Chapter 26 (1) Crossing the Xiangjiang River

"General Political Commissar, if the column of the Military Commission does not cross the river quickly, we will not be able to withstand it!" Lin Biao called Zhou Enlai from Jiaoshanpu. "The enemy's attack is too fierce, and we are already tired from continuous fighting, and the casualties of the troops are increasing!" Zhou Enlai said: "No matter how high the price is, you must persevere until you are ordered to withdraw from the position." "General Political Commissar, did you hear that, the shell just landed more than ten meters away from me and exploded!"

"You have to pay attention to safety. Now I want you to hold the position to stop the enemy, not to let you die with the position, understand?" "The column of the Military Commission must cross the river quickly, quickly! Otherwise, we can only die together with the position!" "I will do everything possible to get the Military Commission's column to cross the river quickly. You must hold your positions and stop the enemy!" With 4 divisions, Liu Jianxu stormed the foothill position of the 1st Corps and 2nd Division.He had learned that the Red Army had crossed the Xiangjiang River, and that Bai Chongxi had withdrawn the regular troops deployed in the south of Quanzhou to the first section of the border, leaving only some militia groups. .After the reinforcements of the Red 1st Division arrived, they threw themselves into position without taking a break.

On the 30th, the whole army blocked Liu Jianxu's troops at Baoziling, Mihuashan, Jianfengling, and Beauty Comotouling.Under the cover of more than a dozen aircraft, Liu Jianxu's attack became more and more fierce. First, he broke through the defense line of Mihua Mountain and threatened the beauty's combing hair position.At night, the Red 1st Division saw that Liu Bu was using the night to attack in a roundabout way. In order to avoid being surrounded, they retreated to the southwest to Shuitou and Xiabitian.After the Liu Department occupied Mihua Mountain and Beauty Shutou Ridge, they attacked Jianfengling of the Red 2nd Division from three sides. Jianfengling had only two companies of the Red 5th Regiment. Gun suicide.

The main force of the 2nd Red Division retreated to Huangdi Ridge and was besieged by a strong enemy. After the 1st Red Division withdrew, the 2nd Red Division took the initiative to retreat to Zhulanpu and Baisha in order to avoid being surrounded by a strong enemy, and occupied Xiabitian and Shuitou with the 1st Red Division. Build a second line of resistance.In the fierce battle, Yang Chengwu, political commissar of the Red 4th Regiment, was seriously injured. After answering Lin Biao's call, Zhou Enlai walked out of the headquarters holding a torch and came to the pontoon bridge by the river.Under the deep night, the troops held torches and passed across the pontoon bridge overnight.The rows of people and horses are like a fire dragon dancing on the surging Xiangjiang River.The fire dragon danced too slowly, and the enemies were chasing after them, and they didn't care about it, dragging a heavy burden and moving forward slowly.Such a marching speed is tantamount to sitting and waiting to die in the face of a powerful enemy's attack!He was so worried, but there was nothing he could do.He is not the chief decision-maker, and his ideas are not accepted by the chief decision-maker. As a battlefield commander, there is nothing more distressing than this.

Back at the headquarters, it was already midnight.Together with his staff officers and guards, he ate dry food to satisfy his hunger.The radio was still beeping non-stop. The staff officer took a telegram from the translator, glanced at it, and hurriedly handed it to Zhou Enlai.The telegram was taken by Lin Biao and Nie Rongzhen from near Jiaoshanpu. Telegram to Zhu De, chairman of the Military Commission, because Zhou Enlai is the general person in charge of the Military Commission designated by the party, he handles the telegrams sent to the Military Commission by various troops, and then issues orders to the troops in the name of Zhu De.This is a very urgent telegram. The telegram said that the 1st Army Corps is marching towards the city. It is only 20 miles from Jiaoshan to Baishapu. It is difficult to play, and the front is too wide. If Jiang's army advances with an advantage tomorrow, it is difficult for the First Army and regiment to be absolutely sure of occupying and defending with the current training and equipment conditions.It is hoped that the Military Commission will send all the armies east of the Xiangshui River across the Xiangjiang River in the starry night.The Red 1st and 2nd Divisions of the First Army Corps will continue to fight against Jiang's army tomorrow to cover the large troops crossing the Xiangjiang River.

