Chapter 12 Chapter Eleven

After the great victory in eastern Henan, the troops commanded by the Shandong Corps took advantage of the victory to attack Yanzhou, an important town in the southwest of Crewe.The task of attacking Jinan, the capital of Shandong, was quickly put on the agenda. At this time, the East China Field Army's outer-line corps went through continuous operations in the hot summer season of the Eastern Henan Campaign. The officers and soldiers suffered heavy casualties and their physical strength dropped sharply.Their current situation has aroused great concern from the Central Military Commission.The central government proposed that the Shandong Corps led by Xu Shiyou and Tan Zhenlin should attack Jinan and attract the enemy so that they could rest.

On July 14, 1948, the second day after the conquest of Yanzhou, the Central Military Commission called Su Yu, Acting Commander and Political Commissar of the East China Field Army, Chen Shiju, Chief of Staff, Tang Liang, Director of the Political Department, Zhang Zhen, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Xu Shiyou, Commander of the Shandong Corps. , Political Commissar Tan Zhenlin, Central Plains Bureau, East China Bureau: "It is estimated that the enemy will take advantage of your fatigue and concentrate on oppressing you so that you cannot rest at ease. You must take effective actions to disperse the enemy, and annihilate them when they disperse Only a few units can be used for a major rest. This kind of action to disperse the enemy seems to be the most effective for Xu Tan to attack Jinan. It is proposed to order Xu Tan to rest for two weeks after conquering Yan (zhou) and Jin (Ning) before attacking Jinan , forcing Qiu (Qingquan) and Huang (Baitao) to divide their troops into northern aid (the enemy must be aided by the north). At this time, you should find a part of the enemy to attack, so that the enemy will be forced to disperse, and the head and tail will not be able to see each other, so as to benefit us. Each defeat and then a big rest. When Xu Tan attacked Jinan, he could first occupy the airport and complete the siege preparations in two to three weeks (including eliminating fatigue, replenishing troops, training, reconnaissance and deployment, etc.). Decide whether to attack the city first or to attack the city first. If you are not sure about attacking the city and attacking the city, you will withdraw your troops and rest. Since Qiu and Huang took part of the aid, it is impossible to oppress you. Either you fight or rest, and you will all be free."

Su Yu and other Huaye leaders were deeply encouraged by the call from the Central Military Commission.They set their sights on a broader battlefield in the future, and no one cares about the difficulties in front of them.After serious discussion, they replied to the Central Military Commission on July 16: "If the deployment is mainly to disperse the enemy and help us gain time to rest, we suggest that it is not necessary." Jinan Airport, fearing that the army itself will be difficult, it will be difficult to fight continuously, and it will inevitably force the enemy to aid from the north. In this case, Yanji may still be occupied by the enemy. With Xu Tan's current strength, it is difficult to balance the attack on Jinan and the reinforcements." "Suggestion to Xu Tan Buy time with us to rest for a month, and then join forces to attack Jinan and send aid at the same time." "As long as Jinan can be resolved and the aid is won again, the battle may move south quickly, and the plan to capture Xuzhou this winter seems very likely."

It was a bold, unexpected plan. The main force of Huaye has been fighting on the outer line for more than a year. Now it proposes to join forces with the Shandong Corps to fight Jinan and provide aid, which means returning to the inner line to fight from the outer line. Do you agree? However, the Central Military Commission quickly affirmed the suggestion of Su Yu and other Huaye leaders to join forces to attack Jinan, and asked them to fight a few battles in the north and south of the Longhai Line after they rested, and then attack Jinan, or attack Jinan first and send aid.At the same time put forward a battle plan.

Since then, there have been frequent exchanges of telegrams between the Central Military Commission and Huaye leaders such as Su Yu, and the concept of attacking Jinan has been perfected day by day. On August 10, Su Yu and other Huaye leaders called the Central Military Commission and proposed three operational plans for the next step after the rainy season rest—— The first plan: focus on fighting in Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Huaibei Road East, cut off the Xubu Railway, isolate Xuzhou, focus on fighting aid, and obtain the first annihilation of the Kuomintang Fifth Army during the campaign, and then expand the results and annihilate other regiments.

The second plan: Concentrate the main force to capture Jinan first, and use the necessary forces to block the enemy who may be aided by the north. The third plan: capture Jinan and aid at the same time, focusing on the deployment and use of troops.In the first stage, two columns were used to seize the Jinan Airport, annihilating the counterattack force and weakening the defensive forces while helping the enemy to seize the airport, and at the same time, the remaining 11 columns were used to help; Responsible for blocking, turn the main force to attack Jinan. The three combat plans each have their advantages and disadvantages, and Su Yu and the others tend to adopt the third plan.The aid battlefield is planned to be in the area north of Wenhe, west of Tai'an, south of Feicheng, or the area between Zou County and Teng County in Shandong, and the area of ​​blocking aid is in Jinxiang, Juye, and Jiaxiang in southwest Shandong.

Leaders of Huaye planned to rush to Yanzhou on August 15 to discuss with Xu Shiyou, commander of the Shandong Corps, and Tan Zhenlin, deputy political commissar of Huaye and political commissar of the Shandong Corps, on the next step of operations. In order to cooperate more effectively with the September offensive, Huaye reported to the Military Commission: "In addition to ordering the two brigades of the Jianghuai Military Region to prepare to attack Xuzhou Airport, and ordering four or five regiments from Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu to attack the Xubeng section of the railway, the Huainan troops were ordered to attack the Bengpu Railway. At the same time, the Eleventh Column in Central China should transfer its main force to the canal line or along the river at the right time, and actively fight to achieve the effect of cooperation. It is recommended that the Central Plains Military Region use its main force to attack Xinyang or Nanyang Hanshui River Basin to attract 18 The army goes south to make it difficult for them to come to the north. At the same time, it is suggested that Chen Xie’s force should be located near Zhengzhou, so that Zheng’s enemies will not dare to go to the east.”

