Chapter 11 Chapter 10 The Battle of Hill Castle—The Final Battle That Ended the Second Civil Revolutionary War

In October 1936, the first, second, and fourth front armies of the Red Army joined forces in Huining and Jingning areas of Gansu Province, and the great Long March ended successfully.Afterwards, in order to realize the historical task of capturing Ningxia, opening up ties with the Soviet Union and Outer Mongolia, and opening the road to the east to resist Japan, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission formulated the "October Operational Program" in time, that is, the operational plan for the Ningxia Campaign.However, due to sudden changes in the enemy's situation on the southern front, Chiang Kai-shek mobilized five armies to launch a full-scale attack on the three main forces of the Red Army after the reunion. Zhang Guotao, afraid of the enemy's superiority, did not dare to defeat the southern enemy, and repeatedly interfered with the deployment of the Red Army. The combat plan was forced to be suspended, and the three main forces of the Red Army had to abandon the large new areas opened up by the Western Expedition and transfer to the old areas in Longdong.In order to reverse the extremely unfavorable situation, the Central Military Commission and the Red Army Front Enemy Headquarters deployed and commanded the three main Red Army to launch a campaign to annihilate the 78th Division in the south of Hu Zong at the mountain castle in the north of Huanxian County, Gansu Province, smashing Chiang Kai-shek's advance to the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia base area. The offensive stabilized the situation in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia base areas, and promoted the further implementation of the party's policy of "forcing Chiang to resist Japan" and the policy of the anti-Japanese national united front.

1. The meeting of the first, second and fourth front armies of the Red Army in Huining and Jingning areas of Gansu Province The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is extremely concerned about the Red Second Front Army and the Red Fourth Front Army.After the Red Front Army formed the Western Field Army and started the westward expedition, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and others telegraphed Zhu De, Zhang Guotao, Liu Bocheng, etc. that after the Red Front Army went west, the Red Second, Sixth Army and the Red Fourth Army "should take advantage of this very moment." Favorable timing and favorable weather make a quick plan, either out of Gansu or Qinghai. Once the big plan is decided, the army on the one hand will dispatch to Tianshui and Lanzhou at the right time for further support.” At this time, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposed the establishment of the three major Red Army forces, and The problem of coordinating operations in the Northwest Territories. On June 19, Mao Zedong, Zhang Wentian, and Zhou Enlai called Zhu De, Zhang Guotao, Ren Bishi, etc., pointing out that the current situation is undergoing great changes, and the Chinese revolution has entered a new stage. and develop the joint anti-Japanese situation in Northwest China.For this reason, the Red Second and Sixth Army Corps and the Red Fourth Front Army "go straight to the south of Gansu", which is not only conducive to the rendezvous of the main Red Army to create a joint anti-Japanese situation in the northwest, but also facilitates the Red Second, Sixth Army Corps and Red Fourth Front Army to replenish. In early July, after arriving in Ganzi and joining forces with the Fourth Red Army, the Second Red Army and the Sixth Red Army were ordered by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to form the Second Red Front Army.Zhang Wentian, Mao Zedong, etc. said in the congratulatory message: "We celebrate your victory rendezvous with infinite enthusiasm, and welcome your heroic march. Go north to Shaanxi and Gansu to cooperate with and even rendezvous with the Red Front Army."

At the beginning of July 1936, the Red Second Front Army and the Red Fourth Front Army overcame Zhang Guotao's right-leaning separatist mistakes, and followed the order of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China from the Ganzi (now Sichuan Province) area in Xikang Province to the north.At that time, the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army was organized into three columns of left, middle, and right, starting from Ganzi, Luhuo, and Appeasement respectively.The left column was led by Zhu De to Baozuo and Banyou via Donggu, Xiqingsi and Aba; the central column was led by Xu Xiangqian to advance to Baozuo via Zangtang, Chali Temple and Maoergai; Zhuo Keji and Ma Tang moved towards Maoergai and Baozuo.The Red Second Front Army formed two echelons, starting from Ganzi successively, followed by the left column of the Red Fourth Front Army, passing through Xiqing Temple, Aba, and Baozuo to Hadapu.On the way to the north, you must pass through the Songpan Grassland on the way forward.After the Red Army entered the grassland (the Fourth Army of the Red Army entered the grassland for the third time), there was a shortage of food. Commander-in-Chief Zhu De personally led the Red Army soldiers to dig wild vegetables and pick wild fruits to satisfy their hunger.With tenacious revolutionary perseverance, the vast number of Red Army commanders and fighters overcame many difficulties and finally passed through the vast grassland of hundreds of miles, and successfully arrived in Banyou and Baozuo areas in early August.

On July 13, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a telegram to the Second and Fourth Front Army of the Red Army that they should quickly capture Minzhou after leaving the grassland in the north, so that the Red Army can "take a big strategic advantage." On July 22, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a telegram to the Second and Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, "We are mobilizing the entire Red Army and the people of the Soviet Area to crush the enemy's attack, and welcome you to go north." When you reach the appropriate location in Gannan, let the first army cooperate with you to attack from the north and the south, eliminate He Zhuguo, Mao Bingwen and other ministries, obtain the complete rendezvous of the three armies, and start a great situation in the northwest." On July 27, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China approved the establishment of the Northwest Bureau of the Communist Party of China. , with Zhang Guotao as secretary and Ren Bishi as deputy secretary.

In order to prevent the Second and Fourth Front Army of the Red Army from advancing northward, the enemy mobilized the 14th Division of Lu Dachang's new organization to deploy in Minzhou, Taozhou, and Xigu; Advance in the solid area; Mao Bingwen's 37th Army moved westward from Qin'an, Tianshui, and Gangu to the Longxi and Dingxi areas.The enemy hastily deployed defenses in southern Gansu, attempting to form two blockade lines from Xigu to Taozhou, and Tianshui to Lanzhou, and in Qinghai, Ma Bufang and Ma Buqing's troops guarded them to prevent the Red Army from advancing westward.In this regard, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a telegram to the Red Second and Fourth Front Army on August 1, ordering that "the Red Fourth Army should go to Baozuo to rest for a while, and should move northward quickly; the Second Front Army will follow up to Hadapu and then take a rest to prevent the enemy from attacking." Blockade the Minxi line, making it difficult to go north."Zhu De, Ren Bishi and others immediately sent a telegram to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, "As soon as the troops are assembled, they will go to Tao, Min, and Xigu." On August 3, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a telegram to the Second and Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, "We have notified the Red Army in the entire Soviet area of ​​your call, and called on them to welcome you with a warm comradely spirit and prepare all conditions to reach the general meeting of the three front armies." ".