After reading the telegram, Zhou Enlai asked the staff officer about the situation with the Red 3rd Army.According to the staff report, the 14th and 15th regiments of the 5th Division of the Red 3rd Army began to fight against the two divisions of the Guangxi Clan and another regiment in Xinxu on the 28th. They have now withdrawn from their positions. Almost all casualties, loss of about 1,000 people. Both the head of the 14th regiment and the chief of staff died.The 10th Regiment of the 4th Division withstood one division after another of the Guangxi Clan in the Guanghuapu area, and the fighting was fierce.

Zhou Enlai lowered his head and let out a long sigh.After thinking for a moment, he ordered his staff to send a report to the Red 1st and 3rd Army Corps, asking them to stick to their positions and block the enemy, and to cover the central column to cross the river safely no matter what.The staff quickly prepared the draft telegram.He revised the draft of the telegram.Emphasize that "all the 1st Army Corps has the task of destroying the enemy troops in the whole state from Zhutangpu along the road to the southwest in the original area. In any case, we must keep the car road going west to block the road and keep it in our hands." Then, hand it over to the development team The reporter sent it out immediately.

The radio was beeping. Zhou Enlai walked to the map and looked at the map.After some contemplation, he called Bogu and said: "Comrade Bogu, tomorrow will be a critical day for both the enemy's cover troops and the troops crossing the river. I suggest a meeting be held immediately to discuss our actions. What do you think about rearranging the plan?" Bogu hesitated for a moment, and said, "I think it's okay." Zhou Enlai asked, "Do you want to invite other comrades from the Politburo to participate?" Bogu said, "It's not necessary." Zhou Enlai said: "At least Comrades Luo Fu and Zhu De should be invited to participate."

Bogu said, "Why?" Zhou Enlai: "One of them is the secretary of the secretariat, and now there are only you, me and him three secretaries of the secretariat here; the other is the chairman of the Military Commission and the commander-in-chief!" Bogu asked for Li De's opinion, and to Zhou En: "Comrade Li De disagrees. Let's form a group of three!" Zhou Enlai put down the phone and let out a sad breath. At 1:30 on December 1, the three-member regiment first issued an emergency combat order to the entire army in the name of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission.Then, at 3:30, in the name of the Central Bureau of the Communist Party of China, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission, and the General Political Department of the Red Army, a telegram of "urgency" was sent to Lin Biao, Nie Rongzhen, Peng Dehuai, and Yang Shangkun.

The telegram said: "The battle on the 1st is related to the entire field army. Victory in the west will open up future development prospects. If it is too late, our field army will be cut off layer by layer. The heads of our 1st and 3rd legions and their political departments should send political workers overnight. Divide into each company to carry out combat agitation. All commanders and fighters must be mobilized to understand the meaning of today's battle. We are not winners, we are losers. Winning or losing depends on the overall situation. Everyone must rise up to the highest courage in combat, regardless of all sacrifices, to overcome Fatigue phenomenon, with a resolute assault, carry out the task of attacking and destroying the enemy, ensure that the Military Commission No. 1 1:30 combat order is fully realized, repel the enemy-occupied places, destroy the enemy's offensive troops, open up the road to the west, and ensure that all our field troops Breaking through the blockade line should be the basic slogan of today's battle. Hold high the banner of victory and go to the line of fire."

