Mr. Peng and Peng Shaohui quarreled, and Ye Shuai advised: From Perak Mountain to now, don't scold
In 1955, in the conference room of the training director's office, a fierce quarrel was being staged. Two voices came and went, getting louder and louder, almost tearing off the roof. One is a majestic and deep baritone, and the other has a thick Hunan accent. The other people in the room didn't dare to come out, for fear of adding fuel to the fire. Suddenly, a calm but majestic voice interjected: "From Perak Mountain to now, don't scold." As soon as the words fell, the quarrel came to an abrupt end. What's going on? Why is it that a single sentence can settle such a heated dispute? What is Perak Hill? What is the relationship between these two quarrelsome people? Let's step into that era and uncover this little-known history together.
I. Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui's first acquaintance
In Hunan in 1927, wars raged and warlords fought each other. In this turbulent era, a young man named Peng Shaohui joined the 35th Division of the 1st Army of the Hunan Army. Peng Shaohui was born poor and had a strong interest in the military since he was a child. He studied in a private school for a few years, but his family was forced to drop out. In order to change his fate, 21-year-old Peng Shaohui resolutely decided to join the army.
The 1st Division of the 35th Army of the Hunan Army was an important force in Hunan at that time, and there were many people with lofty ideals. Peng Shaohui first entered the barracks, although he was thin and small, he showed extraordinary courage and wisdom. Not only did he train hard, but he also often read military books in his spare time and worked hard to improve his military literacy.
A few months later, the army underwent a large-scale reorganization. Peng Shaohui's unit was organized as the 5th Independent Division of the Hunan Army, and he was assigned to the 1st Regiment. This seemingly ordinary transfer became a turning point in Peng Shaohui's life. Because the commander of the 1st regiment was none other than the famous Peng Dehuai.
Peng Dehuai, a Hunan man who is six years older than Peng Shaohui, has already made a name for himself in the army. Not only did he have outstanding military talents, but more importantly, he had secretly joined the Chinese Communist Party and was preparing for the upcoming uprising. Peng Dehuai knew that in order to successfully launch an uprising, it was necessary to develop reliable comrades in the army.
In his daily training and work, Peng Dehuai quickly noticed Peng Shaohui. Although this young man is still young, he has always excelled in various trainings. Especially in tactical exercises, Peng Shaohui can often put forward some unique opinions, which makes Peng Dehuai's eyes shine.
At one time, the troops conducted field training. On the way, they encountered a rushing river, and many soldiers were deterred. Peng Shaohui took the initiative to invite Ying and led a small team of men and horses to take the lead in crossing the river to explore the way for the large army. Not only did they successfully cross the river, but they also found a hidden shoal on the opposite bank, which facilitated the crossing of the river by the follow-up troops. This action made Peng Dehuai look at Peng Shaohui with admiration.
Peng Dehuai decided that Peng Shaohui was a talent that could be created, and decided to focus on cultivating him. He transferred Peng Shaohui to the camp school and personally guided him in studying military theory and revolutionary thought. In school, Peng Shaohui was hungry for knowledge and soon became the best among the students.
Peng Dehuai not only paid attention to Peng Shaohui's military talents, but also paid attention to cultivating his political consciousness. He often talked to Peng Shaohui, explained to him the truth of the revolution, and analyzed the situation at home and abroad. Although Peng Shaohui was born in the countryside, he was active in his thinking, and he quickly resonated with Peng Dehuai's teachings.
In the spring of 1928, the time was finally ripe for the Pingjiang Uprising. Peng Dehuai secretly gathered a group of reliable comrades, including Peng Shaohui. On a dark and windy night, Peng Dehuai led this group of revolutionaries to raise the banner of resistance against the reactionary rule of the Kuomintang.
On the night of the uprising, Peng Shaohui performed well. He led a small detachment and skillfully took control of the radio station in the barracks, cutting off the enemy's communications. This key action laid an important foundation for the success of the uprising.
After the success of the Pingjiang Uprising, Peng Shaohui officially joined the Communist Party of China and embarked on the revolutionary road. He followed Peng Dehuai in the southern and northern wars, and soon made a name for himself in the Red Army. Peng Dehuai became Peng Shaohui's guide and revolutionary mentor, and Peng Shaohui became one of Peng Dehuai's most trusted subordinates.
In this way, two men surnamed Peng from Xiangtan, Hunan Province, formed a deep comrade-in-arms on the road of revolution. This friendship will accompany them through countless hardships and obstacles, and will also withstand various tests in the years to come.
