Chapter 57 5. Commander-in-Chief Zhu issued an order to march across the country

The peace talks have not yet yielded any results, and the preparations for the troops going south to cross the river are basically ready. The two sides of the enemy and ourselves have formed a military confrontation. At this time, Chen Yi, the commander of the Third Field Army, had been waiting impatiently. Before the instructions of the Central Military Commission arrived, in order to control the entrances and exits of the inland river and clear all kinds of obstacles to cross the river, he issued specific tasks to the four corps under his jurisdiction. : Chen Shiju led the main force of the 8th Corps to attack Liangpu, and the 25th Army attacked Puzhen from Jiangpu.The 26th Army attacked Puzhen from Quanjiao, Fujiaying, Baozhuang Line and the area to the south; the 35th Army attacked Puzhen from Wuyi Town along Jinpu Road from north to south; the 34th Army attacked Puzhen along Fangliuqing Road and the riverside Attack, and strive to quickly clear the periphery, cut off the connection between the enemy's 96th Army and the 28th Army, surround Pukou, cut off the enemy's retreat, and annihilate them in batches.And cooperate with the artillery of the Corps to choose an appropriate position to bombard the southeast in the east or southeast of Jiangpu.

In addition, with the Central China Brigade as the main force, they encircled and wiped out the enemies in Sanjiangying, Port, Yizheng, Guazhou and other places. The 10th Corps led by Ye Fei and Wei Guoqing, in addition to unified command of the 20th Army and cooperating with the Central China Garrison Brigade, used 4 regiments of the 31st Army to attack and annihilate the enemy in Bawei Port, and used the 23rd Army Reconnaissance Battalion or 1 regiment to cooperate with a The main force of the division is to attack and wipe out the enemies in Longshao Port. It should also organize artillery fire near Zhenjiang, choose an appropriate position, block the river, intercept enemy ships going west, and ensure the operational safety of the 8th Corps. The specific deployment is determined by Ye according to the actual situation.

The 9th Corps led by Song Shilun and Guo Huaruo was responsible for attacking and annihilating the enemies at Jinhekou, Zhumahekou, Xiliangshan, Yuxikou, and Liujiadu. , choose an appropriate position, intercept the enemy ship going east, and ensure the operational safety of the 8th Corps. The specific deployment is determined by Song and Guo according to the actual situation. The 7th Corps led by Wang Jian'an and Tan Qilong was responsible for annihilating the enemies in Zongyang Town, Wangjiatao, and Tuqiao, and clearing out the enemies in the small strongholds along the river. Director of the Political Department) to decide according to the actual situation.

All corps should complete combat preparations before March 20 at designated locations, and be on standby to launch a unified attack. After the task was issued, Su Yu asked Chen Yi again: "Now the prelude to the battle of crossing the river has begun, and the actions of the troops are very fast. Can you ask for more?" Chen Yi said with a smile: "This idea is very good. We don't want to fight an uncertain battle. You can draw up this request." Therefore, Su Yu formulated 5 precautions for crossing the river and distributed them to all troops: (1) Make every effort to use surprise attacks to cut off the enemy's retreat route into the river, encircle and annihilate them, prevent them from fleeing to the south of the Yangtze River, and increase the garrison strength on the south bank.As for the inland river exits and bridgeheads necessary for the next step of crossing the river, we will resolutely attack, annihilate and control them.For other general bridgeheads, where the enemy guerrilla guards a small number of troops or has no great influence on our entry into the river, only a small number of troops are sent to clear or monitor them, in order to focus on the use of force.However, in order to maintain the next step of combat power, the second echelon should generally be used to perform this task.In terms of combat organization, attention should be paid to organizing infantry and artillery coordinated actions, organizing artillery fire to suppress enemy artillery on the opposite shore, intercepting ships near each bridgehead to ensure the safety of attacking troops, and collecting ships.

(2) Strictly pay attention to air defense. In addition to organizing certain firearms and designating full-time troops to shoot at the air during the battle, after the battle, except for leaving necessary troops to control key points and inland river exits, the main force should be evacuated in depth to prevent enemy air forces from attacking us. The troops along the river, especially the ships, should be properly evacuated, and anti-aircraft shooting troops should be organized to cover the safety of the ships. (3) With regard to the political offensive of the local troops on the north bank, they have already established a good relationship and surrendered to us. After setting the conditions, they can take the opportunity to pretend to cross the river so that they can cross the river as an internal response. If they are not sure, they will generally respond. Its surrender helps our army to control the ships, and it is not appropriate to disperse them.After clearing the bridgehead in the north of the river, we should take the opportunity to launch a political offensive against the enemy on the south bank and establish favorable conditions for our main force to cross the river.