On August 5, the Northwest Bureau of the Communist Party of China issued the Min (state), Tao (state), and Xi (solid) campaign plan (referred to as the Min Tao West campaign plan) in accordance with the instructions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Prior to this, the Minzhou, Taozhou, and Xigu areas were seized first, so as to continue to advance northward.According to the plan, the Red Fourth Front Army will be organized into the first and second columns, and the Red Second Front Army will be the third column.The specific deployment is: the first column will attack Minzhou from Baozuo and Russia via Wangzang Temple; the second column will capture the old city of Taozhou, and then the main force will develop to Lintao, and one part will move to Xiahe and Linxia to ensure that the left The side is safe; the third column leaves Hadapu to support the actions of the first and second columns. From August 5th to 12th, each column moved from the Baozuo area to Gannan.The first column successively captured Lazikou, Dacaotan, and Hadapu, surrounded Minzhou, and captured Weiyuan on August 26; the second column captured the old city of Taozhou on August 20, and captured Tongwei on September 7; The third column entered Hadapu at the beginning of September via Jijiu Temple and Lazikou, and captured Lixian County.

On September 8, according to the instructions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Red Second Front Army issued the "basic plan" for the Cheng (county), Hui (county), Liang (Dang), and Kang (county) battles (referred to as the Chenghui Liangkang Battle) in Hadapu. Order".It was decided to "take advantage of the weakness of the Gansu-Shaanxi enemy's division of troops to occupy the city, attack the enemies of Chengxian, Huixian, Liangdang, Fengxian, Lueyang, and Kangxian counties through their blockades, and establish temporary bases." The significance is that "To restrain Jiang's bandit reinforcements in the area east of Gansu, they must join forces with the First and Fourth Front Armies" and "cooperate with the First and Fourth Front Armies to join forces." The task of the "Basic Order" of the Battle of Kang, with the Sixth Division of the Second Army as the right column, occupied Kang County on September 16; the Fourth Division of the Second Army and the Thirty-second Army formed the middle column, on September 17 On the 19th and 19th, they occupied Cheng County and Hui County respectively; the Sixth Army occupied Liangdang on September 18 as the left column.After the Red Second Front Army launched the Chenghui Liangkang Campaign, within a short period of ten days, they successively conquered the four cities of Chengxian, Huixian, Liangdang and Kangxian in Gansu, and controlled Lueyang and Fengxian in Shaanxi and Xihe in Gansu. The vast villages in Lixian, Lixian, Tianshui and other places quickly opened up a new strategic area, and successfully completed the task assigned by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to establish a Soviet area on the southern border of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces.

The victory of Mintao West Campaign and Chenghui Liangkang Campaign enabled the Second and Fourth Front Armies of the Red Army to initially gain a foothold in the Gannan area, and gained a chance to rest and reorganize in the strategic shift. At the same time, according to the instructions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Red Front Army (Western Field Army) moved westward and southward from the east of Qingshui River in Ningxia and the north and south areas of Yuwang on August 31, and quickly controlled the area west of Zhongning-Guyuan Avenue.Subsequently, under the leadership of Nie Rongzhen, the political commissar of the Legion, the First Red Army occupied Jiangtaibao between Jingning and Guyuan on September 14;

In this way, the Red Front Army, the Red Second Front Army, and the Red Fourth Front Army formed a pincer attack on the West (An) Lan (zhou) Avenue, and the north and south echoed each other, creating favorable conditions for the three main Red Army forces to join forces. At this time, in order to prevent the main forces of the three major red armies from joining forces, Chiang Kai-shek urgently dispatched Hu Zongnan's first army to march northward from Hunan after resolving the Guangdong-Guangdong Incident in an attempt to seize the Jingning, Huining, and Dingxi sections of the Xi (An) Lan (zhou) highway. , Cut off the road for the three armies of the Red Army to join forces. At the beginning of September, the southern part of Hu Zong had reached the Tianshui and Baoji lines.At the same time, Chiang Kai-shek also ordered Wang Jun's Third Army and Mao Bingwen's Thirty-seventh Army to prevent the Red Army's Second and Fourth Front Army from going north; ordered Ma Hongkui's troops in Ningxia and Guyuan, and He Zhuguo's and Ma Hongbin's troops to the north to advance north and south, and attacked the Red Army's Front Army. main force.

Based on the above situation, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission decided to quickly realize the joining forces of the three main forces of the Red Army. On September 10, the Central Military Commission clearly pointed out that the three major Red Army forces were preparing to join forces in the Huining and Jingning areas, preparing to fight several vicious battles with the enemy, trying not to fight, or fighting after joining forces. At present, they are mainly striving to join forces.Leaders at all levels are required to publicize the great significance of the meeting of the three main Red Armies, to prepare clothing to support the Second and Fourth Front Armies, and to help solve difficulties, with special emphasis on the unity of the entire Party and the entire army, learning from each other's strengths, and making progress together.If Zhang Guotao is able to admit his mistakes, he is welcome, and he must do a good job and become a model of unity and discipline.