On August 12, Mao Zedong replied to Su Yu, Chen Shiju, Tang Liang, and Zhang Zhen in the name of the Central Military Commission, and told Shandong Corps Commander Xu Shiyou, Political Commissar Tan Zhenlin, Deputy Commander Wang Jianan, the East China Bureau, and the Central Plains Bureau: "The three things you mentioned We are considering the plan. After you discuss with Xu, Tan, and Wang and come up with more practical opinions, we will give you a formal reply." The Central Military Commission's attitude was extremely cautious, and it only offered some preliminary thoughts to Huaye's reply, as reference materials for discussions with Huaye.Regarding the attack on Jinan and aid in September, the Military Commission predicted three possible outcomes: "First, fight a huge battle of annihilation. This is what you said, not only conquering Jinan, but also annihilating most of the aid of the Fifth Army and other departments. Second, fight a big—but not huge—war of annihilation. This means conquering Jinan and annihilating some of it—but not most of the reinforcements. Third, Jinan has not been conquered, and reinforcements are not easy to fight, resulting in a We have to find another fighter.” At the same time, he pointed out with great foresight, “The purpose of your third plan is to strive for the first result. Its weakness is that occupying the airport with only two columns does not really fight against Jinan, but If we concentrate 11 columns to fight for aid, then the aid to the enemy must be carefully assembled and slowly advanced, not real aid. The reason why Qiu Qingquan and Ou Shounian Corps really aided Kaifeng is because we really opened Feng, the enemy knew clearly that we were blocking aid, not Fighting for aid, so we arrived in Kaifeng in 10 days. If your plan this time is not to really attack Jinan, but to focus on fighting for aid, then after the district corps are wiped out and the Qiu and Huang corps are severely damaged, the aid will inevitably be adopted (whether or not) Adopt) this method of cautiously gathering and advancing slowly. At that time, our army will inevitably change the plan midway and focus on the real attack on Jinan. Although there is nothing wrong with changing the plan midway, it will lose part of the time and allow the enemy to advance It may affect the situation of the battle.” The Military Commission further instructed, “We are currently inclined to attack cities and aid, divide labor and cooperate, so as to achieve the goal of conquering Jinan and annihilating part of the aid.”

On August 15, in the name of the Central Military Commission, Mao Zedong called the Central Plains Field Army, Commander Liu Bocheng, First Deputy Commander Chen Yi, and Deputy Political Commissar Deng Zihui: "The Huaye attack on aid in September is an important battle that requires your strong cooperation. The various verticals directly under your command plan the September combat plan in advance, and report your opinions by telegram at the end of the month." That is to say, the Central Military Commission has formally adopted the suggestion of Huaye Suyu and the others asking the Central Plains Field Army to provide a strong response to the attack on aid and aid. To cooperate with Jinan to fight, there will be some action.A large pattern of north-south echoes was formed.

A magnificent battle map has been drawn up, showing the initial outline of the prelude to the stage of strategic decisive battle, only waiting for the finishing touch. This is the season when the golden wind brings coolness and the fragrance of flowers and fruits. On August 20th, Su Yu led the military and political officials of the Yezhi Agency and some columns to Qufu, Shandong Province, and was warmly welcomed by the leaders of the Shandong Corps Tan Zhenlin, Wang Jianan and others, as well as the staff of the administrative agency.They prepared seasonal melons and fruits, delicious meals, and comfortable lodgings for Su Yu and his party. They also set up a war room in a spacious and bright hall in the Confucian Mansion. Large-scale military maps and maps of the situation of the enemy and ourselves were hung all over the walls. After preparing all kinds of combat documents and enemy investigation materials, Su Yu and his party had a warm feeling of returning home.

When old comrades-in-arms meet, they are very affectionate and talk about everything.Su Yu and Tan Zhenlin knew each other when they were in Jinggangshan. Both of them participated in the arduous three-year guerrilla war and worked together in the New Fourth Army for a long time.After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the two jointly commanded the Central Soviet Union Campaign, winning seven battles and seven victories.After the establishment of the East China Field Army, Su Yu served as the deputy commander and Tan Zhenlin served as the deputy political commissar. Under the leadership of the commander and political commissar Chen Yi, they jointly commanded the battles of Laiwu and Menglianggu, forcing the Kuomintang army to temporarily turn its key offensive against Shandong into a defensive position.After Huaye was divided into the Western Front Corps and the Eastern Front Corps, Su Yu and Chen Yi led the Western Corps to cooperate closely with the Liu (Bocheng) Deng (Xiaoping) Group and Chen (Geng) Xie (Fuzhi) Group to advance into the Central Plains and force the Kuomintang Army into a passive position. The situation played a decisive role in reversing the national war situation.After Chen Yi went to work in the Central Plains Military Region, Su Yu became the acting commander and acting political commissar of Huaye.Tan Zhenlin and Xu Shiyou led the Eastern Corps to insist on fighting on the inside, and brilliantly commanded the defense of Jiaodong and the battles of the middle and west sections of Jiaoji Road and the middle section of Jinpu Road, which fundamentally changed the situation in Shandong and made Jinan an isolated city.Now, they are standing together again. Over the past few days, the military and political leaders