(4) It is estimated that after we clear the enemy's Jiangbei bridgehead, the enemy in Jiangfang will change rapidly, and its naval warships will lose their barriers, and they may gather or flee at several naval bases (such as Wuhu, Nanjing, Dangtu, Jingjiang, etc.).In this way, each corps should organize a part of the artillery to block the river and control the enemy ships, forcing them to consolidate a very small number of base points, which will be beneficial to our next operation, and at the same time, it will also aggravate the conflict between the enemy's navy and army. We should seize the opportunity to launch a political offensive , forcing its navy to surrender.

(5) After clearing the bridgehead, all ministries should choose to prepare for the next step of combat artillery positions, implement various preparatory work, and should specifically organize the next step of combat reconnaissance work, grasp the changes in the situation in the south of the Yangtze River, and further carry out various specific preparations for crossing the river. .The armies of the first echelon of each corps should approach the riverside on April 8, and carry out operations to break through the river defense on April 10. The regiments of the Third Field Army have already moved into action.

Chen Yi couldn't hold his breath anymore, and he sent a power to the Central Military Commission, reporting the troops' attack on the bridgehead in Jiangbei, and asking for instructions to launch a general attack as soon as possible. The peace talks are going on, and Beijing Xiangshan, where the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is located, is particularly busy and lively.Mao Zedong received people from all walks of life in Shuangqing Villa almost every day. Zhu De was very happy to receive a call from Sanye, so he walked through the tree-lined path to Mao Zedong's study.

Mao Zedong put down his book and asked with a smile, "What's the good news? Commander-in-Chief." Zhu De waved the telegram in his hand and said, "Chairman, Boss Chen is calling." "Is that so, I said that Chen Yi is impatient. He calls every day, begging to cross the river. Aren't we talking to him? Don't be in a hurry." "He called and said that all preparations for crossing the river have been completed, and the cannons for attacking the Nanjing Presidential Palace have been set up, waiting for our orders." "Don't be in a hurry, Jiang must pass, but the time is not yet ripe."

"Chairman, in my opinion, the troops can't stand it anymore. From a strategic point of view, it is better to cross the river earlier, but from a political point of view, it is better to fight it later." Although it is spring, it is still very cold here. Mao Zedong has always been very frugal. As soon as the guests leave, he asks the guards and soldiers to extinguish the charcoal fire.But Boss Zhu is an elderly person after all, and the temperature in the house is very low. He couldn't stand it, so he sat there tightly wrapped in a cotton coat and smoked non-stop. Mao Zedong looked at him and said, "Spring came early this year, but we live on this mountain, and it's still a bit cold."

Zhu De said: "Fortunately, it's much better than the dryness and coldness in northern Shaanxi." Mao Zedong said: "Yinqiao, bring up the brazier." Zhu De said, "No need, I'm used to it." "I can't let you suffer from the cold here!" Li Yinqiao quickly brought up the brazier. Mao Zedong smoked a cigarette and said: "The committee before crossing the river asked for instructions to capture Liangpu first. In my opinion, this move should be determined according to the negotiation situation. I still always advocate that if there is hope for peace talks, we can temporarily not capture Liangpu. If there is no hope for the peace talks, it depends on whether it is necessary for the military to capture the two pus. If the capture of the two pus is beneficial to our entire cross-river operations, then we can capture them. If the benefits are not great, we can temporarily ignore them.” Zhu De said: "This call is in the name of the General Front Committee. They proposed to capture Liangpu around April 6. We can tell them not to expose the target too early. Whether to attack depends on the negotiation situation." "Okay, let's talk about this matter in a few days. Let him do the small-scale battle to clear the bridgehead. The general attack is in our hands." April 10. Beiping Xiangshan Shuangqing Villa. Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Ren Bishi, and Li Tao, the person in charge of operations at the Military Commission, worked together to study the time for the general attack of the Battle of Crossing the River. Mao Zedong was still wearing the patched padded jacket, smoking a cigarette and said: "Recently, the General Front Committee has been calling every day to ask for instructions on crossing the river. Please express your opinions!" Liu Shaoqi turned to look at Zhou Enlai and asked, "How is your talk going?" Zhou Enlai opened the brown paper notebook and said: "The overall situation is still very optimistic, and there has been obvious progress." Mao Zedong lightly flicked the cigarette ash and said: "It is good to make progress, but our principles cannot be changed. Whether the peace talks are successful or not, we have to