On September 13, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission proposed the Jing (Ning) Hui (Ning) campaign plan, so that the main force of the Red Army quickly occupied the Longde, Jingning, Huining, and Dingxi sections of the highway and its surrounding areas, and controlled the west. Lan Avenue; the Red Second Front Army marched towards the area east of Baoji with a force, pinned down and flanked the southern part of Hu Zong, quickly realized the rendezvous of the three front armies, and jointly eliminated the southern part of Hu Zong. In accordance with the requirements of the Jinghui campaign plan, the First Army Special Detachment of the Red Front Army occupied Jieshipu in Jingning County on September 18.The Red Second Front Army marched towards Baoji with the Sixth Army. At this time, Zhang Guotao opposed the strategic policy of the central government, and proposed that the Fourth Red Army should advance westward from the old cities of Lintan and Taozhou, pass through Heicuo, Xiahe, and Xunhua to Xining, and then cross Qilian Mountains and enter northern Gansu. On September 18, the Northwest Bureau of the Communist Party of China held a meeting in Sansanlipu, Minzhou.At the meeting, Zhu De, Ren Bishi and others opposed Zhang Guotao's erroneous claims and firmly stated that the quiet meeting campaign plan formulated by the Central Military Commission must be implemented, which won the support of the majority.The meeting formulated the "Tong (Wei) Zhuang (Lang) Jing (Ning) Hui (Ning) Campaign Plan", and believed that "at present, Hu enemies have been attracted by our Second Front Army, and they plan to concentrate in the direction of Tianshui, which will benefit the First and Fourth Front Armies. Convergence at the Tongwei and Jingning areas."It was decided that "the Fourth Front Army will quickly enter and leave the Tongwei, Zhuanglang, Huining, Jingning, and Jieshipu areas, and strive to quickly join the First Front Army, and take advantage of the camera to eliminate Hu Zongnan's vanguard of the westward advance."According to this plan, on September 19, the Red Fourth Front Army Command issued an order to march to Jingning and Huining. However, after the meeting, Zhang Guotao continued to insist on his mistakes. On September 22 and 26, he sent consecutive telegrams to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission, expressing his refusal to implement the campaign plan for the quiet meeting proposed by the Central Military Commission, and ordered the Red Fourth Army on September 22. The front army turned its troops to the west, preparing to cross the Yellow River northward in the Yongjing and Xunhua areas west of Lanzhou, and march towards the northwest of Gansu.In this regard, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission sent continuous telegrams to Zhang Guotao from September 24th to 27th, emphasizing that: "First, the fourth front army will be stronger if it is combined, but if it is divided, it will be weaker." On September 27, the Central Military Commission explicitly ordered the fourth front army to stop westward.After Zhu De learned that Zhang Guotao overturned the resolution of the Northwest Bureau meeting and ordered the Fourth Red Army to advance westward, he called the Central Military Commission and made it clear that he would resolutely maintain the plan for the Jinghui campaign; on the other hand, he called Zhang Guotao and expressed "surprise" at his decision to change the Northwest Bureau without authorization. "; After that, ordered the Red Fourth Army to suspend all operations, and notified the members of the Northwest Bureau to meet in Lintan to discuss the Red Army's action policy. On September 27, the Northwest Bureau of the Communist Party of China held a meeting in Lintan, again denying Zhang Guotao's right-leaning separatist idea, and decided to quickly go north to join the Red Front Army. On September 30, the Fourth Red Army set off from Minxian County and Zhangxian County one after another, and marched towards Tongwei, Zhuanglang, Huining, and Jingning. In order to welcome the Fourth Red Army’s northward advance, the First Red Army took part of the First Red Army as the left column and went south to approach the special detachment on September 30; the first part of the Fifth Red Army was the right column, and the main force left Guochengyi.On October 2, it occupied Huining City. On October 7 and 8, 1936, the 10th Division of the Forerunner of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army met with the 1st Division of the First Army of the Red Front Army and the 70th Division of the 15th Army of the Red Army in Huining, Qingjiangyi, Jieshipu and other places. The three divisions meet. On the 9th, the headquarters of the Red Fourth Front Army arrived in Huining City.Approved by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission, the Red Second Front Army moved northward on October 4, crossed the Weishui River, and crossed the Xilan Avenue. After half a month of marching and combat, it arrived at Xinglong Town and Jiangtai in the northeast of Jingning on October 22. Fort, joined forces with the First and Second Divisions of the First Army Corps of the Red Front Army.So far, the first, second, and fourth front armies of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army have achieved a large division in the Huining and Jingning areas of Gansu. The joining forces of the three main Red Armies is extremely beneficial to the booming anti-Japanese and national salvation movement. First of all, the meeting of the first, second, and fourth front armies of the Red Army marked the successful end of the Long March of the Red Army of Chinese Workers and Peasants.From October 1934 to October 1936, the Red Army in the Soviet area in southern China made a tragic strategic shift.During the transfer process, they overcame the siege and interception of the Kuomintang army along the way and overcame countless difficulties and obstacles in nature, and finally arrived in the Shaanxi-Gansu Soviet Area.Although the main forces of the three Red Army lost their original positions in the south, they moved to the anti-Japanese positions in the northwest. On July 16, 1936, long before the three main Red Armies joined forces, Snow recorded the situation