is really clever!" He turned the Sixth Column into a 'shocking thunder' buried by our army behind enemy lines, which could detonate at any time and deal a fatal blow to the enemy! "
Chen Yi also nodded repeatedly, and he said to Su Yu: "It seems that our decision is right. Wang Bicheng really has something extraordinary, and this operation not only preserved the Sixth Column, but also created favorable conditions for our follow-up action. "
In this way, the Sixth Column was hidden in the Lunan area and became an important chess piece in Huaye's layout. They are like a sharp sword hanging over the enemy's head, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment. This successful escape operation not only saved the Sixth Column, but also provided more possibilities for Huaye's next strategic deployment.
In mid-May 1947, the Huaye Command received an important piece of information: the 74th Division of the Kuomintang Army was advancing towards the Menglianggu area. This unit was led by Zhang Lingfu and was known as the trump card division in the Kuomintang army. Chen Yi and Su Yu realized that this was a rare opportunity to annihilate this elite army in one fell swoop and turn the tide of the battle.
Su Yu immediately summoned the commanders of the various units and formulated a thorough battle plan. He decided to adopt the tactic of "encircling and annihilating from all sides" and introduced the reorganized 74th Division into the Menglianggu area, and then implemented the encirclement. In this plan, the six verticals play a crucial role.
Su Yu personally gave Wang Bicheng a combat order. He said: "Comrade Wang Bicheng, this operation is a good opportunity for you to be ashamed. Your task is to steal the enemy from the north and cut off their retreat. Remember, be sure to keep your actions secret and not alarm the enemy. "
After receiving the order, Wang Bicheng immediately organized his troops to start the operation. The Sixth Column adopted the method of day and night, and used the complex terrain to advance covertly. In order to ensure the concealment of the operation, Wang Bicheng ordered the whole army to prohibit cooking on fires, and could only eat dry food. This arduous march lasted three days and three nights.
In the early morning of May 13, the Sixth Column finally arrived at the predetermined position. Wang Bicheng ordered the troops to immediately build fortifications and prepare for battle. At this moment, the scouts reported that the vanguard of the integrated 74th Division had entered the Menglianggu area.
The integrated 74th Division led by Zhang Lingfu did not know at this time that they had fallen into the encirclement of Huaye. Zhang Lingfu believed that as long as he occupied the commanding heights of Menglianggu, he would be able to control the entire region. However, he didn't realize that this was a clever trap set by Su Yu.
In the early morning of May 14, the battle began. In accordance with the predetermined plan, the Huaye units launched a fierce attack on the reorganized 74th Division. The northern front, which was in charge of the Sixth Column, bore the brunt of the attack, and in the face of the enemy's stubborn resistance, Wang Bicheng commanded the troops to launch a fierce offensive.
The battle lasted a whole day, and the situation of the integrated 74th Division became more and more dangerous. Zhang Lingfu finally realized that he had fallen into the encirclement, and he tried to break through, but each attempt was thwarted by our army.
On 15 May, the battle entered its most critical phase. Su Yu ordered all the troops to launch a general attack. The Sixth Column performed well in this general attack, not only firmly blocking the enemy's retreat, but also cooperating with other units to launch a fierce assault on the enemy.
In this fierce battle, Wang Bicheng personally came to the front line to command. He stood on a commanding height, observing the battlefield with a telescope. Suddenly, a guard spotted that one of the enemy snipers was aiming at Wang Bicheng. At the last moment, the guard pounced on Wang Bicheng and blocked the bullet with his body. The young warrior died, but he protected the commander of the six columns.
The king was saddened by the sacrifice of this warrior, but he knew that now was not the time to grieve. He quickly adjusted his deployment and ordered his troops to intensify their attacks. Under the fierce attack of the 6th Column, the defensive line of the reorganized 74th Division began to crumble.
On the afternoon of May 16, the battle entered its final phase. The integrated 74th Division has been compressed in a small area. In desperation, Zhang Lingfu ordered the troops to break through, but this breakthrough was doomed to be futile. The iron wall formed by the Sixth Column and other troops made the reorganized 74th Division have nowhere to escape.
In this final battle, Zhang Lingfu was killed. The reorganization of the 74th Division, the elite division of the Kuomintang, was completely annihilated in the Battle of Menglianggu. This battle not only annihilated one of the enemy's main divisions, but more importantly, it completely broke the arrogance of the Kuomintang army and laid the foundation for Huaye's subsequent strategic counteroffensive.