II. Fighting side by side on the road to revolution
After the Pingjiang Uprising, Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui embarked on the arduous road of revolution. They joined forces in Jinggangshan with the Autumn Harvest Uprising led by Mao Zedong and participated in the great cause of establishing the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Area. In this process, Peng Shaohui's military talents have been fully brought into play and tempered.
At the beginning of 1929, Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui moved to southern Jiangxi and western Fujian with the main force of the Red Fourth Army. During this period, Peng Shaohui participated in many important battles and performed well. In particular, in the battle of attacking Longyan, Peng Shaohui took the opportunity to respond to the situation and led an assault team to go around the enemy's rear, cutting off the enemy's retreat and making great contributions to the victory of the Red Army.
In the summer of 1930, the Red Third Army Corps, under the command of Peng Dehuai, launched the Battle of Changsha, which shocked the whole country. This battle was not only the largest battle since the founding of the Red Army, but also a stage for Peng Shaohui's military talents to be fully displayed.
On the eve of the Battle of Changsha, Peng Dehuai convened a meeting of the regiment cadres to study the battle plan. At the meeting, Peng Shaohui put forward a bold proposal: to take advantage of the enemy's contempt for the Red Army to feint in other directions, but in fact concentrate the main force to raid the Changsha urban area. This plan was endorsed and adopted by Peng Dehuai.
After the start of the campaign, Peng Shaohui was ordered to lead a force to take on the task of feints. They created momentum in many places outside Changsha to confuse the enemy. At the same time, the main forces of the Red Army quietly advanced towards the Changsha city. By the time the enemy discovered Shang, the Red Army had already broken through into the city.
In the street battles in the city, Peng Shaohui once again showed his military talent. In the face of the complex terrain of the streets and alleys and the stubborn resistance of the enemy, he flexibly used guerrilla tactics to lead his troops to shuttle between the streets and alleys, constantly destroying the enemy's living forces.
At a critical moment in the battle, the enemy set up a machine gun on a tall building in the city, causing considerable casualties to the Red Army. Peng Shaohui made a quick decision and personally led a small group of elites to climb up from the back of the building, successfully ending this firepower point, clearing the way for the Red Army to capture the whole city.
The victory in the Battle of Changsha not only shocked the Kuomintang ruling clique, but also greatly encouraged the revolutionary forces of the whole country. In this battle, Peng Shaohui's performance was highly praised by Peng Dehuai. After the war, Peng Shaohui, who was only 23 years old, was promoted to regiment commander and became one of the youngest regimental commanders in the Red Army.
In the following years, Peng Shaohui followed Peng Dehuai to fight in the south and the north, and participated in many important battles. Under Peng Dehuai's careful guidance, Peng Shaohui's military command ability was constantly improved. He is good at learning and innovative, and gradually formed his own unique conducting style.
In 1933, the Central Soviet District faced the fourth "encirclement and suppression" of the Kuomintang. At this time, Peng Shaohui had grown into the backbone of the Red Army and served as the commander of the 1st Red Division. In this struggle against "encirclement and suppression," Peng Shaohui led the 1st Red Division to attack many times and performed miraculous feats.
In particular, it is worth mentioning that in one battle, Peng Shaohui's troops were surrounded by superior enemy forces. In the face of the critical situation, Peng Shaohui was calm and calm, commanded the troops to break into pieces, and used the complex terrain to break through. In the process of breaking through, he also seized the favorable opportunity to counterattack the pursuing enemy, not only successfully breaking out of the encirclement, but also dealing a heavy blow to the enemy. This operation was praised by Peng Dehuai as "a model for turning passive into active".
With the development of the war, Peng Shaohui's status and influence in the Red Army continued to increase. He was not only an excellent commander, but also a compassionate leader. He often went to the grassroots level, cared about the lives of soldiers, and understood their difficulties. Under his leadership, the 1st Red Division not only had strong combat effectiveness, but also formed an excellent style of unity and fraternity.
The relationship between Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui has gradually developed from the initial superiors and subordinates to close comrades-in-arms. Although the age difference between the two is six years, they share the same ideals and pursuits in the revolutionary cause. Peng Dehuai often discussed military issues with Peng Shaohui and listened to his opinions; Peng Shaohui, on the other hand, regarded Peng Dehuai as his role model and worked hard to learn from his conducting art and revolutionary spirit.
In this way, the two generals surnamed Peng marched side by side on the road of revolution and jointly contributed their strength to the cause of the Chinese revolution. Their revolutionary friendship has become deeper and deeper in the tempering of the war, and has laid a solid foundation for them to continue to fight side by side on a broader stage in the future.
