Chapter 22 21. Zuo Quan——When the stars fall, the whole country mourns

Zuo Quan (1905-1942), born in Liling County, Hunan Province.A member of the Communist Party of China, Zhu De called him "a rare talent in China's military circles." Zuo Quan started school at the age of 8 and dropped out several times. At the age of 17, he was admitted to the county middle school.When I was studying in the county, I joined the Social Science Research Society led by the Communist Party. Through reading "New Youth" and "Guide" and other progressive books, I came into contact with Marxism, and I had the ambition to transform the society, and I was determined to devote myself to transforming the society.

In March 1924, Zuo Quan was admitted to the Army Lecture School hosted by the Military and Political Department of Generalissimo Sun Yat-sen's Mansion in Guangzhou (the main persons in charge were Cheng Qian and Li Minghao). In November of the same year, he was transferred to the Whampoa Army Military Academy. Team. In January 1925, he was introduced by Chen Geng to join the Communist Party of China. From then on, the communist belief "became the yardstick of his political life for the next 20 years."In February of the same year, Zuo Quan began his military career. He fought bravely in the first Eastern Expedition against Chen Jiongming. He served as the platoon and company commander of the teaching regiment of the Student Army (Party Army) of the Whampoa Military Academy. After returning to Guangzhou in June, Zuo Quan participated in the battle to pacify the Dian and Guangxi warlords Yang Ximin and Liu Zhenhuan. In July, served as the company commander of the guard of Cheng Qian's Hubei Army (later reorganized into the 6th Army of the National Revolutionary Army), and participated in the second Eastern Expedition to completely eliminate Chen Jiongming.

In 1925, he was sent by the party organization to study in the Soviet Union, and first entered Sun Yat-sen University in Moscow to study. In September 1927, he entered the Frunze Military Academy for further studies. In June 1930, Zuo Quan returned to Shanghai. In September, he entered the Soviet Area in western Fujian via Xiamen and Longyan. He was promoted to chief of staff and began to show strong organizational skills.Then he served as the political commissar of the 15th Army of the 5th Army of the Red Army (adapted from the Ningdu Uprising Army), and soon served as the commander and political commissar of the army. In June 1932, persecuted by Wang Ming's left-leaning line, Zuo Quan was dismissed from the post of army commander and political commissar, and transferred to the Red Army School as an instructor. In December 1933, he served as chief of staff of the First Red Army.At this time, the fifth anti-"encirclement and suppression" war in the Central Soviet Area had already begun, and the fighting was frequent and extremely difficult.Even without sleep for days and nights, he never "showed signs of laziness, negligence, indulgence, or irritability."

In October 1934, the main force of the Central Red Army began the Long March, and Zuo Quan followed the vanguard to command the battle.When attacking Shibing: City in Guizhou, he took the lead, commanded resolutely, and acted swiftly, ensuring the smooth passage of large troops. In May, in the battle to forcibly cross the Dadu River, Zuo Quan led his troops to travel lightly on the rugged path, took the Xiaoxiangling Pass by surprise, and captured Yuexi County.The next day, he rushed 140 miles across the Sunjing Pass. He led his army to capture the Dashubao Ferry, diverted the enemy's attention from the direction of Anshunchang by pretending to cross, and successfully covered the Red First Division from Anshunchang to cross the Dadu River. .In the end, all the main forces of the Central Red Army passed the Luding Bridge, throwing off the Kuomintang Central Army that was chasing after them.

In October 1936, the three main forces of the Red Army joined forces victoriously.A total of more than 15,000 enemy troops were killed and captured in the battle of Shancheng Castle, which smashed the Kuomintang army's invasion of the Soviet area and stabilized the situation in northern Shaanxi.Liu Bocheng said: "Comrade Zuo Quan's deployment of operations is meticulous and thorough. The battle at the Shanbei Mountain Castle on the eve of the Double Twelve Incident in 1936 is an example." After the July 7th Incident, the Red Army was reorganized into the Eighth Route Army of the National Revolutionary Army.Zuo Quan served as the deputy chief of the general staff, and in December 1938, he served as the chief of staff of the Eighth Route Army's front headquarters.