"Boom, boom..." Zhou Enlai was awakened from his sound sleep by the sound of the explosion.In fact, he had not been dozing at the table for less than an hour. He opened his eyes and looked out the window. The sky was just brightening, and Jiang Jun's plane had already come over the Xiangjiang River. He walked out of the headquarters bunker and saw that after the bombing by Jiang Ji, the riverside was in chaos.When the troops were in chaos, there was no order when crossing the river. They scrambled to get the way on the pontoon bridge, like a defeated army fleeing from the road.Due to the overcrowding on the pontoon bridge, the horse was frightened and turned over to the river with people and horses.Seeing this, he was in a hurry and ran to the river. "Everyone, don't panic!..." Zhou Enlai waved his arms and shouted to the panicked crowd, "You can't cross the bridge like this. You must cross the bridge one by one according to the order of the units. Grab the road!..." In the sky, Jiang Jun planes roared past one after another, and bombs were dropped one after another.With the rumbling explosion, people were in a mess.At first, people didn't even bother to pay attention to who was maintaining order, and rushed to squeeze onto the pontoon bridge.Suddenly someone shouted: "That's the General Political Commissar!...It's the General Political Commissar of Zhou!..." People's panic calmed down a bit, and they looked back at Zhou Enlai one after another. Zhou Enlai said loudly: "Our main force is stopping the enemy at all costs and covering us from crossing the river. Don't worry, everyone. As long as there is one person in the central column, I will not order the blocking enemy troops to withdraw from the battlefield!" "General Political Commissar, you should cross the river first!" someone in the crowd said. "My headquarters is located on the east bank." Zhou Enlai pointed to the crude bunker that was temporarily erected on the river bank and said loudly to everyone. "The last person in the central column to cross the river is me, Zhou Enlai!" Ye Jianying rode over, jumped off the horse in front of Zhou Enlai, and saluted him. "Comrade Jianying, please immediately adjust the troops that are going to cross the river, and pass them one by one in an orderly manner. You can't be in such a panic like a group of deserters!" Zhou Enlai said seriously. With a bitter expression on his face, Ye Jianying pulled Zhou Enlai aside and said, "Look, it's like a big house move. How can we get through it in one day?" Zhou Enlai looked up at the pontoon bridge. A dozen soldiers were carrying a heavy banknote printing machine and moved forward step by step, blocking the path of the troops behind. At the meeting of the trio last night, he once again proposed that the central column and other troops preparing to cross the river drop some heavy burdens and move forward lightly.Li De objected to this, thinking that it was tantamount to announcing to the troops that this was not a strategic transfer, but a rout. Li De also believed that the situation was not as serious as he thought. According to his and Bogu's analysis, the central column could cross the river in one day without throwing away any equipment. Li De and Bogu obviously underestimated Jiang's air power, and did not take into account the psychological panic caused by the bombing of the troops crossing the river. They always thought that with the main force blocking the enemy's cover, the central column would be able to cross the river smoothly.Of course, the two of them would not consider how much the enemy's cover troops would have to pay for this. He frowned, thought for a while, and said, "Throw away these machines!" "Where are these burdens?" Ye Jianying pointed to the loads of luggage, food carriers, books and documents, banknotes printed in the Soviet area, etc. by the river. Zhou Enlai took a long breath and said, "These...we'll talk about it according to the situation. Throw away those bulky machines first." "I'll make arrangements now." Ye Jianying said, "Comrade Enlai, you are the commander-in-chief! It's not safe here, so go back to the headquarters!" "The army is still in such a mess, how can I leave here?" Zhou Enlai sighed. "Half an hour... No, within ten minutes, I, Ye Jianying, promise to maintain the order here!" Ye Jianying solemnly saluted Zhou Enlai, and hurriedly called the troops. The sky was like thunder, and another five or six enemy planes flew in at low altitude and dropped bombs on the river.Dozens of bombs exploded earth-shatteringly.The pontoon bridge was not hit, but the shrapnel hit the soldiers and mules and horses who were passing the bridge. People screamed and fell into the fast-flowing river.Seeing this situation suddenly, the people on the shore panicked again. Ye Jianying shouted to the bustling crowd: "Commissioner Zhou is with us, please don't panic!..." People turned around and saw that Zhou Enlai was standing calmly next to a mule that was killed by the bombing on the bank. The mud and water from the bomb splashed all over him, but he didn't even wipe it off.People quickly quieted down again, and went back to their respective queues.Some lost their burdens in the panic, and turned around to pick them up. Li De and Bo Gu rode over.Li De got off his horse and pointed to the pontoon where a dozen soldiers were pushing a printing press down the river, and asked Zhou Enlai in English: "Who gave this order?" Zhou Enlai replied calmly in English: "It is my order." Li De's face turned red, and he said sharply: "What are you doing? Do you think you just lost a few machines? You have