cross the river. Not only the military has to cross the river, but the politics also has to cross the river." Ren Bishi looked at Zhou Enlai: "Is there any possibility of reaching an agreement?" "There is hope. It is estimated that the two sides can reach an agreement around the 15th of this month." "Can Li Zongren sign on behalf of the government?" "Not sure yet." Mao Zedong shook his head and said: "We can't be too optimistic about the peace talks. Chiang Kai-shek is behind the scenes, and Li Zongren is not in charge. They may use delaying methods to deal with us and buy time to prepare for war." Zhu De went on to say: "I agree with the chairman. Chiang Kai-shek will not admit defeat. We should act according to the original plan and make the troops ready to cross the river before April 15. If peace talks are not reached, we can cross the river." Mao Zedong refilled another cigarette and asked, "Has there been any major changes in the water level of the Yangtze River within a month?" Zhu De said: "We sent a telegram two days ago to inquire, and they said they are sending troops to investigate." "I'm thinking about the flood season! If it drags on, it will be affected." At this time, Liu Shaoqi, who was sitting next to Mao Zedong, put down his teacup and said: "The General Front Committee once said in a telegram that Zeng Xisheng had lived by the Yangtze River for several years. Farmland on both sides of the river is often submerged, and the Yangtze River is wide, which will have a great impact on combat operations and cause many unimaginable difficulties.” Zhou Enlai: "We have to consider this situation, but the negotiation is not over yet, so it is not appropriate to issue an order to cross the river prematurely." No one spoke.Almost all eyes fell on Mao Zedong who was smoking. Mao Zedong frowned and pondered for a while, and said: "Enlai's opinion should be considered. We have made progress in the peace talks with the representatives of the Nanjing government. It is possible to sign a peace agreement. In the past few days, I have talked with Zhang Zhizhong and others in Nanjing. However, they do not want this battle to continue. If the peace talks are successful and Li Zongren can sign, that would be even better, and we may cross the river peacefully. However, judging from the current situation, the prospects are not very optimistic. Our time for crossing the river It has to be postponed for half a month or even a month." Zhu De said: "It would be better if a peace agreement could be signed, but the General Front Committee is waiting for our reply." Mao Zedong asked: "What is their opinion on delaying the crossing of the river?" "They are not in favor of delaying the time. If the delay must be on the premise of ensuring a peaceful crossing of the river, otherwise the enemy will turn their backs and deny it. At that time, the river will surge and it will increase the difficulty of crossing the river. According to Mr. Chen, there are now hundreds of thousands of troops Crowded on the riverside, supply is a problem, if it is delayed for too long, the troops must retreat." "Then what do you mean?" "I still advocate preparing according to the original plan. We can give the Nanjing side a time limit. If they don't sign the agreement by that time, we will fight there immediately and strive for the military initiative." "To be honest, I don't want to fight in the past. It would be better if we can accept it peacefully. The losses caused by the wars in these years are too great." Liu Shaoqi stood up and walked around Mao Zedong's study, saying: "The time for crossing the river cannot be postponed. It can be delayed by a day or two. If it is delayed, our sacrifice will be even greater." Mao Zedong looked at Zhou Enlai and asked, "What's your opinion?" "Judging from the current situation of the peace talks, peace is unlikely, but it is difficult for them to represent the Nanjing government and allow them to have a consideration process. I think the time for crossing the river can be postponed for 5 to 8 days." "Intend to get them to sign when". "April 22." "We still have time. How about this? Please tell the General Front Committee and ask them to postpone the time of crossing the river by another week. Do you have any opinions?" When he said that, others agreed. They studied together for a while, and then called back to the General Front Committee. The text of the telegram reads as follows: The General Front Committee also informed Su Yu, Zhang Zhen, Liu Bocheng, Zhang Jichun, and Li Da: Telegram at 3 o'clock on the 10th. (1) According to the negotiation situation, our army must decide to postpone crossing the river for one week, that is, crossing the river from the 15th to the 22nd. Please issue an order on this point. (2) According to the report of the General Front Committee at 3 o'clock on the 10th, the floods began in early May in the Gregorian calendar, that is, from April 15 to early May, there are still half a month to 20 days without floods.Our army completed the crossing of the river within 14 days from April 22 to May 5, and there seems to be no disadvantage.Whether this is the case, please call the General Front Committee, Liu Bocheng, Zhang Jichun, Li Da, Su Yu, and Zhang Zhen to report their opinions on the same day, so as to make a