in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia base area as follows: "The red area now occupies most of the northern part of Shaanxi Province. Virtually all of northern Gansu Province, including the fertile Yellow River valley, and most of Ningxia Province south of the Great Wall and east of the Yellow River. In addition, southern Shaanxi, Gannan, and the northwest corner of Shanxi Province, Suiyuan Province south of the Great Wall and west of Lanzhou In Qinghai Province, there are small units of Red Army guerrillas operating." "The current Soviet area is the largest contiguous land that the Red Army has ever occupied."This large Soviet area was created and consolidated by Liu Zhidan and Xie Zichang's leadership of the Shaanxi-Gansu Border Region Red Army and later the Northwest Red Army.The meeting of the three main forces of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army in the fringe areas of the Longdong Soviet Area indicated that the National Red Army had entered the anti-Japanese frontier and was about to go to the anti-Japanese battlefield to resist the aggression of Japanese imperialism. This greatly strengthened the national anti-Japanese and national salvation work. Secondly, the joint forces of the Red First, Second, and Fourth Front Army preserved the backbone of the Party and the Red Army, which is the essence of the Chinese nation.After the failure of the first Civil Revolutionary War, the Kuomintang reactionaries always dreamed of annihilating the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Army led by it. They tried their best to sell their national interests in exchange for the support of imperialism, and sent heavy troops to encircle and suppress the rural revolutionary base areas.In the fifth campaign against "encirclement and suppression" by the three main forces of the Red Army in the south, due to the wrong leadership of Wang Ming's "Left" adventurism, the Red Army suffered a defeat and was forced to go on a long march.Under the strong cover and support of the Northwest Red Army, the three major Red Army forces smashed the enemy's encirclement and interception, and successfully joined forces.The joining forces of the three main forces of the Red Army announced the bankruptcy of the Kuomintang reactionaries' pursuit and interception.The Communist Party of China still exists, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has survived in the northwest region of China. It continues to command the Red Army to fight and fight, and leads the people of the whole country to carry out the anti-Japanese and national salvation movement.Although the number of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army has decreased, the quality of the Red Army soldiers has been greatly improved after untold hardships of training and testing. In particular, the senior commanders of the Red Army from all walks of life are assembled in a unified area. This is the first time in the history of the Red Army.The three main forces of the Red Army fighting together on one front can defeat the enemy more confidently and win greater victories, and will surely become the strong pillar of the national anti-Japanese national united front and anti-Japanese army, and become the foundation for all compatriots in the whole country to unite in resisting Japan and resisting foreign aggression. core. Thirdly, the joining forces of the Red First, Second, and Fourth Front Armies is also of great significance for promoting the establishment of the Anti-Japanese National United Front and the realization of the nationwide Anti-Japanese War.When the three main Red Armies joined forces, the Chinese Communist Party had already adopted the correct anti-Japanese national united front policy, and in the Northwest China realized the "trinity" of the Red Army, the Northeast Army, and the Seventeenth Route Army to stop the civil war and jointly resist Japan.The joining forces of the three main forces of the Red Army further strengthened the strength of the Red Army, strengthened the prestige of the Red Army, and promoted the development of the domestic situation towards the end of the civil war and the joint resistance. On October 10, 1936, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Central Government of the Chinese Soviet, and the Central Revolutionary Military Commission jointly issued the "Telegram to Celebrate the Union of the First, Second, and Fourth Armies", stating: "The rendezvous of the main Red Army in the country and its entry into the anti-Japanese frontiers will be in China and The international front of Japan's struggle will play a decisive role in the country's domestic political relations."The development of history is advancing in the direction pointed out by "power on". 2. The formulation and forced suspension of the operational policy of the Ningxia Campaign Welcome the Second and Fourth Fronts to go north to realize the reunion of the three main Red Army forces.It was not only an integral part of the overall strategic policy of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China at that time, but also a key link in realizing the action policy of the Ningxia Campaign. As mentioned earlier, the Shaanxi-Gansu Soviet Area was surrounded by enemies, with no strategic retreat, and the development of the Red Army was restricted.Although the Red Army achieved great victories in the Eastern Expedition and Western Expedition, the difficult situation in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia base area (after the Western Expedition, the Shaanxi-Gansu Soviet Area expanded into the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Soviet Area) has not fundamentally changed.In order to promote the joint anti-Japanese situation in Northwest China, break Chiang Kai-shek's "encirclement and suppression", develop the Red Army, and develop base areas, the Party Central Committee put forward the strategic conception of capturing Ningxia as early as when the Red Army's Second and Fourth Front Army arrived in Gannan. Ningxia is located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, with an area of ​​170,000 square kilometers and a population of 1.2 million. It is the richest province in Northwest China.The Ningxia Plain is full of canals and rice fields, and is rich in rice grains. It has long