From August 20 to December 5, 1940, the Eighth Route Army launched the famous Hundred Regiments Campaign.The general command post of this campaign was located in Wangjiayu Village, Wuxiang County.Zuo Quan assisted Peng Dehuai to put all his efforts into combat command, and arranged the entire deployment of the campaign in an orderly manner.Even the newspapers of the Japanese army in Beiping also said, "The situation of the dispatch of the Chinese army this time is really well-organized."Zuo Quan not only planned the organization and staff work of the entire campaign, but also went to the front line to command the battle in person.As a result, more than 500 people from the Okazaki Brigade of the 36th Division of the Japanese Army were wiped out except for more than 60 people.

Zuo Quan commanded many battles and won victories, which reflects his superb military accomplishment and military theoretical foundation. He has always studied hard and is good at research, which has won people's respect for him.He read many books on political theory and military theory, and made outstanding contributions to the Eighth Route Army's army building and military theory building.The "Infantry Combat Rules of the Red Army of Soviet Workers and Peasants" jointly translated by him and Liu Bocheng was listed as the basic teaching material for infantry tactics education by the General Headquarters of the Eighteenth Army in 1942. Based on that."Zuo Quan's research on tactics, especially guerrilla tactics, is quite innovative. He is "one of the founders of guerrilla tactics famous in China". The principles of military thought with the characteristics of the Chinese Revolutionary War are guided by it.Zhou Enlai said that Zuo Quan was "a military strategist with theoretical cultivation and practical experience".

In May 1942, the Japanese army mobilized 30,000 troops and once again launched an unprecedentedly brutal "sweep" against the Taihang Anti-Japanese Base Area. The situation was unprecedentedly severe.In view of the current disparity in the strength of the enemy and ourselves, Peng Dehuai, Zuo Quan and others held meetings for several days to study countermeasures.Zuo Quan proposed: When the enemy troops split up and attack together, take the opportunity to drill out of the joint attack circle, and when the Japanese army retreats in the air, wait for the opportunity to concentrate their forces to wipe out one or several routes.After all deployments were completed, all departments of the Eighth Route Army headquarters were ordered to transfer on May 23.

On the morning of May 25th, the breakout team was still not out of danger. Thousands of troops from the Eighth Route Army Headquarters, Northern Bureau, Party School, and Xinhua News Agency gathered in the ravine along the Nanaipu and Gaojiapo lines, surrounded by fierce gunfire. The sound of the cannon, Zuo Quan ignored the threat of the Japanese planes, jumped on a black mule, and ran back and forth to regroup the chaotic team. While boosting morale, he quickly urged Peng Dehuai to move quickly.He said: "Your transfer is a matter of great importance. Only when you break out of the encirclement safely can the headquarters be saved." Peng Dehuai paid attention to the large number of comrades and comrades who were still surrounded by the encirclement, and sat on the tall horseback without moving.Zuo Quan was in a hurry, and ordered Tang Wancheng in a strong tone: "Push me with people and horses!" Peng Dehuai was moved, waved his whip, and galloped northwestward under the cover of guards and soldiers.After watching Peng Dehuai leave, Zuo Quan ran to the team directly under the headquarters and continued to direct the breakout operation of the brigade. His body was very weak at this time, but he still tried his best to greet everyone.At 2:00 p.m., on Gaojiapo, Shiziling, taking advantage of a short rest, Zuo Quan encouraged the extremely tired team with a hoarse voice: "Comrades, although the enemy situation is serious, don't panic. If we want to win, we have to fight together. If we rush together, we must obey the command, as long as we rush through the blockade in front, we will be safe."

When the team rushed to the last blockade line of the enemy, the enemy's firepower became more fierce.Suddenly, a shell landed on Zuo Quan's side. Regardless of the danger, he yelled for everyone to lie down.Then the second shell came one after another, and Zuo Quan was hit by shrapnel in the head, chest, and abdomen.In this way, a talented, wise and courageous senior general of the Eighth Route Army lost his young and precious life prematurely in order to save the nation from peril.