decision. (3) The Nanjing Peace Party (Li Zongren, He Yingqin, Zhang Zhizhong, Shao Lizi, Yu Youren, Juzheng, Chong Guanxian, and the majority of the executive, legislative, and supervisory courts) is uniting themselves and preparing to sign a peace agreement with us. Opposed to the main combat faction headed by Chiang Kai-shek.This kind of agreement is actually in the nature of surrender. It is planned to be signed on the 15th or 16th, and it will be announced two days after signing (that is, on the 18th). (4) After the signing and announcement of the peace agreement, Li Zongren and He Yingqin must have a few days (that is, from the 17th to the 21st) to persuade Tang Enbo and the enemy troops on the river bank to retreat a few miles or give up certain areas to our army. (5) On our side, there are still a few days after the announcement of the agreement, that is, the river has not been crossed from the 18th to the 21st (the agreement will be implemented immediately after the signing of the agreement).If the other party repents, the song is on the other side, and I will be confident. (6) Our standpoint must be based on the other party's repentance, and we must assume that the other party will not announce it after signing it, or that it will not be implemented after it is announced.At that time, our loss was only a seven-day delay in crossing the river, and there was no other loss. (7) Assuming that it is politically necessary, it is necessary to prepare to postpone it for another seven days, that is, from the 23rd to the 29th, but this decision is not made at this time. (8) When you give the order to postpone the crossing of the river until the 22nd, don't say it is for negotiation, but say that it is because the friendly troops have not yet completed the preparations for crossing the river, so as not to relax morale. (9) In short, the river must be crossed in late April, and you must prepare everything precisely. (10) Daily contact, telegram your opinions at any time. The distance between the two field armies is relatively large. After this telegram was sent, several people from the General Front Committee did not have the opportunity to study it together.At that time, Chen Yi and Deng Xiaoping were in the headquarters of the General Front Committee in Hefei, Su Yu and Zhang Zhen were in the Sanye headquarters of Baimamiao, south of Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, commanding the East Group to fight, and Liu Bocheng, Zhang Jichun, and Li Da were in the Erye headquarters in a small county in Anhui. Command the West Group to fight.Tan Zhenlin's 7th Corps was the Zhonglu Group in Lujiang, Anhui. After Chen Yi read the telegram, he asked the combat staff to give it to Deng Xiaoping. Deng Xiaoping was also very anxious. He studied the telegram several times, and then asked Chen Yi: "Boss Chen, this telegram from the Central Committee is very important, and you asked us to call back. What do you think?" Chen Yi raised his hand to take off his glasses, and said, "You can first pass on the content of the telegram to the others, and let them follow suit." "I'm worried they won't figure it out." "This is inevitable. According to the information we have, a one-week delay is not a big problem, but I am worried about the food and grass of the troops." "The central government asked us to postpone crossing the river because of political considerations. The outcome of the peace talks is hard to say, so we have no choice but to obey the order." "The purpose of the peace talks in Nanjing is to buy time and prepare to defend against our attack. If we delay crossing the river, we will be fooled by them. In my opinion, there is little hope of a peaceful past." "I'm worried that on the 22nd, they will postpone the date of crossing the river again." "We can't procrastinate any longer. Now our troops have entered the situation. The small group of enemies on the banks of the Yangtze River that interfered with our crossing have been wiped out. The general offensive will be postponed for a week at most. We must make this situation clear to the Central Committee. .” "This is easy to handle. I am worried that the work below will not be easy to do. How can we tell the troops? The central government prevents us from saying that this is a delay in crossing the river for the sake of peace talks. It is difficult to say! Everyone knows that the neighboring troops have not done anything. It’s impossible to be prepared.” "Just follow the instructions of the Central Military Commission. It is reasonable for the central government to be afraid of affecting morale." "I think we should tell the truth to the troops. We can't avoid delaying the time to cross the river because of the peace talks. The work has to be done by the bottom." "Also, we have to trust the awareness of commanders and fighters at all levels." "Yes, as long as I explain it clearly to everyone, the next step will be easy." "In addition to relaying the central telegram to the ministries, another telegram should be sent to them, explaining the reason." "Okay, I'll do it right away." Deng Xiaoping always maintained a strong revolutionary fighting spirit, perhaps because he was still young. Although he worked all night, he was still full of energy. His thinking was very active, and he quickly drafted