been known as "the south of the Yangtze River".And the south of Ningxia is connected with the Shaanxi-Gansu Soviet Area.Occupying Ningxia is conducive to the consolidation of the old Soviet area. It borders Yongdeng, Liangzhou, Zhangye, and Jiuquan in the Hexi Corridor of Gansu in the west, and can develop to Ganxi; it borders Suiyuan in the east, and it is convenient for the Red Army to advance eastward to resist Japan; especially in the north of Ningxia. Outer Mongolia, through Inner Mongolia, can be close to the Soviet Union, and can win the aid of the Communist International and the Soviet Union.Therefore, the capture of Ningxia will change the difficult situation of the Red Army being surrounded, obtain material supplies, and strive for a broad strategic room for maneuver; open up the Soviet Union to solve the strategic backlash between the Red Army and friendly forces; open up the road to the east, and promote the development of the national anti-Japanese and national salvation movement; It is of great significance to develop and strengthen the Red Army, smash Chiang Kai-shek's plan to suppress the Communist Party, and create an anti-Japanese situation in the Northwest. It is precisely because the capture of Ningxia had a major impact on the progress of the Chinese revolution that at the end of July 1936, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China linked the realization of the three major Red Army divisions with the Ningxia campaign plan, and issued it as the task of the Red Army's Western Field Army. On July 27, Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai jointly signed the "Instructions of the Central Military Commission to the Corps to Complete the Three Major Tasks of the Field Army", which clearly stipulated that the tasks of the Red Army's Western Field Army after completing the Western Expedition were: to develop westward, strive to create and expand Create a new revolutionary base in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region; create conditions to welcome the Second and Fourth Front Armies to go north, and strive for the early realization of the three major Red Army divisions; eliminate the two horses (that is, Ma Hongkui and Ma Hongbin in Ningxia), occupy Ningxia, and open up ties with Outer Mongolia and the Soviet Union , in order to receive aid from the Soviet Union. On August 12, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a telegram to the Second and Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, further clearly pointing out that the future task of the three front armies of the Red Army is to concentrate the main forces to seek to capture Ningxia while ensuring the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Soviet Area, and cooperate with the Northeast Army to send troops to Suiyuan , "carry out part of the War of Resistance Against Japan" in order to promote the development of the national united front, and then realize the national war of resistance against Japan. Attack Ningxia". Zhang Guotao, the leader of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, held different views on the operational concept of the Ningxia Campaign proposed by the Central Military Commission. From September 22 to 26, he sent telegrams to the Central Military Commission, saying that "the Ningxia area is small, and the concentration of the First and Fourth Front Armies in Ningxia will inevitably lead to the danger of the Yellow River and the desert." inconvenient",.In this regard, the Central Military Commission sent a telegram to Zhang Guotao from September 24 to 27, clearly pointing out that "Ningxia has a population of more than 1.2 million and is the richest in the northwest region. ; the border with Yongdeng, Liangzhou, can develop into Ganxi; the border with Suiyuan is convenient for eastward movement to resist Japan."He also emphasized that "the occupation of Ningxia is an extremely important part of the entire political and military affairs."It was clearly ordered that the Red Fourth Front Army immediately stop its westward advance.Under the supervision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the efforts of the commanders and fighters of the Second and Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, Zhang Guotao's right-leaning vacillation error was finally overcome, and the main forces of the three major Red Army joined forces, creating prerequisites for realizing the concept of the Ningxia Campaign. The joining forces of the Red First, Second, and Fourth Front Army paved the way for the Ningxia campaign policy officially proposed by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission. On October 11, the Central Military Commission issued the "October Combat Program", which is the combat plan for the Ningxia Campaign. The "Programme" deployed the task of capturing Ningxia in two stages.Among them, before November 10th is the first stage, that is, the preparation stage for the battle. The main task of the whole army is to rest and replenish, accumulate energy, train quickly, and make preparations for attacking Ningxia.The First Red Army moved to the Tongxincheng area for rest and reorganization; the Red Second Front Army moved to the Jingning and Longde areas for rest and reorganization; the main force of the Red Fourth Front Army rested and reorganized in the Tongwei, Jingning, and Huining areas in order to keep Xilan Avenue in the hands of the Red Army in October , With one army, quickly advance to the Jingyuan and Zhongwei areas, and complete all preparations for crossing the river before November 10.From mid-November is the second phase, the implementation phase of the campaign.Attack Ningxia with the main forces of the First and Fourth Fronts. "The army to attack Ning is to be composed of the entire Western Field Army of the First Front Army, part of the Dingyan Army, and three armies of the Fourth Front Army."The other two armies of the Red Fourth Front Army, all the Red Second Front Army and the independent division of Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia formed a southward defense force to prevent the enemy from attacking on the south road. On October 16, the Central Military Commission sent a telegram to the three front armies, "At present, our three front armies should rest, tidy up, accumulate taxes, and