lost the steely will of our troops! What you are doing is tantamount to announcing to our red soldiers that , we have reached the point of panic and have to leave our property and flee!" Zhou Enlai smiled coldly and said, "Comrade Li De, it's not that serious, is it?" Li De said angrily: "You can't issue such an order without authorization. The consequences of doing so are unimaginable! Comrade Zhou Enlai, you must withdraw this order immediately!" Zhou Enlai shook his head and said, "I cannot withdraw this order." Li De stared and asked, "Why?" Zhou Enlai said solemnly: "I want to ensure that the pontoon bridge is unimpeded and that the troops can cross the river smoothly." Li De was so angry that he couldn't speak for a while, and he didn't dare to blame Zhou Enlai too much in public, so he could only say helplessly and resentfully: "Comrade General Political Commissar, you're going to make a mistake like this! You're going to make a big mistake!" Zhou Enlai said firmly: "Now is not the time to discuss who is right and who is wrong." There was another thunderous rumble in the sky.Before people had time to react, another five or six enemy planes roared in.Immediately, dozens of bombs fell like birds laying eggs.Zhou Enlai yelled and pulled Li De down. "Boom boom..." There was an earth-shattering explosion.One of the bombs fell just a few meters away from Zhou Enlai and Li De. After the explosion, a pile of soil buried them halfway.The guards rushed over and helped the two chiefs up.Bogu was also thrown several meters away by the blast, covered in mud, and lost his glasses.The guards helped him retrieve the glasses, so that he could clearly see the scene in front of him.When he saw a few dozen meters away, several soldiers who had just walked past him were blown to pieces, he couldn't help being shocked and trembling all over. Zhou Enlai dusted off the dirt on Li De's body. Seeing that Li De was not injured, he said to Bo Gu who was still in a state of panic, "Comrade Bo Gu, hurry up and cross the river with Comrade Li De! I will take care of everything here!" Bogu seemed worried and helpless, his voice was trembling: "Comrade Enlai, everything here is up to you!..." He hurried on his horse as he spoke. Li De was frightened and lost his mind, and he no longer cared about Zhou Enlai's unauthorized order.After thanking Zhou Enlai, he was supported by the guards on his horse, and he and Bo Gu hurriedly stepped onto the pontoon bridge across the river. When Zhou Enlai returned to the headquarters, he saw Zhu De arriving on a horse.He knew that the commander-in-chief had just returned from supervising the battle on the front line against the enemy.Seeing the anxious look on the commander-in-chief's tired face, he expected that the situation on the front line blocking the enemy was not good.While handing the kettle to the commander-in-chief, he asked eagerly, "Boss, how long can Peng Dehuai, Lin Biao, and Dong Zhentang last?" Zhu De took the water bottle from Zhou Enlai and shook his head again and again, saying, "The casualties are too great! Many division-level cadres have died!" "Are you sure you can persist until the evening?" Zhou Enlai asked again. "Every hour of persistence, a company, a battalion, or even a regiment will be paid!" Zhu De said sadly. Zhou Enlai stopped asking.He was more anxious than anyone else in his heart, but he couldn't show it on his expression.If even he seemed at a loss like Bogu, who else could lead this team out of the encirclement and complete the great historical mission of strategic shift? He stared at the team on the pontoon bridge slowly crossing the river dragging heavy burdens, and his heart tightened intermittently.The enemy troops are using their flesh and blood to cover the central column across the river. Every time the central column takes a slow step, how many lives will be sacrificed by the enemy troops!And according to the advance speed of the central column, when the enemy is strong and we are weak, there will be a danger of annihilation of the entire army! He gritted his teeth, waved his arm, and said loudly: "Give me an order, throw away all the burdens, and move forward lightly!" The staff officer standing aside thought he had heard it wrong, and stared blankly at Zhou Enlai. "Quickly give the order!" Zhou Enlai pointed to the staff officer and said. "It should have been like this a long time ago!" Zhu De breathed a sigh of relief.After thinking for a while, he said, "However, Enlai, Li De, Bogu and the others..." "I will bear all the consequences." Zhou Enlai said in an unquestionable tone. Fierce battles were fought in Jiaoshanpu, Xinxu Hongshujiao and Guanghuapu.On the Red 1 Army's blocking front of more than ten miles, the sound of artillery was rumbling, and the sound of killing was loud.In the dense pine forest, the Red Army and the Hunan Army launched a life-and-death hand-to-hand battle.It was not until noon that the 1st Division and the 2nd Division took cover alternately and withdrew from the battle.At the same time, the 18th Regiment of the 6th Division of the Red 3rd Army was at the foot of Xinxu Red Tree, and the 4th Division was fighting fiercely with the Gui Army in the Guanghuapu area.Due to the tenacious blocking of the two main armies, the follow-up troops were covered to cross the Xiangjiang River.As of the evening of December 1, except for the part of the 8th Red Army that was defeated by the enemy, the 18th Regiment of the 6th Division of the 3rd Red Army and the 34th Division of the 5th Red Army were cut off by the enemy, the rest of the troops had crossed the Xiangjiang River.