of various columns in Huaye have come to Qufu one after another, and many of them came in American jeeps seized from the battlefield.So many leading cadres came to Qufu at once, and the number of sentry posts was several times higher than usual, making the atmosphere here unusual. At this time, the Kuomintang Supreme Command was also very busy.In order to clarify the new movements of the East China Field Army after the Battle of Eastern Henan and the Battle of Yanzhou, the Ministry of National Defense’s daily regular military meetings must analyze and study the situation on the East China battlefield and the movements of the East China Communist Army.Chiang Kai-shek also often came uninvited.They believe that the main combat direction of the communist army is more likely to be in Jinan, and the communist army "has an attempt to attack Jinan", and based on this, they formulated the "Battle of Jinan" plan. Hai, Jinpu, Pinghan, Hanshui, and Danjiang each key point, form an attack and suppression corps, and first enrich the combat readiness." "Before the preparation is completed, the overall strategy is temporarily on the defensive, and the tactics are still offensive..." Defending Jinan The essentials are: 1. Minimize the defense circle as much as possible and focus on defense; 2. Control a strong reserve force, adopt mobile defense, and rely on firepower and mobile troops to attack the invading communist army; 3. Pay attention to nighttime defensive warfare and practice frequently.The Kuomintang authorities believed that the battle of Jinan was imminent, and strictly ordered the corps of the Kuomintang Xuzhou "Suppression General" and the troops of the Second Sui District of Jinan to adjust their deployment according to this plan and step up preparations for the war. The Central Military Commission learned of the successful reunion of the Huaye Inner Line Corps, and on August 22, it called Su Yu, Tan Zhenlin, Chen Shiju, and Tang Liang: "First, you will discuss and telegraph the combat plan for attacking aid and aid. Second, about the combat time , It is proposed to complete all preparations for the siege and reinforcements before September 15th, and start the siege, defense and reinforcements around September 15th. The troops should enter the designated position before September 15th. 3. September 15th Before and two months after September 15th (including combat and post-war rest), about 80 to 90 days, the food and fodder for the entire army must be fully prepared. 4. From Lincheng to Dawenkou and from Jinxiang to Wen On the two enemy aid roads along the river, our army must build multiple defensive positions, and must be able to prevent enemy aid for more than 20 days between Lincheng and Yanzhou, and between Jinxiang and Jining. It seems that the aid and annihilation battle should be scheduled in the vicinity of Yanzhou. Ye Fei's No. 1, No. 6, and No. 8 companies should move north a few days before the siege, neither too early nor too late." The telegram drafted by Mao Zedong on behalf of the Central Military Commission again posed a problem for Huaye leaders, asking them to "discuss the telegram." The Central Military Commission and Mao Zedong gave this topic to Huaye leaders, obviously there is a big article to do.How to do this big article well? Su Yu, Tan Zhenlin, and other Huaye leaders discussed and decided to convene a military conference attended by leaders above the column level of the Eastern and Western Corps as soon as possible, earnestly study and understand the spirit of the Military Commission's instructions, and combine the situation of the enemy and ourselves with the actual situation on the battlefield to work together to formulate an The combat plan for attacking aid and aid that conforms to the intention of the Military Commission and is practical, will then be formally submitted to the Central Military Commission for approval. At this time, our army learned that the Kuomintang army planned to transport the 19th Brigade to Jinan by air in order to increase the defense force of Jinan.It is also known that the 57th Brigade also showed signs of being transported to Jinan by air. When it will depart has yet to be confirmed. This sudden situation has aroused the great attention of Huaye leaders. On August 23, Su Yu, Tan Zhenlin, Chen Shiju, and Tang Liang jointly reported to the Central Military Commission and called the leaders of the Northern Jiangsu Corps, requesting that the main force of northern Jiangsu be transferred northward to participate in the war. The Central Military Commission quickly issued a reply. On August 24, the Military Commission called Su, Tan, Chen, and Tang: "First, agree to transfer the main force of the Northern Subei Corps to participate in the offensive and aid campaigns, and leave the 33rd and 34th Brigades in northern Jiangsu as appropriate. The Corps moved north. The time should not be too early, so as not to alert the enemy, I will concentrate first. Second, please let me know your estimates of the degree of defense and the speed of conquering the enemy." The decision of the Central Military Commission brought about a new situation in which the People's Liberation Army was superior to the Kuomintang army in terms of military strength on the battlefield of attacking aid and aid.The Huaye Outline Corps joined the Shandong Corps, and together with the main force of the Subei Corps that was about to go north to participate in the war, the PLA's available troops on the Shandong battlefield would reach 15 columns, about 320,000 people.The Kuomintang army's Jinan city guards and possible reinforcements are at most 280,000.In this way, the East China Field Army has completely gained the initiative in this major military operation, and can plan and prepare for the campaign according to its own timetable. From August 25th to 29th, the former committee of the East China Field Army held a combat meeting in Qufu with the participation of leading cadres of the East and West Corps columns.At the meeting, everyone communicated and studied a series of instructions