the telegram. Chen Yi was very satisfied after reading it. So he sent out the telegram: The front committees of the second field and the third field, and the party committees of each corps also reported to the Military Commission: This time, our army's delay in crossing the river for a week is a politically and militaryly necessary step, but it is also prone to the danger of lax fighting will and losing direction. Therefore, you must explain the following points to the cadres above the division level: (1) The peace negotiations have made considerable progress, and an agreement may be signed in the near future. Such an agreement is actually the surrender of the Kuomintang, so it is beneficial to the overall situation and the people. (2) Our crossing of the river should be carried out on the basis of the most favorable political position.That is to say, if the negotiation breaks down, the other party is responsible; if the other party fails to implement or delays the implementation time after the agreement is signed, the other party is also responsible.We are justified in crossing the river after the conclusion of the negotiations (breakdown or establishment of an agreement).And when we achieve this step in politics, the enemy will be more disintegrated, and the militants will be more isolated and chaotic. Not only will we win over the main peace faction, but we may also divide some of the main war faction.The people of the whole country will support us even more.At that time, it will be more beneficial to cross the river peacefully or in battle. (3) It must be estimated that most of the Kuomintang troops are still in the hands of Chiang Kai-shek's best friends. Even if the agreement is signed, they may still continue to resist. Therefore, we should start from fighting across the river.And because the enemy will certainly use this time to strengthen his military preparations along the river, we should also use this time to make more adequate military preparations. It would be not only wrong but also dangerous to relax our own combat preparations. (4) If politically necessary, the time may be delayed again for a few days. Therefore, in the army, we must prevent acute illnesses and prevent the slack in fighting will on the one hand. (5) The central government also attaches great importance to the seasons and river water issues that everyone is most worried about. The calculation time is that there will be no major changes in the river water before the end of this (April). (6) Another problem of time delay is food, firewood, oil and salt. Each regiment must calculate it in detail and work out a solution. I hope you can tell us so that we can solve it. (7) During the extended time for crossing the river, the central task should still be to strengthen combat preparations, but this time can also be used to convey the resolutions of the Second Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Party committees are asked to make their own decisions on this point. This telegram also fully embodies the style of Chen Yi and Deng Xiaoping in dealing with problems.Seeking truth from facts and being straightforward, has been well received by the Central Military Commission. After Su Yu and Zhang Zhen received the telegram, they believed that the time to cross the river could not be postponed any longer. After discussing with other comrades, I thought that the original schedule of the 22nd was too late, and it would be better to start crossing the river on the evening of the 20th.This opinion was reflected in Peiping, and Mao Zedong, Zhu De and others repeatedly studied and agreed. The day after the Central Military Commission received the telegram from the General Front Committee, that is, on April 18, it sent a telegram back to the Front Committee saying: I fully agree with the entire deployment of the General Front Committee, that is, the corps of the Second Field and the Three Fields began to attack on April 20, and carried out a general offensive on April 22. The peace talks are coming to an end. The Nanjing representative returned to Nanjing with the agreement and asked Li Zongren to sign it. up. As people expected, the Kuomintang government refused to sign the peace agreement. The time has come, and the war finally broke out. Since the night of April 20, our People's Liberation Army's million-strong army has launched attacks on the enemy on various lines along the Yangtze River. In this battle of crossing the river, the Party Central Committee considered that American imperialism might intervene, and estimated that the United States might take action, but it was the United Kingdom that showed up. On the morning of April 20th, the British naval ships "Amethyst", "Black Swan", "Companion" and "London", accompanied by the Kuomintang warships, sailed from east to west into the defense area of ​​the 23rd Army of our East Group. armed provocation. On the afternoon of the 21st, when the 10th Corps of the East Group was crossing the river, the "Amethyst" and the "Black Swan" suddenly appeared on the river again. Tao Yong, the commander of the 23rd Army, immediately reported the situation to Ye Fei, the commander of the Corps. As soon as the phone rang, Ye Fei picked up the receiver: "I'm Ye Fei, you are..." Tao Yong hurriedly said: "We have a situation here. Two