III. Differences and Reunions on the Long March
In October 1934, the Central Red Army was forced to implement a strategic shift and began the world-famous Long March. Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui, as important generals of the Red Front Army, shouldered arduous tasks. At the beginning of the Long March, the two cooperated tacitly and led the troops to break through the enemy's blockade line many times.
However, as the Long March deepened, the Red Army faced more and more difficulties. In this difficult environment, Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui had some differences in strategy and tactics. Although these differences did not affect the revolutionary friendship between the two men, they laid the groundwork for future disputes.
In January 1935, the Red Army came to Zunyi, Guizhou. The Zunyi Conference held here became a turning point in the history of the Communist Party of China. The meeting established Mao Zedong's leadership position in the Red Army and the Party Central Committee. Peng Dehuai attended the meeting as an important general, while Peng Shaohui was on standby on the periphery.
After the meeting, Peng Dehuai conveyed the spirit of the meeting to Peng Shaohui. Peng Shaohui expressed firm support for the decision of the meeting, but he put forward some different views on specific military strategy. Peng Shaohui believed that the Red Army should adopt more proactive tactics and look for opportunities to inflict heavy losses on the enemy. Peng Dehuai, on the other hand, is more inclined to preserve his strength and avoid unnecessary consumption.
This divergence manifested itself several times on the subsequent marches. At one time, the Red Army was pursued by the Kuomintang troops. Peng Shaohui advocated taking advantage of the favorable terrain to set up an ambush and deal a heavy blow to the enemy. However, Peng Dehuai took into account the overall situation and decided to avoid the real and continue to go north. Although Peng Shaohui did not fully agree, he still resolutely carried out the order.
In May 1935, the Red Army came to the banks of the Dadu River in western Sichuan. Faced with a rushing river and a heavy blockade by the enemy, the Red Army was bogged down. At this critical moment, Peng Shaohui once again showed his military talent. He came up with a bold plan: send an elite detachment to secretly cross the river and seize the Luding Bridge on the opposite bank.
After careful consideration, Peng Dehuai adopted this plan. Peng Shaohui personally selected 22 warriors to form a commando team to "fly to capture the Luding Bridge". Under the command of Peng Shaohui, this detachment successfully completed its task and created conditions for the main force of the Red Army to smoothly cross the river. This operation not only saved the Red Army from danger, but also became one of the most legendary battles of the Long March.
The success of the Luding Bridge gave Peng Dehuai a new understanding of Peng Shaohui's military talent. He began to listen to Peng Shaohui's opinions more, and the relationship between the two became closer.
However, the good times were short-lived. On the ensuing march, the Red Army was put to an even tougher test. In the process of crossing the snowy mountains and meadows, the Red Army suffered heavy losses. Faced with this situation, Peng Shaohui once again put forward his own views. He believed that the route of the march should be changed and more favorable terrain should be found. However, out of respect for the central government's decision-making, Peng Dehuai insisted on marching according to the established plan.
This disagreement has led to some estrangement between the two. Although Peng Shaohui still obeyed orders, he showed obvious dissatisfaction with some of the decisions. Peng Dehuai also felt a little disappointed, thinking that Peng Shaohui was still lacking in the overall situation.
In October 1935, the Red Army finally reached northern Shaanxi. The Long March was victoriously over, but the ranks of the Red Army had been greatly reduced. While summing up the lessons of the Long March, Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui had another dispute. Peng Shaohui believes that if more flexible tactics are adopted, some unnecessary losses may be reduced. Peng Dehuai, on the other hand, stressed that under the circumstances at that time, it was already a great miracle that the Red Army was able to complete the Long March.
The altercation almost affected the relationship between the two. But at this time, Mao Zedong personally intervened to mediate. He affirmed the contributions made by the two men in the Long March, and also pointed out that it is normal for different opinions to arise in the revolutionary ranks, and the key is to uphold unity and work together for the revolutionary cause.
Under the mediation of Mao Zedong, Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui rediscovered common ground. Both recognized that in the face of the impending War of Resistance Against Japan, solidarity was more important than anything else. Peng Dehuai took the initiative to tell Peng Shaohui that he would listen to his opinions more in the future; Peng Shaohui also said that he would pay more attention to the overall concept and obey the organization's decision.
In this way, after the test of the Long March, the revolutionary friendship between Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui not only did not break, but became stronger. They realized that it was because of different insights and ideas that the best solutions could be found in a complex war environment. This reunion laid the foundation for the two to continue to fight side by side on a broader stage in the future.