of the Central Military Commission on this campaign of attacking aid and aid, and carefully studied the situation of both the enemy and ourselves. etc. have been fully discussed. Through discussion, the participants realized that the Battle of Jinan was not only a large-scale battle to fortify a fortified city, but also a large-scale battle to prevent and fight against multiple reinforcements in a vast area.Whether it is siege or blocking aid, it is an important battle. We must know ourselves and the enemy, fully prepare, estimate the difficulties more, and make more preparations. We must not suffer undue losses by underestimating the enemy.The tenth column of Huaye was known for its ability to fight and block. The commander of the tenth column, Song Shilun, took the initiative to ask for a battle and asked to take on the main task of attacking the west of the city.He actively suggested to encircle Jinan on all sides, and choose the main attack direction in the west of the city, "first attack the west of Jinan, control the airport, cut off the enemy's internal and external connections, and turn Jinan from an isolated city into a dead city", and then cooperate with brother troops to attack east and west With a fierce attack, Jinan can be just around the corner.Nie Fengzhi, the commander of the Ninth Column, also competed at the meeting to take on the main offensive task.His speech shocked everyone: "In my opinion, it doesn't take that long to go to Jinan, maybe 15 to 20 days is enough." He didn't just talk about it.As early as March of this year, when he attacked Zhoucun, he deliberately investigated the defense deployment of Jinan from among the captured senior enemy officers. Long Secret has been to the outskirts of Jinan.He trusts his own judgment. At 3 o'clock on August 26, Mao Zedong called Su Yu, Tan Zhenlin, Chen Shiju, and Tang Liang in the name of the Central Military Commission, pointing out: In the battle of attacking aid and aid, three possible situations must be estimated in advance: (1) Conquer Jinan when the distance to aid the enemy is still far away; (2) Conquer Jinan when the distance to aid the enemy is approaching; (3) Jinan has not yet been conquered when the distance to aid the enemy is approaching. You should first consider the first, then the second, and then try to deal with the third.In the third case, the battle plan should be changed on the fly, from focusing on attacking the city to focusing on attacking and aiding the enemy, and then attacking the city after defeating and aiding the enemy.Taking this into account, after you have divided the entire army into the siege group and the blocking and aiding group, both groups should set aside necessary reserve forces.Especially for the blocking and fighting aid groups, a strong reserve force should be set aside to prepare for the third situation, to ensure that you have enough power in your hands to wipe out the aiding enemy.In order to achieve this goal, you should focus on the construction of multiple strong blocking positions, so that on the one hand, you can save your blocking troops and prevent your own large numbers of troops from being exhausted and fatigued in the blocking operations, and on the other hand, you can consume a large amount of the enemy's troops. Before my blocking position.The use and storage of ammunition and the collection of food and fodder must conform to the above requirements.That is to say, when the third situation (the most difficult situation) arises, you have the means to defeat the enemy not only in terms of military strength, but also in terms of ammunition and food fodder.Victory is guaranteed only if you prepare all this in advance. The telegram of the Central Military Commission aroused strong repercussions among leading cadres above the column.Everyone believed that the combat principles put forward by the Military Commission were well thought out and expressed their support. During this period, there were many telegram exchanges between the Central Military Commission and Huaye, which fully demonstrated the high degree of democracy within the party and the army.Through the efforts of the whole army and mutual complementarity, the understanding of the whole army's combat policy of attacking aid and aid gradually tends to be consistent. The Huaye Front Committee carefully studied a series of instructions from the Central Military Commission, led the leading cadres above the column and after several days of in-depth discussions, quickly unified their understanding, and formulated a combat plan for attacking aid and aid on this basis. On August 31, Su Yu, Tan Zhenlin, and Chen Shiju formally reported to the Central Military Commission the combat plan drawn up by the discussion results of the cadres above the column, and clearly stated: "The sole purpose of the combat mission is to capture Jinan, and seek to wipe out and aid one of the enemy's troops (at least three Four brigades), and firmly prevent the aid of the enemy from approaching Jinan, so as to strive for the realization of the first possibility." "The formulation of the combat plan will be carried out in two stages. In the first stage, sufficient troops will quickly capture Jinan Airport to prevent the enemy's air support , and divide the surrounding enemy defenses (currently most of the defending enemies are stationed in the outskirts and the periphery) and annihilate them, weaken their defensive strength, and ascertain the strength of the enemy's fortifications and resistance. However, the strong strongholds around them should be monitored for convenience. After breaking through the outer perimeter, quickly penetrate into the depths in the second stage, divide the entire enemy defense system, disrupt its command system, capture its inner city and commercial ports, and then clear the surrounding suburbs to shorten the combat time. At the same time as the first stage of the campaign For the reinforcement of the enemy, we only use secondary troops to delay their advance and consume their strength based on strong fortifications, so