Since the 1960s, Sino-Soviet relations have deteriorated sharply and border conflicts have escalated. The Zhenbao Island incident in 1969 forced Chairman Mao Zedong to put preparations for war on the agenda, and the whole army was on emergency alert.
In 1971, Mao Zedong personally inspected the PLA troops in central and southern China and found some long-standing problems: many military region leaders have been working in the military regions they are responsible for for a long time, five or six years or even eleven or twelve years, and the people around them have been following, and the political commissars actually do not have much real power, resulting in many orders that can be implemented as long as the commander of the military region approves.
Moreover, if we only pay attention to the responsibilities of one region, it is easy to form inertia and lack of creativity in our working methods, which will undoubtedly affect the building of the whole army and is not conducive to national defense and the stability and security of the whole army. There is a certain danger in the existence of this situation, but how to change, what to change? At that time, Mao Zedong's health deteriorated sharply, and the time for reform was not yet ripe.
In 1973, shortly after the Tenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Deng Xiaoping was transferred from Jiangxi to the Central Committee. In a casual chat, Mao Zedong suddenly asked Wang Hongwen and Deng Xiaoping: "What will China look like after I die?" Wang Hongwen said that the chairman's revolutionary line will continue forever. Deng Xiaoping replied thoughtfully: "We may repeat the mistake of 'warlord chaos and chaos in the world'!" ”
Chairman Mao seemed to agree with this answer, so he immediately asked Deng Xiaoping: "If this situation really happens, how can it be solved?" Deng Xiaoping did not answer verbally, but replaced the teacup in front of him with the teacup in front of Chairman Mao. Chairman Mao looked at what he was doing and smiled: "The hero sees the same thing!" ”
This inspection confirmed Mao Zedong's determination to transfer him to the post of commander of the military region and also made Mao Zedong understand that Deng Xiaoping could undertake this great task. He decided to convene a meeting of the Politburo to announce this important decision.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" >, the window is clear, and the order is passed in laughter</h1>
From December 12 to 22, 1973, the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee held several meetings in Beijing to discuss Deng Xiaoping's position and the transfer of commanders of the Eight Military Regions. Mao Zedong presided over the Politburo meeting, and the members who came to attend listened carefully to Mao Zedong's speech. For most of them, it is not so much to attend the party congress as to receive teachings and teachings.
At the beginning of the meeting, Mao Zedong said bluntly: "I would like to propose here today to discuss a military issue, in which the commanders of the major military regions of the country are in tune with each other. Subsequently, Mao Zedong proposed that the Politburo members present sing "Three Disciplines and Eight Notes" together. Everyone sang together: "Revolutionary soldiers must bear in mind that the three major disciplines and eight points of attention, the first all actions are under command, and the same pace can be victorious..."
After singing this song, Mao Zedong said: "Only by being in unison can we win, but if there is one person who is inconsistent, it is not possible." He added: "It's not okay to be alone in one place for a long time." After a long time, it will be oily! ”
In his view, if a person is always in control of the overall situation in one place, there will be negative factors. "I've been thinking about it for many years on the issue of counterpoint," he said. ”
Chairman Mao did not continue to say more, he pointed to Deng Xiaoping, who had just returned, and said, "We have now invited a chief of staff to come back." I was not the one who invited me back, it was the Politburo who invited me back. He turned to Deng Xiaoping and said, "Everyone is a little afraid of you." I send you two sentences, soft in the rigid, cotton hidden needles, the appearance of harmony, the inside is the steel company. Past shortcomings, you slowly change it. ”
In order to encourage Deng Xiaoping to work boldly, Mao Zedong said: "People always make mistakes when they do work, and if they don't do work, they will not make mistakes, but if you don't work, it is also a mistake in itself." These words sound like criticism, but they are actually praise.
The Politburo meeting lasted four more days from that day. Premier Zhou and Ye Shuai very much supported Chairman Mao's proposal on the issue of the reassignment of commanders of the major military regions, and after they took the lead in expressing their opinions, everyone expressed their own views, and finally reached an agreement and formulated a specific reassignment plan.