warships were found cruising two kilometers away from the river where I crossed the river. What should I do?" "What banner is it flying?" "It's colorful and looks like it's from a foreign country." "Do you mean to go?" "No, it's a bit malicious, and it will have a great impact on our crossing the river!" "You ordered the forward position to raise the signal to warn them to leave." "What if we don't go?" "Let's fire!" However, the British warship turned a deaf ear to our warning, and aimed its guns at our position and continued to advance. The British ship blatantly shelled the position of the 3rd Regiment of the Special Forces Column of the Third Field Army.The 3rd Artillery Regiment fought back. Tao Yong gave an order: "Fire!" Dozens of cannons roared at the same time, and the British warship also fired. Immediately, the water column on the surface of the Yangtze River soared into the sky, and thick smoke billowed. Before the gunpowder smoke had cleared on the river, Ye Si called and asked, "Why did you have a fight with the British warship? Who fired first?" Ye Fei said without hesitation: "The British warship fired first." The other party said that this matter has become a big deal, and they should immediately send people to investigate and let them be prepared. Ye Fei hurriedly wanted to call Tao Yong: "The warship on the river belongs to the British, we damaged it, and the higher-ups will send people to investigate." Tao Yong said angrily: "Why are you still investigating? My best regiment leader, Deng Ruobo, was beaten to death by them! A talent with both civil and military skills..." "I have already told them that the British fired the gun first, you must remember that, and you can't say anything else." "Yes, I must remember." This incident quickly caused a sensation internationally. A New York newspaper reported: The communist army shelled four British warships on the Yangtze River, causing a sensation in the United States.The American authorities were appalled at the toll of British naval casualties... The French press soon reported it. According to the British, 23 people were killed and 66 people were injured in this shelling incident, including Captain Kaglie, the second commander of the Far East Fleet, and Vice Admiral Madden of the Royal Navy. His uniform was torn by shrapnel and he was almost injured. At that time, the People's Liberation Army suffered 252 casualties, of which Deng Ruobo, the head of the regiment, died on the spot, and the political commissar was seriously injured. On April 24, British Prime Minister Attlee publicly declared: "British warships have the legal right to sail on the Yangtze River and carry out peaceful orders, because they have the permission of the Kuomintang government." What is even more ridiculous is that the former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill clamored that the British government would send an aircraft carrier to Shanghai to find the Communist Party to retaliate by force. Of course they didn't dare to come, just talking. On April 30, Mao Zedong stated in a statement drafted for the spokesperson of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Headquarters: "We condemn the arrogant statement of the warmonger Mr. Churchill....Mr. Churchill, what are you 'revenging'? The British warships and the Kuomintang warships together , broke into the defense area of ​​the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and fired artillery at the People's Liberation Army, causing as many as 252 casualties of the loyal soldiers of the People's Liberation Army. The British ran into China and committed such a big crime. The Chinese People's Liberation Army has reason to ask the British government to admit Wrong, and implement apology and compensation. Isn’t that what you should do in the future, instead of sending troops to China to retaliate against the Chinese People’s Liberation Army? Prime Minister Attlee’s words are also wrong. He said that Britain has the right to launch warships It enters the Yangtze River in China. The Yangtze River is an inland river in China. What right do you British have to bring warships in? There is no such right. The Chinese people must defend China’s territorial sovereignty and never allow foreign governments to invade it..." Although a statement has been issued, the matter has not yet been dealt with.Since the People's Republic of China has not yet been established, the Third Field Army can only negotiate with the British Far East Fleet. At that time, our army proposed that the British Navy must do the following: (1) Acknowledge that the above-mentioned behavior of the British warship was wrong, and apologize to the Chinese People's Liberation Army; (2) Compensate the losses suffered by the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the local people; The British side discusses the method of evacuating the British ship and its personnel from the Yangtze River; (4) The items listed in this memorandum will be forwarded to the Commander-in-Chief of the British Far East Fleet. The attitude of the British Navy was very arrogant, and it was difficult to proceed with the negotiations.Our army had no choice but to detain the damaged "Amethyst" on the river and not allow it to leave.Three months later, the warship left the Yangtze River