IV. Fighting side by side in the War of Resistance Against Japan
In July 1937, the Lugou Bridge Incident broke out, and the all-out War of Resistance began. Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui once again joined hands in this great battle for national survival and made important contributions to the fight against the Japan invaders.
At the beginning of the Anti-Japanese War, Peng Dehuai was appointed as the commander and political commissar of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, and Peng Shaohui served as the commander of the 385th Brigade of the division. The two cooperated in many battles on the battlefield in North China and achieved remarkable results.
In September 1937, the victory at Pingxingguan was an important victory for the Chinese army in the early days of the War of Resistance Against Japan. In this battle, Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui once again showed their military talents. Peng Dehuai formulated the tactic of "luring the enemy deep and outflanking the two flanks", while Peng Shaohui was responsible for commanding the left flank troops.
After the battle began, Peng Shaohui led his troops to hide in the mountains and forests on both sides of Pingxingguan. When the main force of the Japanese army entered the ambush circle, Peng Shaohui decisively ordered an attack. He commanded his troops to storm the enemy from the flank, taking the Japanese by surprise. Under the onslaught of Peng Shaohui's troops, the left flank of the Japanese army soon collapsed. This created favorable conditions for the main force of the Eighth Route Army to annihilate the main force of the Japanese army.
The great victory at Pingxingguan not only dealt a blow to the arrogance of the Japanese army, but also greatly encouraged the confidence of the military and people throughout the country in the War of Resistance. Peng Dehuai spoke highly of Peng Shaohui's performance in battle, praising him for his "decisive command and flexible tactical use".
In 1938, the Japanese army launched a large-scale "sweep" in North China. In the face of the enemy's superior forces, Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui jointly studied and formulated the famous strategy of "guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines." The core of this strategy is "you fight yours, I fight mine", that is, to avoid the enemy's main forces and specifically attack the enemy's weak links.
In the process of implementing this strategy, Peng Shaohui's troops repeatedly penetrated behind enemy lines, disrupted Japanese lines of communication, and attacked enemy supply depots. Once, Peng Shaohui received information that a heavy company of the Japanese army was transporting a large amount of military supplies. He immediately led an elite unit to run more than 200 kilometers overnight, successfully ambushed this Japanese army, and captured a large number of weapons, ammunition and military supplies.
This operation not only dealt a blow to the enemy, but also greatly improved the logistical supply situation of the Eighth Route Army. After listening to Peng Shaohui's report, Peng Dehuai exclaimed: "Xiao Peng, you really did a good job!" ＂
In 1940, the Japanese army launched the famous "Battle of the Hundred Regiments". This was the largest active offensive of the Eighth Route Army in the War of Resistance Against Japan. In this campaign, Peng Dehuai served as the commander-in-chief, while Peng Shaohui was responsible for commanding one of the theaters.
Before the war, Peng Shaohui made a bold suggestion to Peng Dehuai: take advantage of the dispersion of the Japanese army, concentrate superior forces, and launch a surprise attack on an important stronghold of the enemy. Peng Dehuai took this suggestion and incorporated it into the plan of the entire campaign.
In the course of the campaign, Peng Shaohui led his troops to launch a surprise attack on an important railway junction of the Japanese army. They adopted the strategy of "repairing the plank road in the open and Chen Cang in the dark", and while making a frontal feint, they secretly sent an elite force to go around the enemy's rear. When the Japanese army was fully engaged in a frontal attack, Peng Shaohui commanded the rear troops to launch a surprise attack, breaking through the enemy's defense line in one fell swoop.
This operation not only destroyed an important transportation hub for the Japanese army, but also captured a large number of enemy troops. At the post-war summary meeting, Peng Dehuai praised Peng Shaohui, saying that he "used tactics exquisitely and commanded well."
With the deepening of the Anti-Japanese War, the cooperation between Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui became more and more tacit. They cooperate with each other not only militarily, but also politically. The two worked together to carry out extensive mass work in the troops, mobilized the peasants to join the anti-Japanese armed forces, and expanded the influence of the Eighth Route Army.
In 1942, Peng Shaohui was unfortunately wounded in a battle. Peng Dehuai personally visited him in the hospital and said to him: "Xiao Peng, you take care of your injuries." When you're healed, we'll have more battles to fight. This sentence not only reflects Peng Dehuai's concern for Peng Shaohui, but also shows the determination of the two to continue to fight side by side in the War of Resistance Against Japan.
Throughout the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui always maintained a close comrade-in-arms. They supported and encouraged each other and made important contributions to the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan. Their cooperation is not only reflected in military work, but also in political work and mass work. This kind of comprehensive cooperation laid a solid foundation for the Eighth Route Army's anti-Japanese struggle in North China.
