Chapter 241 4. Fighting Jinan, Mao Zedong kissed Xu Shiyou

In the early and late September of 1948, the autumn in Jiaodong was crisp and sunny, the sorghum was red, the corn was yellow, and the heavy ears of corn swayed with the wind, making a rustling sound.Groups of sparrows soared into the sky from time to time in the millet fields, and scattered like hail in the cornfields or on the dusty roads. A U.S. military jeep sped from east to west with a long puff of smoke.On the co-pilot's seat sat a middle-aged soldier in a khaki coarse military uniform.Although the speed of the car has reached the limit, the middle-aged soldier seems to be too slow.Holding the armrest of the car with his right hand, he looked ahead, and his anxious expression told people that he wished he could reach his destination soon.

This middle-aged soldier is Xu Shiyou, the well-known commander of the Shandong Corps of the People's Liberation Army in Jiaodong and the current commander-in-chief of the siege of the Jinan Campaign.A month ago, after Xu Shiyou and Tan Zhenlin led the Shandong Corps to conquer Yanzhou, Xu Shiyou's leg injury recurred and it was difficult to move.The head of the East China Field Army approved Xu Shiyou to go to Aishan Tang, Penglai County, Jiaodong for treatment according to the telegram instructions of the Central Military Commission to "order Xu Tan to rest for two weeks after conquering Yan and Ji, and then attack Jinan."Therefore, Xu Shiyou, the commander-in-chief of the siege force in the Jinan Campaign, was actually not on the "site" during the planning stage of the Jinan Campaign.

That is to say, the operational concept, operational policy, troop deployment, assault focus, and material raising of the Jinan Campaign were all under the direct command of the Central Military Commission, through Su Yu, acting commander and acting political commissar of the East China Field Army, and deputy political commissar of the East China Field Army. Leaders such as Tan Zhenlin, a committee member and political commissar of the Shandong Corps, made specific deployments one by one after repeated research. The commander-in-chief of the Jinan campaign recommended by the East China Field Army to the Military Commission at the beginning was not Xu Shiyou.After Mao Zedong learned about it, he directly intervened, ordered the general personally, and clearly stated that Xu Shiyou must be the commander-in-chief of the siege.

At first, Mao Zedong did not notice that Xu Shiyou did not participate in the planning stage of the Jinan Campaign. Until one day, when Mao Zedong reviewed Huaye’s telegram on the battle plan of the Jinan Campaign, he found that Xu Shiyou’s signature was not there. He was very angry and sent a special message to ask where Xu Shiyou was. After receiving Mao Zedong's telegram asking about Xu Shiyou's whereabouts, the East China Field Army immediately telegraphed back to Mao Zedong, reporting Xu Shiyou's treatment of leg injuries in Penglai Aishantang; To the Jinan front. Xu Shiyou was really "flattered", and Chairman Mao's trust made him extremely happy.Although his leg injury hadn’t healed yet, he walked with pain and lameness; but he didn’t care about it, didn’t even eat dinner, and sat in the American military jeep captured in the Zhoucun Battle in March, facing the sunset, day and night, Fly to Tai'an, the headquarters of the Shandong Corps, which is thousands of miles away.

It was already noon on the second day (September 9) when Xu Shiyou came to Tai'an.At this time, Tan Zhenlin, Political Commissar of the Shandong Corps, Wang Jianan, Deputy Commander, Li Yingxi, Chief of Staff, Xie Youfa, Director of the Political Department, and other military and political leaders were waiting in front of the door.After they had lunch together, they talked about the preparations for the siege of the Jinan Campaign. Xu Shiyou, who has experienced many battles, is well aware of the heavy responsibility and believes that this is a big battle that can only be won but not lost.

How can we win?Xu Shiyou repeatedly considered the guidelines for the Jinan campaign.Judging from the comparison of troops, the siege force is 140,000 and the enemy is 110,000. Although our army has an advantage, as the offensive side of a large-scale battle, this advantage is insignificant.Jinan city defense fortifications are solid, the peripheral defense is deep, the troops are strong, and the firepower is fierce.How did the troops get in? Holding a lantern in hand, Xu Shiyou limped to the Jinan city defense map hung with gables, and compared the enemy's overall defense situation and fortifications with our army's attack plan and troop deployment.In one day and two nights, except for going out to eat twice, he hardly left the office, nor did he say a word.It was not until the morning of September 11 that he asked the staff officer on duty to enter the house and handed him a draft telegram to send out immediately.

This telegram was drafted by Xu Shiyou himself and sent directly to Mao Zedong.The telegram first reported that he had arrived at the front line in Jinan, and then talked about some personal views on the deployment of the attack on Jinan. After Mao Zedong received Xu Shiyou's telegram, he was very happy, and immediately showed it to Zhu De, and said excitedly: "General Xu has finally come out of the mountain!"