Because this matter is very important, after the December 15 meeting, the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission jointly issued a top-secret notice to the responsible comrades of the military regions to come to Beijing as soon as possible to attend the meeting of the Japanese Military Commission on December 18. At the end of the top-secret notice, it reads: "Please don't pass the meeting down. Beijing will send a plane to pick up and drop off, "which shows that this matter is highly confidential."
Of course, in the face of these old comrades-in-arms who have fought with him for decades, Chairman Mao did not just give orders. He was also very concerned about the health of every founding general. On that day, in Zhongnanhai Fortress Garden, Chairman Mao's study was very different from the usual tranquility.
Members of the Politburo, commanders of major military regions, and political commissars sat together, and Chairman Mao talked freely with more than 40 veteran comrades-in-arms about the past.
As soon as he saw his old comrade-in-arms, Mao Zedong said excitedly: "I haven't slept all night." I can't wait to meet my comrades. As soon as this sentence came out, everyone's hearts were warm, and they felt that they had not been forgotten by Chairman Mao.
Those present at the meeting were received in turn by Chairman Mao, who usually shook hands first and then asked them about their work and health. For those comrades who have just taken office, he will ask a few more questions to understand the situation. Just like chatting about family, after talking with old comrades-in-arms one by one, the scene became lively.
When Chairman Mao saw Xu Shiyou, he asked him, "I want you to read Dream of the Red Chamber." Have you read it? Xu Shiyou immediately replied, "I watched." ”
Chairman Mao then asked, "How many times have you seen it?" "Once is not enough. You have to read it five times to have a say," Chairman Mao said, reciting a large passage from "Dream of the Red Chamber."
At this time, Chairman Mao was 80 years old, but his memory was amazingly good, which made the old comrades present very impressed.
After chatting for a while, Chairman Mao finally mentioned the issue to be discussed this time. "The commanders of the eight major military regions should be adjusted to each other, and it is not easy for people to accept new things when they stay in the same place for a long time. Mobility should be welcomed, not chilled out. ”
He seemed to be worried that everyone would have emotions, hoping that the old comrades-in-arms could take into account the overall situation and patiently guide, "Everyone should be familiar with each other, and they should meet on the spot to introduce each other." Then he continued to encourage everyone: "When you arrive at a new place, you should be familiar with people and the ground, the party and the army, and even the southeast, southwest, and northwest, but I hope that everyone will not be afraid of difficulties, and when they encounter problems, they should take it slowly." ”
It can be said that from issuing orders to conveying the instructions of the Central Committee, Chairman Mao did not force everyone to obey with a condescending attitude, but stood on everyone's position and let everyone accept orders calmly and peacefully. For this conversation, Chairman Mao later said: "Jun did not see the song of the song tu shu ci thorny Jin, eighty west to fish for Weibin." I am now eighty years old, and I have fished you all into Zhongnanhai. ”
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > second, well-prepared, obey the order without doubt</h1>
More than 40 years later, the beautiful talk of the commanders of the eight major military regions under the command of the chairman of the Central Military Commission quickly transferring and completing their tasks is still enjoyed by everyone. On December 22, the Order of the Central Military Commission on the Reciprocal Transfer of Commanders of the Eight Military Regions was formally discussed and issued at the Politburo meeting.
After the Central Military Commission issued the order, the commanders of the eight military regions did not hesitate to immediately begin to transfer. From leaving the old post to taking up a new post, the time is not more than 10 days, and the entourage does not exceed 10 people, concise and efficient without hesitation, just like the consistent style of our army.
It is worth mentioning that on the day the transfer order was officially announced, Li Desheng, former commander of the Beijing Military Region, handed over his work to the General Bureau and accompanied Chen Xilian, the new commander of the Beijing Military Region, to attend the meeting of cadres of the Beijing Military Region. This is in response to Chairman Mao's call for "welcoming transfers and not being indifferent." Four days later, accompanied by Ji Dengkui, political commissar of the Beijing Military Region, Li Desheng flew to Shenyang with only a secretary and a guard to report.