secretly. The bombardment of British warships was commanded by Tao Yong. Instead of criticizing him, Mao Zedong praised him greatly, saying: "Since this man likes to fight warships so much, let him be in the navy in the future!" After the founding of New China, Mao Zedong really named Tao Yong as the deputy commander of the navy and commander of the East China Sea Fleet, and awarded him the rank of lieutenant general. On April 15, the delegations of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party drafted the "Domestic Peace Agreement (Final Amendment)" and agreed to sign it on April 20, but the Nanjing National Government refused to sign. The peace talks broke down, and Commander-in-Chief Zhu De issued an order to march across the country.Millions of troops broke through the river defense, and British warships intervened.What exactly was Churchill up to?The British "Amethyst" warship was damaged, and the People's Liberation Army headquarters issued a statement demanding that all foreign armed forces must withdraw from China immediately. The General Front Committee has already launched an attack, and the Party Central Committee has been paying attention to the situation. The night in China on April 20 was extraordinary.The South China cannon rang, and the million-strong army of the People's Liberation Army launched a crusade against the Kuomintang army on the Yangtze River defense line with a devastating momentum. This marks a complete break between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. In Xiangshan, in the hall of the War Department of the Military Commission, leaders such as Mao Zedong and Zhu De are waiting for news from the south. At 3 o'clock on the 21st, they finally expected good news, and the General Front Committee called to report: Our 7th and 9th Corps launched a river crossing operation from Shijitou to Lugang at 20:00 yesterday (20th)... As of 6:00 on the 21st, all of my 24th Army and 27th Army have crossed the river. All (4 divisions), 7 regiments of the 25th Army, a total of 28 regiments. The 3 regiments of the 24th Army are crossing from Sanguan Temple to Jiajiangkou, approaching Tongling.The rest of the ministries are advancing in depth.During the crossing, the wind and waves were calm, and the enemy's resistance was not strong. Details will be reported later. Mao Zedong had the habit of working at night, and he was the first to see this telegram. The excitement was beyond words, he smiled and said to the combat staff: "Call Boss Zhu and Vice Chairman Zhou quickly, good news!" He took out a cigarette from his coat pocket, turned around and said to Li Yinqiao, the head of the guard, "What kind of peace talks are we talking about? We are here for real, and they are for fake. Chiang Kai-shek wants to delay time, revive the army, and make a comeback. He thinks our Communist Party is a fool." He doesn't know that we also need time to mobilize the army, repair ships and build ships. He procrastinated there and got a bad name for breaking the peace. He didn't take advantage of anything. We used the night and used the cover of artillery fire to pass by at once. Dozens of regiments. Let’s see who gets the best deal. Our army is about to go to the presidential palace, which Chiang Kai-shek didn’t expect..." Mao Zedong was a great man who was easily moved by emotions. He won the battle in the front, and he was very happy in the rear. Zhu De and Zhou Enlai waited to come in. Mao Zedong said with a smile: "Chiang Kai-shek's Yangtze River defense line has been broken by our army. Dozens of regiments have passed by. Take a look." Zhu De took the telegram from Mao Zedong, read it, and smiled.He said in a thick Sichuan accent: "Mr. Jiang is about to cry, the myth of the Yangtze River's natural danger has been broken." Zhou Enlai was surprised that it passed so quickly. He looked at Mao Zedong and said: "28 regiments passed in a few hours. This is a miracle!" "It's nothing," said Mao Zedong, holding more than half of a cigarette in his hand. "The people, and only the people, are the driving force for creating world history. Our People's Liberation Army is supported by the people of the whole country. This is a great force." Zhu De said: "Enlai, what progress has Nanjing made in signing the peace agreement?" "The deputies sent have not yet returned, and it is said that there is little hope." "If they don't want peace, don't blame us for being rude." Mao Zedong waved his hand and said: "Commander Zhu, now it's time for us to issue an order to march to the entire People's Liberation Army!" "it's time." The three of them studied for a while, and the telegram to march across the country drafted by Mao Zedong himself was finally transmitted from the war room of the Military Commission to the north and south of the motherland—— The news quickly shocked the world. This shows that the red sun will rise on the ancient land of China. When Zhou Enlai told Zhang Zhizhong, the chief negotiator of the Kuomintang, that the People's Liberation Army had crossed the south of the Yangtze River, Zhang Zhizhong shook his head in pain and said: "This is a fact that neither of us wants to see, but there is no other way. The Nanjing side will not sign the agreement. The peace talks have broken down, and there is no need for me to stay here. The