After the battle, Su Yu personally came to the battlefield to inspect. When he saw the tired but proud faces of the soldiers of the Sixth Column, he held Wang Bicheng's hand tightly and said, "Comrade Wang Bicheng, you Sixth Column have made great contributions!" This victory has washed away the shame of Lianshui, and you have proved your strength with practical actions. "
Wang Bicheng said excitedly: "Boss, this victory was won by the soldiers of the whole army with blood. We will certainly continue to work hard and make greater contributions to the cause of liberation. "
The victory in the Battle of Menglianggu was not only the victory of Huaye, but also the rebirth of the Sixth Column. This battle proved that even if we encounter setbacks, as long as we stick to our beliefs and continue to learn and improve, we will eventually usher in the dawn of victory.
In the autumn of 1947, after Huaye's series of victories in the Shandong Battlefield, Chen Yi and Su Yu began to plan a larger strategic operation. They set their sights on the Dabie Mountains, thousands of miles away. This decision is fraught with challenges and risks, but it also carries great strategic implications.
Chen Yi said at a meeting of senior generals: "We must think outside the box and push the battlefield southward. The Dabie Mountain area not only has a complex terrain, which is conducive to our army's guerrilla warfare, but more importantly, it is a bridgehead for advancing into the Central Plains. "
Su Yu added: "However, to advance into the Dabie Mountains, we must cross the Yellow River and cross the enemy's defensive line. This requires an elite force that can maneuver quickly and adapt to complex terrain. "
The generals present understood that this task was extraordinary. After careful consideration, Chen Yi and Su Yu agreed that the Sixth Column was the most suitable unit to carry out this task.
In early November, Chen Yi personally approached Wang Bicheng and explained to him this arduous task. After listening to this, Wang Bicheng immediately said: "Please rest assured that the Sixth Column will definitely live up to its mission and complete this glorious and arduous task. "
Preparations began quickly. The Sixth Column underwent a large-scale reorganization, selecting the most elite fighters, while at the same time being lightly armed and carrying only the necessary weapons and ammunition. In order to increase the speed of the march, they even buried or destroyed some of their heavy weapons.
On November 15, the Sixth Column began this epic long march. The first thing they had to face was the challenge of crossing the river. Just after the autumn flood of the Yellow River, the water flow is still turbulent. To make matters worse, the enemy had set up numerous checkpoints on the riverbank.
Wang Bicheng decided to adopt a strategy of attacking the east and the west. He sent a small detachment to create momentum upstream and attract the enemy's attention, while the main force quietly crossed the river downstream. This plan worked, and the Sixth Column successfully crossed the Yellow River, but at great cost. Dozens of fighters lost their lives in the rapids.
After crossing the river, the Sixth Column faced an arduous trek. They had to cross the plains, where enemy posts and patrols were densely packed. In order to avoid being discovered, the Sixth Column adopted a strategy of day and night. During the day, they hid in villages, in the woods, and at night they marched in a hurry.
During this march, a small episode occurred. One night, a company got lost and strayed into a village. Luckily, the head of the village is an underground party member. He not only provided the troops with food and resting places, but also gave valuable information, helping the Sixth Column to avoid several important enemy strongholds.
After more than 10 days of arduous trekking, the Sixth Column finally entered the Dabie Mountains. However, greater challenges await them. Although the terrain in the Dabie Mountains area is conducive to guerrilla warfare, it also increases the difficulty of marching. The rugged mountain roads, dense jungles, and rushing streams all brought great tests to the troops.
The greater difficulty is the issue of supplies. Due to its distance from the base area, the Sixth Column could not be replenished in time. Food and ammunition began to run short. Wang Bicheng ordered the whole army to save food, and sometimes even had to feed their hunger with wild fruits and tree bark.
It was in this difficult situation that the Sixth Column encountered an elite unit of the enemy. It was a close encounter, with a fierce exchange of fire between the two sides in the mountains and forests. With its familiarity with the terrain and flexible tactics, the Sixth Column finally won the victory, but it also paid a considerable price.
After this battle, Wang Bicheng realized that he had to gain a firm foothold in the Dabie Mountains as soon as possible. He ordered the troops to disperse, to reach out to the local masses and mobilize them to support the revolution. The fighters of the Sixth Column went deep into every village to propagate the Party's policies and help the masses solve practical difficulties.
Gradually, the Sixth Column won the support of the masses in the Dabie Mountains. Local peasants began to provide food and intelligence to the troops, and some young people even offered to join the army. The strength of the Sixth Column began to grow, and they established several small base areas, laying the foundation for subsequent combat operations.
At the end of December, Chen Yi received a report that the Sixth Column had successfully advanced into Dabie Mountain. In a telegram to the Central Committee, he wrote: "The Sixth Column lived up to the trust and successfully opened up a new battlefield in the Dabie Mountains. This created favorable conditions for our army to advance to the Central Plains. "
This operation of the Sixth Column not only demonstrated their extraordinary courage and tenacious will, but also embodied the superb strategic vision of the Huaye Command. They have proved that with firm conviction and the right strategy, even seemingly impossible tasks can become reality.