Lee Tak Sang
As the plane passed through the clouds, Li Desheng looked down at the snow-capped northeast through the porthole, and the northeast strategic area was an extremely important strategic area, covering not only the three eastern provinces in the general sense, but also the four leagues in the east of Inner Mongolia, bordering the Soviet Union and Mongolia in the north, and the Yalu River across the sea in the southeast.
He talked with Chen Xilian from time to time, learned about the layout of the Shenyang Military Region, and had begun to think about how to further strengthen the strategic defense system and national defense construction in the vast northeast plain. As soon as Li Desheng landed on the ground, he rushed to the major military camps in the northeast to investigate the terrain and understand the military deployment, regardless of the snow on the ninth cold day.
Chen Xilian
In the vast northeast, Li Desheng almost walked and measured the entire northeast land with his feet, and then formulated a set of operational defense principles suitable for the northeast region, which not only improved the combat effectiveness of the troops, but also promoted the construction of the strategic area in the northeast.
Li Desheng was awarded the rank of major general in 1955, served as a military commander, and later served as the director of the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army. In 1970, Mao Zedong reorganized the Beijing Military Region, and Li Desheng was appointed commander of the Beijing Military Region. Shortly before the transfer order was issued, Li Desheng was elected as a member of the Standing Committee and vice chairman of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee at the Tenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
Li Desheng, who served as a front-line commander in the Battle of Shangganling, made outstanding achievements in the war, was an excellent general in the integration of military and government, and was also the youngest commander in the exchange.
Chen Xilian was transferred to the Beijing Military Region and was known as the "small steel cannon" of the Second Field Army. He was an old comrade-in-arms of Li Xiannian, a veteran of the Communist Party of China, and as one of the famous "Three Chens" of Liu Deng's army, he was a brave and resourceful general of our army.
Chen Xilian accompanied Li Desheng to Shenyang on the 26th, and then returned to Beijing. Immediately after taking office, he began to carry out work, adhered to the Instruction of the Central Military Commission to "attach importance to military training," strictly administered the army, and greatly improved the overall quality of the troops. Subsequently, he personally inspected the northern front, adjusted the original deployment, and consolidated the border defense in North China.
Li Xiannian
<h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > third, overcome difficulties, the wind and trees are rushing to the battlefield</h1>
Yang Dezhi was awarded the rank of general in 1955 and served as commander of the Wuhan Military Region. Together with Yang Chengwu and Yang Yong, he was awarded the rank of general and was appointed commander of the Jinan Military Region in 1955.
Zeng Siyu served as chief of staff and deputy commander of the Shenyang Military Region in the 1950s, and was awarded the rank of lieutenant general in 1955. He is better known as the "Lucky General", who has experienced 50 adventures during his military career, none of which have been life-threatening.
Zeng Siyu
The day after the order was issued, Yang Dezhi returned to Jinan for a meeting. After the transfer of work, he left for the Wuhan Military Region three days later. After taking office, Yang Dezhi wrote a letter to the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission: "Mobilizing our work will be of great benefit to strengthening army building, preparing for war, exchanging experiences, and constantly improving ourselves. I resolutely support chairman Mao and the strategic decisions of the PARTY Central Committee and resolutely implement the orders of the Central Military Commission. ”
Yang Dezhi did what he said, proceeded from the aspects of training, military, and ideology, straightened out military discipline and military style, and built a strong contingent for Wuhan, which is known as the "thoroughfare of the nine provinces."
Yang Dezhi
Zeng Siyu, who went to the Jinan Military Region to take up a post, also landed in Jinan to perform his duties before 31 days. The Jinan Theater is adjacent to the Yellow Bohai Sea, with a coastline of 3,345 kilometers, numerous islands, and complex terrain. After Zeng Siyu took office, he focused on island defense and studied and put forward a set of strategic guidelines for island combat defense.
The "monk general" Xu Shiyou was a short-tempered legendary general, and in the Battle of Menglianggu, Xu Shiyou commanded the Ninth Column of the Eighth Route Army to fight for five days and five nights without closing his eyes. After hearing this, Chen Yi praised: "The Ninth Column is as fierce as a tiger. ”。 In 1955, Xu Shiyou was awarded the rank of general and served as the commander of the Nanjing Military Region for 17 years.