that our reinforcements can be concentrated and fully prepared. By the end of the first stage of the campaign (about 7 days later), we will launch reinforcements Fight in order to annihilate and aid three or four enemy brigades. Then wait for an opportunity to annihilate and aid part of the enemy, or transfer part of the reinforcements to the direction of resistance." "The second stage of the campaign depends on the progress of the attacking group, the enemy's fortifications and resistance. The degree of strength, the priority of aiding the enemy and the result of our army's annihilation." At this time, the Central Military Commission was busy dealing with the Northeast War day and night, preparing to launch a strategic decisive battle with the Kuomintang Army Wei Lihuang Group.After receiving the combat plan officially reported by Huaye, the Central Military Commission quickly set aside time to study it, and called Su Yu, Tan Zhenlin, and Chen Shiju on September 2, and informed the East China Bureau and the Central Plains Bureau, and made a clear reply: "I fully agree with the August On the 31st, the entire deployment of the offensive and aid was proposed." With the express instructions of the Central Military Commission, the East China Field Army began to work freely in accordance with the established combat policy. On September 2, Su Yu, Tan Zhenlin, Chen Shiju, and Zhang Zhen issued the "East China Field Army's Preparation Order for Jixu Operation". After receiving the order to prepare for Jixu's battle, all the troops in Huaye stepped up their battle preparations one after another, waiting for an order. The combat preparation order pointed out that the East and West Siege Corps were under the unified command of Commander Xu Shiyou and Deputy Commander Wang Jian'an of the Shandong Corps. When the battle began, Deputy Political Commissar Tan Zhenlin returned to the Field Army Headquarters to jointly preside over the unified command of the entire army. Since the Shandong Corps had many things to be taken care of by Tan Zhenlin, it was really difficult for Tan to get out, and he couldn't return to the Wild Division to co-chair the command of the whole army until the end of the offensive. At this time, Xu Shiyou was recovering from his injuries in Penglai, Jiaodong, and the Yesi asked him to return to the front line to preside over the work of the siege group, which coincided with the intention of the Central Military Commission.Mao Zedong, who is extremely meticulous, found that Xu Shiyou's signature was not found in the recent documents and telegrams from East China.The Military Commission formally called to ask for opinions, saying that he was needed on the front line in Jinan, and asked whether his physical condition allowed him to resume work. Holding the telegram in his hand, Xu Shiyou was very excited, and said to his wife Tian Pu: "Pack up my luggage quickly, I want to go back to the front!" Xu Shiyou said that he was right. He didn't even eat dinner that day, so he got into the American-style jeep seized by Dazhou Village and rushed to Yidu, where the East China Bureau is located. Yidu, located in the middle of Jiaoji Road, was the leadership center of the party, government and military in East China at that time. In addition to the establishment of the leadership organization of the East China Bureau, the leadership of the East China Military Region also worked here.Knowing that Xu Shiyou was coming, the leaders of the East China Bureau and the East China Military Region had already prepared briefings and documents and telegrams about the Battle of Jinan for him. Many people know that Xu Shiyou is an expert in hunting, and he is addicted to alcohol.This time, the leaders of the East China Bureau and the East China Military Region had to prepare wine in order to welcome him.However, he politely declined and studied the text and telegrams about the Jinan Campaign behind closed doors.Afterwards, he drafted telegrams to Su Yu and Tan Zhenlin respectively, telling them that he had arrived at the East China Bureau and was expected to arrive at Tan Zhenlin and Wang Jian'an of the Shandong Corps on the morning of September 10, expressing his agreement with the combat policy of attacking aid and aid determined by the Qufu Conference .However, he believed that the deployment of troops was not concentrated enough, and suggested that the use of troops should be concentrated, and one of the two columns of the Jixi Corps should be drawn to the east of the railway.This is the "sword" tactic that he has been pondering over and over recently - try to use the main force on the blade so as to kill the enemy.After writing the telegram, he read it carefully from beginning to end, and found that some different views on the Qufu meeting were revealed in the words and sentences.But thinking of being responsible for the victory or defeat of the entire battle and the lives of all officers and soldiers, as a responsible military commander, he would never allow himself to have different opinions and keep silent.So, without hesitation, he wrote at the end of the telegram at 9 o'clock on September 8, signed his name, and then handed it over to the confidential staff of the East China Bureau for dispatch. After the Qufu meeting, Su Yu, Chen Shiju, Tang Liang, Zhong Qiguang and other Huaye leaders went to Dabaiji in the northwest of Ningyang to set up a small and capable command center, and attended the combat meetings of the three verticals and the ten verticals respectively.Tan Zhenlin returned to Tai'an Shandong Corps with Deputy Commander Wang Jian'an, Chief of Staff Li Yingxi, Director of the Political Department Xie Youfa and others. On September 10, Su Yu called Xu Shiyou, Tan Zhenlin and the Central Military Commission: "We agree with Comrade Shiyou's opinion on gathering troops" and "Let King Xu Tan decide how to deploy the troops."He expressed his high regard for Xu Shiyou's suggestion of concentrated use of troops and his absolute trust in the military command of Xu Shiyou, Tan Zhenlin, and Wang Jian'an. On