V. Post-statehood differences and reconciliation
On October 1, 1949, the founding of the People's Republic of China, Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui, as highly meritorious revolutionary fathers, ushered in a new historical mission. However, during the period of peacebuilding, the relationship between the two men has undergone unprecedented tests.
In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Peng Dehuai was appointed as a member of the Central People's Government, deputy commander-in-chief of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and concurrently chairman of the Northwest Military and Political Committee. Peng Shaohui was appointed deputy commander of the Northwest Military Region. The two should have worked together again as an opportunity to continue working together to achieve great things, but the reality is not so simple.
In June 1950, the Korean War broke out. Peng Dehuai was ordered to lead the Chinese People's Volunteer Army to fight in Korea. In this war related to national security, Peng Shaohui took the initiative to ask Ying, hoping to go with the army. However, Peng Dehuai, considering the needs of domestic construction, did not agree to Peng Shaohui's request, but arranged for him to stay in the northwest and take charge of the rear construction work.
This decision made Peng Shaohui feel lost. He believed that as an experienced general, he should play a role at the front. Although Peng Shaohui did not publicly express his dissatisfaction, a crack began to appear in the relationship between the two.
In 1953, after the end of the Korean War, Peng Dehuai returned to China to preside over national defense work. At a high-level meeting, Peng Dehuai put forward a proposal to speed up the modernization of national defense. Peng Shaohui agreed, but at the same time put forward a different view. In his opinion, the development of agriculture and light industry cannot be neglected at the same time as the development of national defense.
This open disagreement caught the attention of other leaders. Some people think that Peng Shaohui's point of view has some truth, but others think that he is questioning Peng Dehuai's decision-making. Peng Dehuai was unhappy with this and believed that Peng Shaohui should not raise objections on such an occasion.
In 1955, China began to implement a military rank system. In the process of assessing military ranks, Peng Shaohui was awarded the rank of general. However, there were rumors that Peng Shaohui was dissatisfied with his military rank and believed that he deserved the rank of marshal. Although Peng Shaohui himself did not publicly express his position, this rumor still affected his relationship with Peng Dehuai.
In 1958, the Great Leap Forward began. As the leader of the central government, Peng Dehuai actively promoted this movement. Although Peng Shaohui carried out the instructions of his superiors, he was a little negative in the specific implementation process. During his many inspections in the localities, he pointed out some unrealistic practices, which aroused Peng Dehuai's dissatisfaction.
In July 1959, at the Lushan Conference, Peng Dehuai put forward the famous "Lushan Opinions" to criticize some issues in the Great Leap Forward. Although Peng Shaohui did not participate directly in the meeting, some of his practices in the northwest region are considered to echo Peng's views.
After the meeting, Peng Dehuai was criticized and dismissed from his post as defense minister. Although Peng Shaohui was not directly involved in this political turmoil, he was also implicated. He was transferred out of the Northwest and into a more leisurely position.
This series of events brought the relationship between Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui to a freezing point. The friendship between the two for many years seems to have broken down. However, fate gave them a chance to reconcile.
In 1966, the Cultural Revolution began. Both Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui became the targets of criticism. During this difficult time, the two were unexpectedly locked up in the same place. In the face of a common predicament, the old estrangement seems to have disappeared all at once.
One day, Peng Dehuai suddenly fell seriously ill. In the absence of medical treatment, Peng Shaohui disregarded his personal safety and ventured out to find medicine for Peng Dehuai. This move deeply touched Peng Dehuai. The two began to reminisce about the eventful years of the past and regained their former comradeship.
Peng Dehuai said to Peng Shaohui: "Xiao Peng, we have fought together for so many years and experienced so many ups and downs, but I didn't expect to face such a dilemma together in our old age." Peng Shaohui replied: "Old Peng, no matter what happens, we will always be comrades-in-arms." ＂
In 1974, Peng Dehuai died in a difficult situation. Although Peng Shaohui is in prison, he still manages to express his condolences to his old comrades. He wrote "Forever miss our old chief" on a piece of paper and secretly hid it in his clothes.
In 1978, as the situation changed, Peng Shaohui was rehabilitated. On a public occasion, he fondly recalled the years of fighting with Peng Dehuai, expressing his respect and nostalgia for this old comrade-in-arms.
The story of Peng Dehuai and Peng Shaohui, from fighting side by side during the revolutionary war years, to the differences and misunderstandings after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and then to the reconciliation in their later years, truly reflects the complexity of China's revolution and construction. Their experiences are not only a portrayal of personal destiny, but also a microcosm of an era.