delegation was sent by the government. After the mission is over, I should go back and report , I'm ready to go." Zhou Enlai said: "The situation is still changing, and there is still the possibility of partial peace. It is useful for you to stay." "If you don't go back and return to your life, you will feel uneasy!" "Now whether you go back to Nanjing or Shanghai and Guangzhou, the KMT secret agents will never let you go. We have already let down a friend surnamed Zhang during the Xi'an Incident, and we can't let you go today!" Late night on April 21st. Second Field Command War Room. Liu Bocheng didn't close his eyes, and kept asking the troops about the progress of crossing the river by the phone. At that time, the main offensive positions of the corps were from Madang in the west to Zongyang Town in the east, with a front line as long as 200 kilometers.The main task is to break through the enemy's Yangtze River defense line first, and then quickly cut off the connection between Tang Enbo and the Bai Chongxi Group. Before launching the attack, he repeatedly considered and further clarified the combat missions of each corps. The specific situation is as follows: Yang Yong and Su Zhenhua commanded the 5th Corps and Qin Jiwei's 15th Army. After launching the attack, they crossed the river from Wangjiang to the west of Anqing City, mainly encircling and annihilating the enemies on the south bank. After the 15th Army crossed the river, it immediately covered the main force of the 4th Corps to cross the river in the Pengze and Zhide areas. Chen Geng's 4th Corps crossed the river between Wangjiang and Susong, joined the 15th Army after success, and cooperated with the 3rd Corps to attack Wuhu and Nanjing. The two armies of Chen Xilian and Xie Fuzhi's 3rd Corps crossed the river from the east of Anqing to Zongyang Town and Shifantou to attack the enemy on the south bank. Its main force should take shortcuts and go straight to Wuhu via Jing County and Nanling, first take over the 9th Corps to monitor the enemies in Wuhu, and cooperate with the 4th Corps to capture Wuhu and prepare to attack Nanjing. At that time, the enemy defending opposite them was Liu Ruming's department. Contrary to Liu Bocheng's expectations, in less than an hour, 6 regiments successfully crossed the river with very few casualties. Our army's artillery fire was so fierce that the enemy had no power to parry, and Liu Ruming's troops collapsed at the first touch.His corps has only two armies, and its combat effectiveness is not very strong.During the Battle of Huaihai, he was beaten to the ground by Liu Bocheng. Chiang Kai-shek criticized him as a polished commander, but he still cried and told Lao Jiang to keep his unit's designation. Liu Ruzhen's 55th Army and Cao Fulin's 68th Army that are now used for combat are all made up after he went south.Later Tang Enbo temporarily transferred the 96th Army under his command. Liu Ruzhen, the commander of the enemy's 55th Army, and Liu Ruming are brothers. He once had the heart of an uprising, and he also sent people to contact the representatives of the People's Liberation Army in private, but without his elder brother's permission, it was still difficult to act. He is a typical hedonist. He has developed many bad habits in the Kuomintang army in the past few years. Communist Party officials don't have much to enjoy. He really can't make up his mind. His deputy army commander, Wang Zhiyuan, was in favor of the uprising. Before the People's Liberation Army launched an attack, he said to Liu Ruzhen: "Commander, now is the time to make up your mind, shall we withdraw those cannons from the position?" "why?" "Save a little bit of strength, so as to be the capital of the uprising." "Can't withdraw!" "What's wrong, don't you say..." "I'm still determined, but the boss didn't say anything." "You talked to him about the uprising?" "As I mentioned, we fought against Liu Bocheng before. At that time, our national army was still very strong, but we were no match for him. Now that the situation is like this, can we still fight against him?" "Then what shall we do?" "Talk after a few hits." He didn't expect to fight a few more times, but was beaten by the People's Liberation Army with almost no way out. That night, one of his divisions was beaten away by the People's Liberation Army. He called the command post and asked: "What's going on, why do so many people in your department retreat?" The division commander's urgent voice came from the microphone: "It's not good, the communist army has crossed the river, the artillery fire is heavy, and someone from one of my regiments has gone to the other side, we can't retreat!" "Don't panic, just hold on for a while!" The sound of guns and artillery echoed on the river. The wooden boats of the People's Liberation Army carried heavy machine guns on the bows while fighting and advancing. The water splashed and the lights were like stars, covering the river. 第二天，枪炮声在响，只是稀少了一点。 刘汝明不敢再正面与解放军对抗，才向各军下令撤退： “共军现正在铜陵以东大举渡江，我决定放弃江防阵地立即向东南方向撤退。兵团总部、绥区司令部及55军即于本日上午8时开始行动，96军、68军也全部后撤。” 刘汝明已被刘伯承打怕了，他在率残部逃到青阳县附近一个山沟时，遭到了共产党游击队的袭击，因兵团只有一个警卫营，而且多是手枪，不是他跑得快，差一点丢了性命。 没有跑多远，还能听到游击队的枪声，这时兵团的电台却叫了起来，来电者是汤恩伯，他对刘汝明不战而逃很恼火，命令他“务必坚守江防阵地，阻止共军渡江。” 刘汝明根本不买汤恩伯的账，他对部下说：“到这个时候了还让我们去白白送命，说得倒轻巧……” 他仍在逃跑。其他各军也先后朝不同方向逃去。 后来该部大部分被解放军歼灭，刘汝明和刘汝珍跑到了台湾。