September 11, Mao Zedong replied to Xu Shiyou in the name of the Central Military Commission and informed Su Yu, Tan Zhenlin, Chen Shiju, the East China Bureau, and the Central Plains Bureau. Eliminate some of Xu Shiyou's misunderstandings about the operational policy of the Qufu Conference.This telegram entrusted Xu Shiyou, Su Yu and others with important responsibilities, and declared to Xu Shiyou very solemnly: "You will be responsible for the entire siege command. Su Yu will be responsible for the entire army command." The reply also clearly instructed, "The purpose of this operation is mainly to capture Jinan should be followed by the annihilation of some of the enemy reinforcements. However, in terms of means, that is, in terms of the deployment of troops, we should not attack Jinan with a large number of troops. If a large number of troops are used to attack Jinan and a small number of troops are used to fight and reinforce the enemy, since there are many reinforcements, It is bound to be unstoppable, and part of it cannot be wiped out. Therefore, if the necessary time for the attack cannot be obtained, the attack will definitely fail." "As for the deployment of the siege, it should be divided into two stages: the first stage is to concentrate the superior forces to capture the western aircraft. It is very important not to use the main force on the east side of the battlefield, and it should be deployed immediately. In the second stage, according to the development of the battle situation, the main force should be used in the direction that is most beneficial to development. If the east side is conducive to development, it should be used on the east side. " The Central Military Commission and Mao Zedong's generals before the war were indeed discerning, knowing people and doing their jobs well.Both Su Yu and Xu Shiyou are rare warriors with both wisdom and courage. They each have their own strengths and complement each other.Su Yu has a strategic vision and is good at commanding battles. He is the right person to command the entire army in this campaign of attacking aid and aid.Xu Shiyou is good at siege, brave and tenacious, and he is the most suitable candidate for the commander-in-chief of siege. Chen Yi once commented on Su Yu in this way: "General Su Yu's campaign command has always maintained its record of constant victories, and the more amazing it is, the better it is." "Comrade Su Yu can be regarded as a person who is excellent in both theory and practice. He has been trained in actual warfare for a long time, and the military command in East China mainly depends on him!" Nie Fengzhi, who had fought bloody battles with Xu Shiyou for a long time, once praised his old commander in this way: "Commander Xu started his career by fighting, and war is his career. He has participated in countless battles and battles in his life, many of which were tough battles, vicious battles, Deceitful warfare. His command style is not only "in the face of a strong enemy, I will be even tougher when the enemy is tough", daring to fight and fight without fear of death, but also rough on the outside and fine on the inside, and good at using his brain. Commander Xu is my A generation of warriors who have grown up from warriors step by step!" On the evening of September 9, Xu Shiyou didn't even eat dinner, so he got into his American jeep and left the East China Bureau of Yidu, and drove to Tai'an Shandong Corps Headquarters overnight. After a bumpy journey, Xu Shiyou arrived in Tai'an on time at dawn the next day. After a short rest, he immediately went to intense work. Xu Shiyou drove straight to Shijingtou Village, Shankouzhai, east of Tai'an.This is the station of the 73rd Regiment of the 25th Division of the Ninth Column of the Siege East Corps.The autumn sun was shining brightly, and the officers and soldiers of the whole regiment were conducting a siege drill, sweating profusely one by one.As soon as he got out of the car, he was greeted by Nie Fengzhi, the commander of the Ninth Column, Liu Haotian, the political commissar, and Zhang Muhan, the head of the 73rd Regiment. Xu Shiyou was excited by the spectacular scene in front of him.I saw scenes of rushing and killing everywhere in and outside the village, and the shouts were loud, as if we were on the battlefield where the two armies were fighting.What's even more amazing is the simulated assault drill at the village head: on the one hand, the defenders use the earthen ditches and ditches at the village head to replace the thick city walls and wide moats to guard against danger; Waiting for self-made equipment, under the cover of artillery and light and heavy machine gun firepower, they attacked the city in turn, and attacked again and again if they failed.If the bridge was blown off, we would wade or swim across the river; if the ladder was blown off, we would tie it up with a rope and continue to use it; Climb high with your shoulders. Xu Shiyou smiled.He saw a squad leader and two soldiers practicing using poles to throw explosive packages.The company commander suddenly reminded a soldier that his leg was injured. The soldier staggered a bit, then stood firm, holding the explosive pack tightly with both hands.The squad leader and another soldier hurriedly took the explosive package and prepared to tie it to the top of the pole.Fastened in the blink of an eye, they set the poles up high.Just as he was about to pull the rope to detonate the explosive package, the company commander suddenly reminded: "The rope is broken!" This unexpected situation surprised the people present, who didn't know how to deal with it. They saw the squad leader squatting, climbed up the high pole, quickly grabbed the broken lead wire, pulled it hard, and then slid down the high pole. He led the two little soldiers to a place 10 meters away, and leaned down. The company commander shouted: "The detonation was successful! The enemy's city wall was blown open a big gap!" Before the words were finished, a few soldiers rushed out from the attack, with submachine guns on