Xu Shiyou has always acted vigorously, and after the order was issued, he took the lead and quickly flew to Guangzhou to take up his post. During his term of office, he vigorously grasped army building, conscientiously read the classic classics in accordance with the requirements set by Mao Zedong for him, repeatedly read and understood chairman Mao's specially mentioned "Dream of the Red Chamber" and "The Biography of Hanshu Zhou Bo," and mobilized the staff around him to read them together.
He had a special way of training, and he liked to take the comrades of the military region with him to reclaim the land in his spare time. He often said: "Do your own work, have enough food and clothing, often participate in labor, not only can not forget the true color, but also exercise, but also have gains, kill three birds with one stone!" ”
After Ding Sheng went to the Nanjing Military Region, where Xu Shiyou was originally located, to take up his post, he also inspected the original system, and in less than a month, he introduced a series of system regulations for combat readiness duty, which greatly improved the military region's combat readiness management capability.
Xu Shiyou
Han Xianchu had the reputation of "whirlwind commander" as early as the liberation war, and his action power was no less than that of other commanders. As soon as the transfer order came out, he took his family to Lanzhou. Gu Shiyun: "The spring wind does not pass the jade gate". The Desert Gobi of Lanzhou Military Region is everywhere, the wind and sand are raging, the climate is harsh, and the resources are scarce.
After taking office, Han Xianchu personally visited one station and one post at the border defense, and in spite of the severe cold and sandstorms, he grasped the first-hand information of the border, adjusted the direction and focus of defense along the 800-kilometer border, and greatly improved China's national defense and security level.
Han Xianchu
After Pi Dingjun returned to China in 1953 to resist US aggression and aid Korea, he served as deputy commander of the Fuzhou Military Region and was later transferred to the Lanzhou Military Region. It can be said that this visit is a "hometown revisit". He was familiar with the road and adhered to the style of strictly administering the army.
At this point, the exchange of commanders of the eight major military regions ended.
Generally speaking, the transfer of the commander of the eight major military regions is a major measure taken by the CPC Central Committee to ensure political stability and has played a very positive role in stabilizing the situation. The commanders of the eight major military regions have always been consistent and resolute, setting an excellent example for the whole army and setting a precedent for the system of transferring senior cadres.
As the song "Three Disciplines and Eight Notes" says: "Every revolutionary fighter must bear in mind that only by obeying the command and keeping the same pace can he win." ”
Skin is constant
< h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > concluding remarks</h1>
The transfer of commanders of the eight military regions is a major event in the history of our army's construction and a major measure taken by Mao Zedong to govern the army and the country after a long period of deliberation.
Later, deng Xiaoping pointed out when talking about the necessity of such a swap of commanders in history:
This is because Chairman Mao knows very well the art of leading the army, that is, leading cadres in the army are not allowed to have regiments and spheres of influence.
It can be said that this transfer was one of the important measures taken by the Party Central Committee and Mao Zedong to ensure the party's absolute leadership over the army and its centralization and unification in the special historical background at that time, and this measure undoubtedly played a positive role in stabilizing the political situation at that time.
< h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > references:</h1>
[1]Li Lin; Yi Jun.In 1973, the commanders of the Eight Military Regions were transferred to the inside story[Q], Life and Companion (Second Half Of the Month Edition), 20200308
Jiang Haofeng;LIU Qili. The point will be behind [Q].Xinmin Weekly, 20130818
Xia Xingzhen. Why Mao Zedong transferred the commanders of the eight major military regions [Q] Newspapers and periodicals gathered, 20090801
Dong Hui. The commanders of the Eight Military Regions were transferred to the beginning and end [Q] Communist Party members (Hebei), 20060315
[5]. Cheng Zhongyuan; Xia Xingzhen. Prelude to a Turning Point in History (II) - Deng Xiaoping in 1973 [Q]. Ziguang Pavilion, 20040201