In November 1948, the Chinese Revolutionary War entered a decisive stage. The East China Field Army, under the command of Chen Yi and Su Yu, began the famous Huaihai Campaign. This battle was not only the largest and longest-lasting battle in the War of Liberation, but also an important stage for the Sixth Column to show its combat effectiveness.
Before the battle began, Chen Yi said at an operational meeting: "The outcome of the Huaihai Battle will determine the direction of the entire war. We must go all out and win at all costs. Su Yu added: "As one of the main forces of our army, the Sixth Column will undertake important tasks in this campaign. "
On November 6, the Battle of Huaihai officially began. The Sixth Column was assigned one of the most difficult tasks of the campaign: to break through the enemy's lines of defense and cut off its retreat. After receiving the order, Wang Bicheng immediately summoned commanders at all levels and drew up a detailed battle plan.
The first goal of the Sixth Column was to conquer Suxian. Suxian was an important stronghold of the enemy, garrisoning an elite division of the Kuomintang army. Wang Bicheng decided to adopt a "three-way attack" strategy: the main force attacked from the front, and at the same time sent two troops to outflank from the flank.
In the early morning of November 8, the Sixth Column launched an attack on Suxian. The battle was extremely fierce, and the enemy stubbornly resisted with strong fortifications. During the battle, a battalion commander of the 6th Column led the assault team, braving the enemy's dense fire, successfully blew up a section of the city wall, opening the way for the offensive of the follow-up troops.
After a whole day of fierce fighting, the Sixth Column finally conquered Suxian. This victory not only opened the way to advance to the south, but also captured a large number of weapons and ammunition, which greatly increased the combat effectiveness of the troops.
Next, the Sixth Column faced an even more difficult task: to cut off the enemy's retreat. To do this, they had to pass through an open area, which had no cover and was completely exposed to enemy fire.
Wang Bicheng decided to march at night. On the evening of November 15, the Sixth Column began this dangerous crossing. To maintain formation and direction, each fighter attached a rope to the belts of his comrades in front and behind. The whole force was like a long dragon, quietly advancing in the dark.
However, just as they were about to reach their destination, enemy flares suddenly lit up the night sky. The actions of the Sixth Column were exposed. The enemy immediately began a heavy shelling. At this critical juncture, Wang Biguo gave an order: "The whole army charges!" "
The fighters of the Sixth Column charged forward desperately and soon broke through the enemy's defenses, successfully cutting off their retreat. Although this operation paid a considerable price, from a strategic point of view, it completely disrupted the enemy's deployment.
In the following days, the Sixth Column continued to advance southward, expanding its successes. They conquered a number of enemy strongholds and annihilated a large number of enemy troops. In this process, the Sixth Column showed excellent tactical literacy and tenacious will to fight.
At the beginning of December, the Huaihai Campaign entered the final decisive stage. The main forces of the enemy were besieged in the area of Nianzhuang, forming the famous "Nianzhuang Encirclement". As one of the main forces, the Sixth Column shouldered the heavy task of attacking fortified positions.
On December 6, the general offensive began. The Sixth Column was responsible for attacking one of the enemy's fortified positions. This position, known to the enemy as the "Iron Fortress", had multiple layers of fortifications and was exceptionally powerful in firepower. The first wave of the attack of the Sixth Column was repulsed with heavy casualties.
Faced with this situation, Wang Bicheng decided to change his tactics. He ordered the engineer company to dig tunnels and prepare to break through the enemy's lines from underground. The work lasted three whole days and three nights, and under enemy fire, the sappers dug day and night.
In the early morning of December 10, the tunnel was finally dug through. The assault team of the sixth column rushed out of the tunnel and launched a surprise attack on the enemy. The enemy's lines were quickly broken through. Subsequently, the main force of the Sixth Column followed up and completely destroyed this "iron fortress".
This victory laid the foundation for victory in the entire campaign. Over the next few days, the enemy forces in the encirclement surrendered one after another. On December 15, the Battle of Huaihai ended successfully.
After the battle, Chen Yi specially praised the performance of the Sixth Column at the summary meeting. He said: "The Sixth Column performed well in this battle and deserves to be the main force of our army. Their heroic performance made a significant contribution to the victory of the Huaihai Campaign. "
The victory in the Huaihai Campaign was not only a brilliant achievement of Huaye, but also an important milestone in the growth of the Sixth Column. Through this campaign, the Sixth Column further honed its combat effectiveness and accumulated valuable combat experience. More importantly, they have proved that they have grown into an elite division capable of taking on important responsibilities.