their backs and grenades on their waists, and they bent over and rushed to the base of the city wall one by one.There, the comrades in front had already set up the ladder.They climbed bravely without hesitation, and shot and dropped bombs at the enemy after reaching the top of the city.The enemy fought back desperately.Someone in front fell down, and those behind continued to rush forward desperately, one wave after another.They yelled loudly, rushed left and right without interruption, and finally consolidated the position at the top of the city, and continued to expand the results of the battle, opening up a channel to victory for the follow-up troops. Xu Shiyou came among the soldiers, grabbed the hand of a short soldier, looked over and over, gently stroked the bloody and callused palm and said, "Does it hurt? Thank you!" Xiaobing replied loudly: "Report to the chief, it doesn't hurt! It's not hard!" Xu Shiyou nodded approvingly, then turned to the crowd and raised his voice and said: "Comrades, the training is very hard and tiring. It is impossible to say that it is not hard work! Now we suffer more and fight with less bloodshed! Today, I am right Splash some cold water on your actual combat training—you know, Jinan’s Wang Yaowu is not soft tofu, and Jinan’s city defenses are not just paper, we have to use our brains to find a way, practice hard and skillfully!” Later, Xu Shiyou met with the battalion and company cadres of the regiment to learn more about their preparations for war and their ability to deal with various emergencies. In the afternoon of this day, Xu Shiyou attended the swearing-in meeting for the offensive and economic operations held in Fanjia Town, Tai'an, where the Nine Columns are stationed. After the swearing-in meeting, Xu Shiyou was surprised to find that the top and bottom of the Nine Columns said that they were responsible for the main offensive mission, even the combat order said so, which was completely different from the orders issued by Huaye and Shandong Corps. "Old Nie, what are you up to?" Xu Shiyou couldn't help asking Nie Fengzhi.Su Yu, Tan Zhenlin, Xu Shiyou and other Huaye and Shandong Corps leaders knew very well that the west of Jinan was both a weak point and a vital point.There is an airport there, which is garrisoned by the Ministry of Culture of Wu Hua, a motley army.Our army's fight for Wu Huawen has already begun. If we capture the western suburbs of Jinan, it will help cut off Wang Yaowu's connection with the outside world and help the smooth development of the entire campaign.Therefore, in terms of troop allocation and combat deployment, the west line of Jinan where the tenth column is located is determined to be the main attack direction, and the Jinan east line where the nine columns are located is the assist direction.Now I don't know why Jiuzong changed the assist to the main attack. Although there is only one word difference between "main attack" and "assist", the meanings and requirements are completely different. Nie Fengzhi knew in his heart that Xu Shiyou, the old superior and the former commander of the Nine Columns, was difficult to deal with.He will never forget that Xiao Jinghai, the commander of the 25th Division, Zhang Chuxiu, the commander of the 26th Division, and Sun Duanfu, the commander of the 27th Division, raised the same question a few days ago and asked roundabout ways whether the column had made a mistake. , The order given by the Corps to the column was "assist", so why did the order given by the column to the divisions become "main attack"?The words reached Nie Fengzhi's ears, and Nie Fengzhi talked to the three division commanders separately, and the words he said were resounding: "There is no mistake, that is what I meant! The Corps has orders from the Corps, and the Column has orders from the Column. You follow the order given to you by the Column." Order to fight, but I missed something, I will take you as a questioner!" The three division commanders all knew that their commanders fought fiercely, and they never said anything different, so they dared not talk anymore.Now, how dare Nie Fengzhi deal with Xu Shiyou in the same way he dealt with his three teachers. After thinking twice, he decided to tell the truth. He deliberately put on a bitter face and said: "It was my idea to change that way, and it was also to win this battle. If there is anything wrong, I am willing to be scolded and punished. There is a reason for doing this, that is In order to hit Wang Yaowu's sore spots with one blow, he will be beaten to the ground with one blow. Boss Chen said before that after the end of the War of Resistance Against Japan and the beginning of the War of Liberation, the "Military Three-member Team" of the Executive Department of the Beiping Army Mediation Department went to Jinan to mediate between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. At the time of the relationship, I met Wang Yaowu many times and said that this Shandong man should not be underestimated. Wang Yaowu once told Boss Chen that your Communist Party has three major strengths. It is good at learning and research, has a good relationship with the people, and can fight wars. He also said that domestic The war has been chaotic for many years, and the lives of people are miserable. As a soldier, he also prefers peace and does not want to fight. Although his words are flattering and hypocritical, it cannot be denied that this is a thoughtful person, different from the Kuomintang army. Those idiot commanders. We can't take him lightly. After our long-term research, including learning from the Kuomintang defectors and captives, we know that Wang Yaowu has a good command and has a lot of prestige in his troops. After he spared no effort to strengthen防御设施，济南已变为一个坚固设防的城市。况且，王耀武手里还有11万重兵。面对这样的敌人，面对敌我兵力对比，我们并不占有绝对优势，我们抱着老皇历不放肯定吃亏。这就要求我们多用脑子，出奇兵，让他防不胜防，疲于应付，最后战而胜之。我们把'助攻'改为'主攻'，没有要上级给我们增兵增枪，也没有改变战役的整个部署，只是要求改变大伙儿的精神状态，拿出打'主攻'的劲头完成任务。但我承认，事先没有请示报告，多少有点自由主义。请许司令批评指示。” 许世友一向讲短话，今天他居然耐着性子听完了聂凤智这篇长篇大论。他既没说行，也没说不行，只骂了一声：“老聂呀，你要搞砸了，看我不扒了你的皮！” 对聂凤智来说，没有比这样的挨骂更受用的了。