prepare to perform new tasks as the basic policy." In late October, more than 21,800 troops from the 30th Army, the Ninth Army, the Fifth Army, and the cavalry divisions, secret service regiments, teaching regiments, and women's independent regiments directly under the headquarters of the Fourth Red Army were deployed according to the Ningxia campaign plan. Cross the Yellow River west.After crossing the river, the troops advanced towards Jingtai in accordance with the instructions of the Central Military Commission. On October 31, they entered a mountain in the north, controlled the ferry of Wufo Temple, and prepared to meet the first army to cross the river from Jinji and Lingwu areas, and jointly captured Ningxia. However, at this time, the enemy's situation changed drastically. On October 21, the enemy Hu Zongnan, Wang Jun, Guan Linzheng, Mao Bingwen and other ministries gathered in Qin'an, Weiyuan, Tianshui, Gangu, Longxi, and Wushan. Under the cover of the aircraft, they were divided into three groups: left, center, and right, and aggressively attacked the Jingning and Huining areas where the Red Army is located.Chiang Kai-shek also personally flew to Xi'an on October 22, forcing the Northeast Army and the Northwest Army to participate in the "suppression", and commanded the Majia Army in the Northwest to cooperate in the operation, in an attempt to annihilate the Red Army that had just joined forces in the border areas of Gansu and Ningxia east of the Yellow River. On the 22nd, the enemy's 37th Army launched an attack on Huajialing with the cooperation of seven aircraft.The commanders and fighters of the five armies who were in charge of the defense mission suffered serious losses in the fierce battle with the enemy, with more than 800 casualties, and the deputy commander Luo Nanhui died heroically.The Fourth Army and the Thirty-first Army also suffered a lot of casualties, and the number of personnel was seriously reduced. On the 23rd, after the enemy's 37th Army occupied Huining, it continued to advance towards the Red First and Fourth Front Army units in the direction of Jingyuan.The enemy's three armies occupied Tongwei, coordinated with the enemy's thirty-seventh army, and attacked Jingyuan after Huining.The enemy's first army occupied Jingning and Jieshipu, and attacked the Red Army's first and second front troops in the direction of Guyuan and Haiyuan. The enemy Guanlin's conscripts had reached Jingyuan and Zhongwei, and controlled the Yellow River ferry, cutting off the Red Army's Hexi troops and the Hedong Red Army. under these circumstances.The Central Military Commission adjusted the deployment of the Ningxia campaign plan.The correct policy of defeating the southern enemy first and then marching northward to Ningxia was proposed. At the end of October, the First Red Army, the 31st Army and the Fourth Army of the Fourth Red Army fought against the enemy's attack, and arrived at the Dalachi area to gather with the main force of the Red Front Army. At the same time, the united troops of the First and Second Fronts left the newly opened Jingning and Longde areas and headed northward. In late October, under the indiscriminate bombardment of enemy planes, they took turns to resist the enemy's attack and went northward via Nihe River and Yangming Fort. . At the end of October, it reached the east of Dalachi and the west of Haiyuan, Ningxia, and moved closer to the first and fourth front armies. After the Red First, Second, and Fourth Front Armies entered the Dalachi and Haiyuan areas, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission formulated the "Hai (Original) and Da (Lachi) Operation Plan" and decided to concentrate the main forces of the three front armies.In the Haiyuan and Dalachi areas, we dealt an annihilating blow to the chasing enemy on the southern front. On October 27, the Red Army headquarters telegraphed the Central Military Commission's combat order to all armies: "The current focus of operations is to focus on defeating the southern enemy and stop chasing them." A decisive battle with the enemy near Guochengyi. Destroy the enemy's advance troops and stop their advance", creating conditions for the implementation of the Ningxia Campaign.In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the Central Military Commission's combat plan, on the 28th, the Central Military Commission appointed Peng Dehuai as the commander-in-chief and political commissar, and Liu Bocheng as the chief of staff to form the front enemy headquarters to uniformly command the actions of the three front armies. On October 29, Peng Dehuai issued a "Sea Battle Plan" to the First and Second Front Armies, the Thirty-first Army and the Fourth Army of the Fourth Red Front Army in Hedong, and ordered the six main divisions of the Red Front Army to gather in ancient Xi'an Prefecture, Ma On the front line of Chunbao and Chenjiawan, the 31st Army of the Fourth Red Front Army gathered on the front line of Ganyanchi, forming an assault group together, annihilating the first two divisions in the south of Hu Zong from the east and west wings; Jingyuan and Dalachi contain the enemy's Third Army and Thirty-seventh Army to protect the right wing of the Assault Group.The Central Military Commission approved this plan, and called Zhu De and Zhang Guotao: "In order to defeat the Hu enemy, the 31st Army will execute the task according to the telegram at 20 o'clock on the 29th of Dehuai." However, Zhang Guotao did not carry out the instructions of the central government, but on the 30th, he ordered the Fourth Army of the Red Fourth Front Army to withdraw to Hejiaji and Xingrenbao; As a result, the "Sea Battle Plan" fell through.In this way, the Central Military Commission's correct policy of defeating the southern enemy first and then marching northward to Ningxia failed to be realized.By the beginning of November, the enemy's First Army, Third Army, and Thirty-seventh Army had advanced to Jingyuan, Daluchi, Zhongwei and other places, opening up a channel with Ma Hongkui in Ningxia.At this point, the Ningxia campaign plan formulated by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission could no longer be realized, so it was forced to suspend its implementation.This put both the West Route Army and the Hedong Red Army in a very dangerous situation. The forced suspension of the Ningxia campaign plan was entirely the result of Zhang Guotao's interference and sabotage.As early as when the Second and Fourth Front Army of the Red Army went north to Gannan, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China clearly informed the Second and Fourth Front Army of the Red Army of its strategic conception of capturing Ningxia. In order to capture Ningxia, Zhang Guotao proposed that the Second Red Front Army should support the Second Front Army in Gannan and Central Gansu, and use the Red Fourth Army to cross the Yellow River to the west and to the south of Gansu. Go west to Qinghai and Ganxi to connect to Xinjiang.He arbitrarily ordered the Red Thirty Army to prepare for crossing the river.And determined to take the Red Thirty Army as the advance army.The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission resolutely opposed the action of crossing the Yellow River westward. At the same time, in view of the serious situation in which the enemy Hu Zongnan's First Army was quickly transferred from the Longhai Line to the west in an attempt to prevent the three main forces of the Red Army from joining forces, they proposed to use the three front armies in Jingning, Huizhou, etc. Ning area to attack the "Jinghui Campaign Plan" in the south of Hu Zong.However, Zhang Guotao refused to carry out this plan and insisted that the Fourth Red Army should enter northern Gansu from Taozhou via Xiahe and Xunhua across the Qilian Mountains.The plan to seize Ningxia was in danger of being sabotaged by Zhang Guotao from the very beginning. At this critical juncture, the Northwest Bureau of the Communist Party of China held a meeting in Sansanlipu, Minzhou from September 16th to 18th to overcome Zhang Guotao's conspiracy to split the party and the Red Army again, and reaffirmed the policy of going north to join forces with the Red Army. And according to the instructions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the "Tongzhuang Jinghui Campaign Plan" was formulated.However, Zhang Guotao refused to implement this plan. In his telegram to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, he stated: "Occupying northern Gansu is the most important part at present." On September 22, they ordered the troops: "According to the strategic plan of rapid transfer to Ningxia and northern Gansu, quickly cross the river near Xunhua, and take the opportunity to occupy the area around Yongdeng Hongchengzi."After the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China repeatedly stopped and issued orders, Zhang Guotao gave up his plan to advance westward, and was forced to agree to the Fourth Red Army's northward march and join forces with the Red Front Army.In this way, from September 16th to 18th, the Minzhou meeting of the Northwest Bureau made the policy of going north to join forces with the First Red Army, and when the Fourth Red Army began to advance to Jingning and Huining on September 30, Zhang Guotao completely delayed the Second Red Army. , The precious time of the Fourth Front Army for half a month.During this period of time, the Red Army's plan to wipe out part of the enemy's army in the Jing (Ning) and Hui (Ning) areas failed to materialize. The enemy on the southern front was able to calmly mobilize 260 regiments of heavy troops, which constituted a strategic attack on the Red Army. The huge pressure created an unfavorable situation for the planning of the Ningxia campaign. After the three main Red Army joined forces, the Central Military Commission decided to divide the Ningxia campaign into two phases in the "October Combat Program" in view of the Red Second and Fourth Front Army's long-distance march and combat, and decided to divide the Ningxia Campaign into two stages. In the first stage, the main task of the whole army is to rest and replenish, to accumulate vigor, to step up training, and to prepare for the task of attacking Ningxia.As a result, during this period, the enemy's situation changed drastically, and the assembled superior enemy forces launched a full-line attack on the Red Army's joint forces.The Red Army was forced to adjust the Ningxia campaign plan, and put forward the policy of defeating the southern enemy first and then attacking Ningxia.It can be seen from this that it was Zhang Guotao's deliberate delay that greatly delayed the time for the Red Second and Fourth Front Army to go north, and also made the Red Second and Fourth Front Army in a very exhausted state, thus affecting the timely launch of the Ningxia Campaign.Assuming that there is no interference and destruction by Zhang Guotao, the Red Second and Fourth Front Army can go north to Jing (Ning) Hui (Ning) half a month in advance, and take advantage of the dispersion of the enemy's forces to cooperate with the Red First Army to wipe out part of the enemy. It can disrupt the deployment of the enemy's southern troops and ensure the implementation of the Ningxia Campaign. "Soldiers are expensive and fast" is common sense in the military.On the battlefield, gaining time is winning. In the history of military warfare, there are countless examples of failure due to delay of time (even if it is a minute).At the most urgent moment, Zhang Guotao actually delayed the action of the main forces of the Red Second and Fourth Fronts for half a month. This was the direct reason why the Ningxia campaign plan was forced to be suspended. When the enemy's situation changed drastically, Peng Dehuai tried his best to turn the tide and put forward the "Sea Fighting Plan" to defeat the southern enemy. However, Zhang Guotao transferred the troops of the Fourth Front Army without authorization, which made the "Sea Fighting Plan" come to nothing, and the plan to defeat the southern enemy was no longer possible. In this case, the Ningxia campaign plan had to be suspended. The forced suspension of the Ningxia campaign plan created an extremely unfavorable situation strategically, putting the main force of the Red Army and the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Soviet Area in a dangerous situation. First of all, the Fifth Army, Ninth Army, and Thirty-first Army of the Red Fourth Front Army crossing the Yellow River west of Jingyuan in order to implement the Ningxia campaign plan were cut off from the Red Army in Hedong, and they were alone in Hexi, in a dangerous situation.After the Ningxia campaign was forced to be suspended, the Red Army units crossing the Yellow River westward formed the West Route Army on November 11th under the official order of the Central Military Commission to carry out the task of advancing westward alone and opening up Xinjiang.The West Route Army was almost wiped out after nearly five months of hard and bloody battles with several times the enemy in the Hexi Corridor in Gansu.The failure of the West Route Army was a major loss for the party during the transition period from the Agrarian Revolutionary War to the Anti-Japanese War.西路军之所以会孤悬河西，孤军奋战，完全是由于张国焘畏敌过右不敢执行击破南敌的海打战役的作战方针而导致的结果。从这个意义上说，张国焘为西路军的失败埋下了祸根。 其次，使河东红军处在南北两敌之间回旋余地极小的地区。宁夏战役被迫中止后，南线敌人进占了靖远、海原、同心城以南地区，并继续向北猖狂进攻；北线敌马鸿逵、马鸿宾部控制着沿中卫、中宁、吴忠、银川一线的黄河河谷，并由北向南对红军实施挤压。敌人企图将河东红军包围并消灭于黄河以南的狭小地区。在严重的敌情面前，红军不得不放弃西征以来开辟的大片新区，逐次地向陕甘宁老区转移，以摆脱不利的形势。河东红军在敌军的追击下，处境十分困难。 再次，陕甘宁老根据地处境困难。在敌大军紧追红军的同时，东北军何柱国、董英斌两军亦由南向北对陕甘宁老根据发动进攻。据彭德怀回忆：“此时情况是很紧张的。我认为不打退敌人追击，陕北根据地没有粮食。当时保安全县只有一万多人口，如站不住脚，将被迫放弃陕北，东渡黄河，这种形势是很不利的。无论如何要挽救这种局势”。 ① 彭德怀的回忆，反映了陕甘宁老根据所面临的困难到了何种严峻程度；根据地外受威胁，内无粮草，红军立足困难，将不得不放弃老根据地。而放弃老区。对于刚刚结束长征的红军来说意味着一个多么痛苦的选择呵！ 三、粉碎蒋介石进攻的大决战——山城堡战役的胜利 夺取宁夏的计划不能实现，使红军一、二、四方面军和陕甘宁老根据地面临许多新情况、新问题。 首先，由于东北军、十七路军不愿再打内战，蒋介石酝酿着将东北军、十七路军调离西北的阴谋，这样，中国共产党与东北军、十七路军在西北地区“三位一体”联合抗日的局面面临着遭到破坏的危险。 其次，三大主力红军会师后，时值冬季，天寒地冻，红军的财政、粮食已十分困难，数万红军衣食无着，难以熬过严冬。 1936年11月初，中共中央已着叶剑英从张学良将军处借款，以备急用。 ① 再次，从全国形势来看，日本帝国主义魔掌已伸向绥远，傅作义将军率部抗日，绥远抗战爆发。中共中央必须抓住机遇，实现“逼蒋抗日”的方针，变被动为主动，保存自己，发展自己，推动全国抗日救亡运动的进一步深入发展。 鉴于这种错综复杂的形势，中共中央考虑，红军跳出陕甘宁苏区，摆脱蒋介石的包围，在流动作战中寻找机会，实现“逼蒋抗日”的方针，对当时党和红军来说都是必要的。由此，在宁夏战役计划被迫中止后，河东主力红军做战略转移，就成了当时党和红军的大局：1936年11月8日，中共中央提出了“作战新计划”，这一计划的基本点是：河东红军脱离陕甘宁根据地进行新的战略转移，其具体内容是： 第一，放弃宁夏战役计划，但11月份红一、二、四方面军主力仍然在宁夏境内的关桥堡至金积、灵武地区作战，灭敌一部后争取休息、准备。红军的作战方针是：“逐次转移，诱敌深入，尔后在预定的有利地区集中优势兵力，给敌主力胡宗南部以歼灭性打击；对敌毛炳文、王均部则予以威胁牵制，相机予以打击；对东北军王以哲部由于他们当时已有了不愿继续打内战的倾向，并秘密地与红军建立了某种联系，因此，则采取积极进行统一战线的方针。”① 第二，12月上旬以后，一、二两个方面军组成南路军、向南出动；四方面军四军、三十一军组成北路军向北出动，两军沿途扩红、就粮，尔后分别到达延川、神府等地渡河入晋，逼阎锡山、蒋介石与红军妥协，以便共同抗日。②如不能抗日，则第一步占领同蒲铁路作战，扩大红军；第二步如无妥协希望，东进有甚大的困难，则出至冀豫晋之交，并应计划第三步，出至直鲁豫之交，渡黄河；第四步到皖鲁；第五步到鄂豫陕，尔后再转向西北。以一年至两年完成之。目的在于扩大政治影响，扩大红军争取与南京政府订立协定，在全国范围内建立抗日民族统一战线。 第三，对河西红军部队，“新计划”指示：“徐陈所部组成西路军，以在河西创立根据地，直接打通远方为任务，准备以一年完成之”。 ① “作战新计划”关系重大，十分机密，当时只是在中央最高领导层的几个核心人物中征求了意见。 11月12日，中央军委致电朱、张并告彭、贺、任，指出：因为：（一）北路军之行动，有妨碍绥东抗战及吸汤军回堵之政治上军事上不利。（二）加厚向南兵力，并使兵力不分散。（三）三个方面军一同出山西。（四）南出川陕两方面之机动。因此，我们觉得除徐陈之西路军外，其余全部向南为有利。又指示，“依照前方敌情、粮食情况，同意德怀同志提早向南之意见”②。红军向南出动前，中共中央将这一计划通报了张学良。然而张学良力主红军留在现在，“熬过一、二个月”，等待西北局势变化。 中央军委11月12日的电报对“作战新计划”作了调整，提出了加强南路军，取消北路军，三个方面军一同出山西的部署，但是其基本点即三大红军主力脱离陕甘宁苏区作新的战略转移的计划并未改变。 此后不久，中共中央逐渐放弃了这个“主力红军作脱离陕甘宁苏区准备，开始进行战略转移”的方针和计划，改取保卫陕甘宁苏区的方针，其首要原因是战场形势出现了转机。 1936年11月上旬，红一、二、四方面军进抵宁夏何家堡地区的有利地形，给追敌以歼灭性打击。但由于狡猾的胡宗南部这时不敢冒进，在原地集结兵力，构筑工事，敌第三军王均部由贺家集迂回到同心城红军阵地右翼，企图夹击红军，东北军也进至豫旺一带，同时，张国焘在这关键时刻，又“令第四军东撤了，使伏击计划又被破坏”，①因此，红军不得不放弃西征以来解放的同心、豫旺等大片地区，继续东撤。11月15日，红军进入陇东苏区，到达环县曲子、洪德一线。 红军东撤后，国民党军队连续占领了海原、同心、豫旺等地，蒋介石得意之至，错误地认为红军经长途跋涉，已不堪一击，决心集中兵力从庆阳、固原、七营、同心、中卫等地进击陇东苏区，妄图南北夹击。全歼红军于陇东苏区，进而直捣陕北。为此，蒋介石的兵力部署是：以十五路军马鸿逵部在中卫，第三军王均部在同心，第一军胡宗南部在固原以北，组成左纵队；以东北军六十七军王以哲部和骑兵军一部在固原、庆阳间，组成右纵队，共同向陇东苏区进攻。同时，还调敌三十七军毛炳文部、东北军五十一军于学忠部为预备队，由朱绍良指挥，随时予以增援。 在各部敌军中，敌第一军胡宗南部是进攻红军的主力和王牌，也是蒋介石赖以起家的本钱。该敌对于反共甚为积极，并且倚仗优势兵力和优良装备，骄横嚣张，目空一切。胡宗南自调入西北战场追击红军以来，一直未受到有力打击。因而在占领同心城后更加骄纵，认为红军已不堪一击，已向盐池方面溃退。因此竞以其所率的第一军孤军深入，急速向惠安堡、盐池方向前进。 胡宗南部的急躁冒进，为红军的歼灭战创造了良好的条件。 11月16日，中央军委发布“关于坚决消灭侵略苏区之胡宗南的指示”。该指示明确指出：“胡宗南孤军深入，长驱直进，侵略苏区，反对红军抗日救国，我一、二、四方面军有全力消灭该敌之任务。各级军事政治首长立即进行迅速坚决的动员，使每个指战员明白此战关系之大，我军胜利根据之多，敌人弱点之存在，号召红色军人一致努力，一举消灭胡宗南几个团，开展抗日救亡的新局面。我军粮食困难，用一切方法克服之，保障战役的成功”。 ① 中央军委鉴于张国焘屡屡干扰战场指挥，阻扰歼敌计划的贯彻，致使出现前线指挥不统一。部队行动不协调，影响了红军战斗力的发挥等情况，下令将张国焘调离前线，到后方陕北，并明确指示一、二、四方面军：“一切具体部署及作战行动，各兵团首长绝对服从前敌总指挥彭德怀同志的命令，军委及总部不直接指挥各兵团，以便适合情况，不影响时机，战胜敌人”。当张国焘离开陇东前线到陕北后，毛泽东还致电彭德怀：“前线部队统交你指挥，当可放手去做”，②为了加强前敌总指挥部的领导力量，中央军委还任命任弼时为前敌总指挥部政委，与彭德怀、刘伯承一起统一指挥红一、二、四方面军的联合作战。 11月中旬，敌三十七军西渡黄河追击西路军；东北军第六十七军因同红军有统战关系，进展缓慢；敌第三军进至同心城后也停止了进攻。唯有胡宗南率第一军四个师为解决给养，分三路进攻豫旺。根据此情况，中共中央、中央军委决定，准备在豫旺、环县一带歼灭胡宗南第一军一部，粉碎敌对陕甘宁苏区的进攻。11月16日，红军主力进至甘肃环县山城堡以西萌城、甜水堡地区设伏。17日，敌胡宗南第一师进入红军伏击圈。红四方面军第四军、第三十一军立即予以反击和追击，在红军的猛烈打击下，敌第二师被击溃，狼狈逃窜。红军追击十余里，击毙敌团长一名，毙伤600余人。俘敌一部，缴获步枪百余支，击落敌机一架。在这次战斗中，红军第九十三师师长柴洪儒，第十师政治部主任彭瑞珍牺牲。 胡宗南在萌城、甜水堡地区遭到红军伏击后，并不引起警惕；反而兵分两路，继续猖狂追击红军。在占领惠安堡后，以两个师向定边、盐池一线推进，以七十八师占领甜水堡后南下，妄图南北夹击，逼迫红军与其决战。11月17日，敌先头部队到达山城堡地区。 山城堡位于环县以北洪德城和甜水堡中间地带，距甜水堡约六七十里，两地之间塬高沟深。吃水十分困难。“胡宗南部当日离开甜水堡后，即无处找到饮水，非到山城堡不可”。①而山城堡一带川原交汇，沟壑纵横，周围土寨很多，地形复杂，便于大部队设伏，是一个理想的歼敌战场，红军前敌总指挥部决定在山城堡地区歼灭胡宗南一部，以粉碎蒋介石对陕甘宁苏区的进攻。 11月18日，毛泽东、张国焘、彭德怀、任弼时、朱德、贺龙联合签发了“关于粉碎蒋介石进攻的决战动员令”。决战动员令指出：“从明日起粉碎蒋介石进攻的决战，各首长务须以最坚决的决心，最负责的忠诚与最吃苦耐劳的意志去执行。而且要谆谆告诉下级首长转告于全体战斗员，每人都照着你们的决心，忠诚与意志，服从命令，英勇作战，克服任何困难，并准备连续战斗，因为当前的这个战争，关系于苏维埃，关系于中国，都是非常之大的，而敌人的弱点，我们的优点又都是很多的。我们一定要不怕疲劳，要勇敢冲锋，多捉俘虏，多缴枪炮，粉碎这一进攻，开展新的局面，以作三个方面军会合于西北苏区的第一个赠献给胜利的全苏区的人民的礼物。”① 为了保证山城堡决战的胜利，18日晚，军委副主席周恩来由陕北亲临环县河连湾，来到红军前敌总指挥部。19日，前敌总指挥部在山城堡召开作战会议，制定了战斗方案和兵力部署。 根据山城堡一带的地形特点和敌人态势，红军的兵力部署为：以红一方面军第一军团、第十五军团及红四方面军第四军、第三十军隐蔽埋伏于山城堡之东、南、北三面，待机出击；以红二方面军和陕北红军八十一师集结于洪德城、环县及其以西地区，担任策应各方和迟滞东北军的任务；以陕甘红军二十八军在红井子、大水坑一带钳制敌人左路部队的行动。 11月20日，胡宗南第一军七十八师二三二旅和二三四旅一个团全部进入山城堡一带的红军埋伏圈。敌一个团占据山城堡以北和以东的山坡，一个团位于南面马掌子山之东南山脚，另一团占据西北方面的曹家阳台。 11月21日下午2时，红军对包围圈中的胡宗南部七十八师发起全线进攻，并截断了其回逃甜水堡的后路。敌军发现被包围，便向曹家阳台一带高地集中，企图突围，但担任主攻任务的红一军团乘敌调整之机，迅即向马掌子山坡发起猛攻。轻重机枪声，军号声，冲锋喊杀声，震撼山谷，红军以迅雷不及掩耳之势，冲上敌军阵地，攻占了马掌子山高地。此时，防守曹家阳台之敌也在红军的进攻下阵地大乱，敌二三二旅旅长丁德隆见败局已定，便率部企图从断马腰岘攀山逃窜。红军以一部分兵力追击敌人，一部分兵力攻击敌哨马营一带的阵地，将敌赶进山城堡西北一条沟内，毙伤大半，其余的敌人全部当了俘虏。当日深夜，红军攻克山城堡，继续向逃敌展开追击战。在茫茫的黑夜中，只见双方的各种火力交织起来的火力网，映红了整个阵地。红军战士冒着敌人猛烈的炮火奋勇冲杀，不怕流血牺牲，继续追歼残敌。这时，敌人为了打开一条逃命的退路，纷纷向红军发起反冲锋。红军战士猛烈穿插与敌展开短兵相接的战斗。红军战士勇敢顽强，与逃跑之敌混杂在一起，进行白刃搏斗，杀得敌人尸体狼籍，敌人失去指挥，乱作一团，狼狈逃窜。经一夜激战，红军全歼敌军，至22日上午9时，战斗胜利结束。此战歼敌胡宗南部第七十八师第二三二旅全部及二三四旅一个团。 与此同时，红二十八军也在大水坑一线击溃了进攻盐池的胡宗南部队，缴获了许多武器弹药。山城堡大战以红军的彻底胜利而告结束。连同何家堡战斗，萌城甜水堡战斗和陕甘红军第二十八军在大水坑、红井子一线作战在内，红军在山城堡地区歼敌万余人，给胡宗南以沉重的打击。 山城堡战役的胜利，迫使了国民党停止了对陕甘宁根据的进攻。壮大了红军的声威，对实现中共中央“逼蒋抗日”与国内和平起了重要的促进作用。此战之后，红军三大主力以备姿态，在甘肃、陕西、宁夏三省边界的环县、曲子、定边、盐池之间休整，为执行新的战略任务作准备。 四、山城堡战役是西安事变爆发的直接导火线 1936年11月21日至22日，红军三大主力胜利会师后，在甘肃环县以北地区山城堡地区成功地进行了一次反击国民党军队追击围攻的战役，即闻名史册的山城堡战役。此役沉重地打击了蒋介石的反共嚣张气焰，稳定了西北的局势，促使张学良、杨虎城两位将军更加坚定了与中共联合抗日的决心，使他们与蒋介石的矛盾进一步激化，导致了西安事变的爆发，成为西安事变的直接导火线。 山城堡战役发生在历史转折关头，纵观山城堡战役前的形势和国共两党关系发生的变化，有着以下几方面显著的特点。 第一，红军三大主力胜利会师加强了全军的团结，使抗日民族统一战线的建立有了雄厚的实力基础。正如当时党中央指出的：“全国主力红军的会合与进入抗日前线阵地，在中国与日本抗争的国际火线上，在全国国内政治关系上，将要起一个决定的作用了。”① 第二，自1935年华北事变后，由于空前的民族危机损害了中国各阶级和各阶层的利益。作为两大对立阶级利益代表的国共两党在抗日问题上有了一些共识，因而国共两党自1935年冬以来进行了秘密接触，虽然双方谈判进展不大，但却表现了双方有着改善关系的主观愿望。 第三，由于国民党内