九纵上上下下都用打“主攻”的精神要求自己，官兵们用写决心书、写血书、诉苦、立军令状等多种形式表达他们决心在这次攻济战役中为人民立新功。 参加完九纵攻济作战誓师大会，许世友、谭震林、王建安等攻城集团指挥部领导人又分别前往东兵团的渤海纵队和总预备队十三纵队等部队视察，给官兵们讲话。谭震林下大力气抓攻克济南后的军事管制工作和城市接管工作，颁布了“约法七章”和“十项规定”，成立了以他本人和曾山、许世友、谢有法、郭子化、袁仲贤、刘顺元共7人组成的军事管制委员会，就城市政策问题，多次给干部们作报告。他以打潍县为例，强调执行城市政策的重要性。由于打潍县过程中城市政策执行得好，得到了意料不到的重要收获——物资没有被破坏，机关没有被搞乱，国民党的全部文件得以被接收，乱捕乱杀的现象也没有发生，不但在经济上而且在政治上瓦解了敌人，增强了革命力量。仅章丘、齐东两县跑回来的“还乡团”等就有1万人，带回2000多条步枪，还有机关枪、迫击炮。他恳切地告诫大家：“城市政策是我们党的一面旗帜。一个城市首先与老百姓见面的就是解放军，人家看共产党的好坏就首先看解放军的行动。城市政策关系到革命成败的问题，所以同志们要认识到，不是上级要求讲，我们可以不讲。这是关系革命成败的问题，我们每一个人都有重大责任。” 由于济南西部地区被选作这次战役的主攻方向，华野主要军政领导人对攻城西兵团的部队给予特殊的关注，多次前往攻城西兵团所属的十纵队、三纵队和两广纵队等部队视察，出席他们的营以上干部会，看他们针对济南特点进行的实兵演练，还出席了十纵司令员宋时轮、政治委员刘培善主持召开的西兵团作战会议。 这时，我方获悉，国民党军整编八十三师的一个旅可能空运至济南，济南守敌将增至九个正规旅。济南飞机场及其外围防守兵力已达五个旅，正日夜赶修工事，敌我兵力对比已出现了不利于我的变化。 粟裕对攻济作战方案重新作了研究，提出甲、乙、丙三个方案，于9月11日致电许世友、谭震林、王建安，并报中央军委、华东局、中原局：“请你们考虑后提出具体意见电告，并请军委、华东局、中原局指示。” 战场上的情况瞬息万变，一个优秀的军事指挥员必须善于随时把握战场的脉搏而提出相应的对策。在这些方面，粟裕无疑是出类拔萃的。他所提出的三个方案的精髓就是敌变我变，使自己始终处于有利地位。敌向济南增兵而使我处境不利，我就集中攻坚集团的主力先猛攻飞机场，待情况明了后再决定下一步行动——或以打援集团之一部攻歼徐州东南郊外围之敌，以吸引敌人注意力于徐州；或攻济南吸引敌人北援，而以打援兵团之一部进迫徐州，调动敌人回援而歼灭之。不管哪一个方案，都是为了尽可能调动敌人，改变敌我之间的力量对比，而没有放弃夺取济南的计划。 9月12日、13日，许世友、王建安、谭震林和中央军委先后致电粟裕，表明了不同看法。许王谭的电报说：“八十三师是否已空运至济南难以确定，但我们在精神上假定该敌已到济。为稳重攻济，第一步以攻下飞机场为主，东边也应攻击，才能做有利配合，否则，敌易集合全力向机场反扑，使我不易得手。加之机场方面地形狭隘，最多只能使用两个纵队，否则拥挤一堆，徒增伤亡，于事无益。因此，攻济部署不能有大的变动。仅以十三纵紧随鲁中南纵之后，必要时参加机场作战，将机场攻下后，再以情况而变更。请促成宋（时轮）刘（培善）孙（继先，三纵队代司令员）等之决心与信心，按时发起战斗。如宋、孙等能于运动时来泰安城与我们会谈一次更好。” 中央军委仔细研究过粟裕9月11日来电后，经过反复权衡，也不赞成攻济部署做大的变动，提出设法歼敌一部，使济南守敌等于没有增兵而空欢喜一场。毛泽东以中央军委的名义于9月13日3时给粟裕并告许谭王和华东局、中原局的电报中说：“我用一个兵团攻徐州东南郊外围之敌，另以几部兵力发动向徐海、徐蚌、商兰之破击，造成攻击徐州之势，以求牵制徐敌不敢北援。因刘峙有三个有力兵团分驻商丘、新安、蚌埠三处，随时可以集中于徐州附近，除给我分散各部以反击外，尚有充分兵力（十个旅以上）组成一个集团，北上援济。此时，我分散各部势必被调回，兵力疲劳，处于被动，恐难达打援目的，因此乙项方案不宜采用。甲、丙两项方案是按照原计划作战的打援方法，这是可以依据敌援情况临时选择的。因此，只要你们在八十三师到达济南后，仍有把握夺取飞机场并在济市外围歼敌一部，你们可以按照原计划发动攻济，并在徐济间准备打援为适宜。只要你们能在飞机场及其附近歼敌两个旅左右，则济市之敌等于没有增加。除非你们对夺取飞机场及在济市外围歼敌两个旅左右业已完全无把握，那就只好彻底放弃攻济计划，而另做其他计划。但即使如此，亦不妨试攻一次两次，假如试攻无效，对我亦无大损失。” 粟裕一向对毛泽东的胆略由衷地敬佩，对许世友、谭震林、王建安指挥上的细心、周到和成熟也完全信得过。现在毛泽东提出的“只要你们能在飞机场及其附近歼敌两个旅左右，则济市之敌等于没有增加”的思想，是军事辩证法的最好运用，使得敌我力量对比发生有利于我方的变化。粟裕钦佩的是毛泽东虚怀若谷的态度，他丝毫不强加于人，甚至想到了歼敌不成而彻底放弃攻济计划。许世友、谭震林等攻城战役领导人，经过对敌我情况的分析和慎重考虑，在假定敌人增兵济南既成事实的情况下，仍坚持“攻济部署不能有大的变动”，表明他们对敌人的藐视和对胜利的坚定信念，这既使粟裕感动，又为他最后决策提供了依据。这一切，更加促使粟裕重新审视自己的计划，并最后下定决心。 9月13日，粟裕先后致电中央军委和许谭王，宣布按原计划，于9月16日晚开始对济南发动攻击。至此，战前准备工作已全部就绪，全军上下处于如箭在弦的临战状态，只等一声令下。 由于华野东西攻城兵团陆续向济南开进，担任阻援打援的部队从不同方向开往预定阵地，南线江淮军区、豫皖苏部队、淮南部队和苏北部队频频向徐州近郊，津浦路徐蚌段、浦埠段，陇海路徐商段，运河线进袭，惊动了南京国民党统帅部和徐州、济南守敌。国民党第二“绥靖”区司令官王耀武迅速作出判断：共军将于近日对济南发动大规模攻击。 南京国民党统帅部看到济南军情紧急，再次向徐州“剿总”和济南第二“绥靖”区重申：增强守备力量，控制强有力的预备队，采取机动防御，确保济南万无一失，而后再配合进剿兵团内外夹击，一举击溃共军。蒋介石也给王耀武打电话，要他死守济南。王耀武则在电话中向蒋介石叫苦，说解放军来势很凶，如不给他增兵，济南恐怕凶多吉少。蒋介石不高兴王耀武在电话里讨价还价，要他到南京面谈。 9月14日，王耀武匆匆驱车去济南西郊机场。飞机升空后，他命令驾驶员环绕济南飞行一周。他凭窗俯视，地面的情景证实了济南大战在即，也证实了他的忧虑并非杞人忧天。不用费力就能看见通向济南的条条大路上尘土飞扬，无数人马、车辆正向济南周围聚集。他心事重重，济南已被共军围得像铁桶一般，除了空中走廊尚算通畅外，所有陆上的对外通道已被全部切断，只靠现有的兵力是无论如何守不住的。他实在难以接受死守济南的命令。他认为这样做，除了拼掉手中的老本外，不会有别的结果。要想保住济南，唯一可供选择的，就是采取“欲擒故纵”的办法——索性先放弃济南，只要保住手中老本，夺回济南岂不易如反掌？可是，由于蒋介石的固执，他的这些想法一再落空。他是1946年1月就任国民党第二“绥靖”区司令官的。解放军转入全面进攻后，周村、张店、淄川、博山、潍县等地相继落入共军手中，济南的处境已岌岌可危。他看出济南必是共军下一个进攻目标，曾于1948年5月15日飞南京向蒋介石告急，建议放弃济南，将他的军队撤至兖州及其以南地区，与徐州一带的国民党军连成一片，而后再图发展。这年3月，“行宪国民大会”召开，蒋介石刚刚当选为第一届总统，正因全国各个战场连遭重创被弄得焦头烂额，所以一听放弃济南的话便火冒三丈，用严厉的口吻教训说：“你不从大处着眼。对济南的问题，我曾考虑过。我们必须确保济南，不能放弃！”蒋介石生怕他脑子转不过弯，对他大谈了一套确保济南的道理，“我们有空运大队，随时可以增派援军。在空军优势的条件下，济南并不孤立，没有后方也可以作战。济南如果被围攻，我当亲自督促主力部队迅速增援。只要你能守得住，援军必能及时到达，我有力量来解你的围。为了确保济南，必要时还可以增加防守部队。打仗主要是打士气。我们的失败，败在士气低落。你们如不奋发努力，坚定意志，将死无葬身之地！”想不到，仅仅四个月，战局急剧恶化，济南四面楚歌。蒋介石还能兑现先前的承诺吗？他将信将疑。 王耀武在徐州短暂停留，本来想同刘峙谈谈向济南增派部队的事情，问究竟何时下令将滞留徐州的八十三师两个旅空运至济南，不料刘峙反而向他诉起苦来。 刘峙像变戏法似的，不知从哪里拿出几份标语传单，未说话先笑出了声：“老弟，你慢慢看看！太不像话，太不像话！简直是侮辱人格！” 这些标语传单，不外乎“打进徐州，活捉刘峙”之类。有一份传单这样写着：“国民党在徐州，来过三个大将。前年来的叫薛岳，打了败仗被撤掉了。去年来了顾祝同，庸碌又无能。我们把他赶走了。今年来的叫刘峙，也是有名的大笨蛋。我们要想生活过得好，就要勇敢上前，打进徐州去杀猪！”落款是“解放军鲁南军区司令员张光中”。 王耀武忍不住想笑，他记起国军中流传甚广的一则笑话：蒋介石派刘峙就任徐州“剿总”总司令时，底下的将领很不以为然，颇有微词。有人说，徐州是南京的门户，应该派一员虎将把守才是。假如派不出一只虎，至少应该派条狗——狗可以看门。如今只派来一头猪，这个门如何守得住？刘峙身体肥胖、大腹便便、行动缓慢，把他比为猪，真是活灵活现。所以，常常有人当面恭维他是福将，背后却骂他是猪。想不到共产党方面也这么称呼他。 这时，刘峙咧嘴笑了：“老弟，看到了吧？共产党要进徐州杀猪，济南贴出了'打到济南府，活捉王耀武'，徐州也贴出了'打进徐州，活捉刘峙'，彼此彼此！”他哗哗地翻着手中的一摞文件说，“根据可靠情报，共军搞了一个'济徐作战计划'，他们的进攻目标也有徐州，徐州同样危急。这绝不是虚张声势。近几天，徐州东边运河车站一带，徐州以西至商丘、徐州与蚌埠之间，到处告急，说明情况已经相当严重。我知道老弟那边确实需要人，但徐州这边也不能少了人。八十三师两个旅暂缓空运至济南是得到老头子同意的，也是看好徐州这个大门的需要。我刘某哪敢自作主张？！” 到了这一步，还有什么可说的呢？王耀武只得告辞。 当晚王耀武飞抵南京，下榻在大行宫中央饭店，次日在国防部第三厅厅长郭汝瑰的陪同下晋见蒋介石。 在飞机上，王耀武早已打好腹稿。他知道蒋介石忌讳放弃济南、弃城突围一类的话，为了不惹老头子生气，他尽可能避开类似的说法，字斟句酌，目的是搬到援兵救急。 蒋介石显得平静随和，不像电话中那样咄咄逼人。这倒给王耀武壮了胆，使他鼓起勇气把之前再三掂量过的腹稿往外抖落：共军大部已迫近济南，以他们攻占潍县、兖州的情形来看，他们已具有攻坚的力量和技术。双方的力量对比已发生了不利于国军的变化。“如不增加一个师，济南是守不住的。”他有意加重了语气。他偷看蒋介石做深思状，并未发作，便大着胆子继续往下讲，“我们决心与济南共存亡！只有将我过去带过的整编七十四师立即空运至济南增防，固守济南才有把握。请校长早作决断！” 蒋介石除了偶尔“嗯”一两声外，不置一词。他似乎陷入了深深的沉思，间或双眉微蹙、旁若无人地来回踱步。 忽然，蒋介石停住脚步，面向郭汝瑰，说：“给徐州的整编七十四师下令，命令他们立即集结待命，随时准备空运至济南增防。通知周至柔准备空运飞机，越快越好，飞机一准备好即开始空运！” 蒋介石似乎松了一口气，把脸转向王耀武，说：“济南有足够的兵力，有纵深设防的坚固工事，现在又把邱维达的七十四师调去增防，足可以防守了。共军的战法就是猛冲猛打这两下子，只要头几天稳得住，他们的攻势就会受到顿挫。我已准备了强大的增援部队，一旦共军围攻济南，当严令援军迅速出动。待援军到达兖州、济宁以北地区时，你们应随时注意与援军联系。在敌人打得筋疲力尽时，及时抽出两个师的兵力出击，对共军来一个南北夹击，那时我军定当获得胜利。” 这一席话简直使王耀武有些受宠若惊。他一下从座位上蹦起来，做了一个最标准的立正姿势，声音有些发颤地说：“七十四师如能及时空运至济南，我们就有获胜的绝对把握，共军就休想攻破济南！” 蒋介石要的就是这句话，他一直阴冷的脸上终于露出了笑容。临别时，他把王耀武送到客厅门口，特地关照说：“济南那边更需要你，你今天就赶回去，不留你了。” 从蒋介石官邸出来，王耀武仍为七十四师能否按时空运的事情放心不下，直到同郭汝瑰就如何向徐州“剿总”下命令、如何向空军总部要运输机等问题逐一落实后，才放下心来。对他来说，这一回是满载而归。他颇为自得。 9月15日，他带着满意的心情飞回济南。 山东济南，泉水众多，千姿百态，尤以趵突泉、黑虎泉、珍珠泉、五龙潭等最为有名，素有“泉城”之称，如今充满大战前的火药味，成了一座不折不扣的兵城。 9月9日至13日，华东野战军担负攻城任务的东集团和西集团，分别从泰安、莱芜和济宁、汶上等地区出发，隐蔽地向济南城开进。 9月15日夜，攻城东、西集团各部队相继迫近济南城郊。东集团一部在进军途中顺带攻占了龙山镇、三官庙。西集团一部包围了济南的屏障长清城，主力进至长清东南的宋村、讲书院、崮山地区，迫使守敌向长清东北方向收缩。 王耀武把济南作战成败的赌注押在整编七十四师的增援上。为了确保空运不中断，他一方面强化了机场的防守力量，一方面又在济南南郊千佛山下临时抱佛脚赶建了一条飞机起降跑道，以备万不得已时用来救急。如今，华野攻城西集团主力出现在长清东南地区，对济南机场构成了直接威胁，使王耀武感受到前所未有的压力。 当危险一步步逼近时，王耀武当即召集绥区军政长官、司令部主要幕僚人员、济南东西守备区长官和直属部队长官，分析形势，商讨对策。大家一致认为：华野主攻方向在济南西部，其首要目标是夺取飞机场，伺机向商埠发展，然后在东线、南线华野攻城部队配合下，向济南外城和内城发起攻击。为此，会议决定，加强济南西部地区防守兵力，将刚由徐州调来的作为绥区总预备队的整编八十三师十九旅调到飞机场以西的古城方向，将整编五十七旅由济南南面的张夏、崮山等地撤回济南城区，以便随时准备增援济南西部地区作战。 9月16日（阴历八月十四）夜幕渐渐笼罩了大地，一轮将圆未圆的皓月将清辉洒向人间，到处都被镀上了一层银白色。许世友、谭震林、王建安等军政主官带着攻城指挥部人员，来到离济南城南不远的一个叫唐家沟的小村子，建立前进指挥所。他们把前进指挥所选在一个既隐蔽又能看见战场厮杀、听到枪声炮声的突出的小山头上。沿着崎岖的小路登上山顶，举目望去，正北方天际泛着红光的地方就是向往已久的济南城。他们正期待着一个庄严时刻的到来。 皓月升上了中天，除了偶尔几声犬吠和远处间或零零散散的枪响，四野静寂无声。当时针和分针在“12”点的位置重合时，许世友同谭震林、王建安等领导人交换了一个眼色，随即大声宣告：“时间到，开始攻击！” 指挥所的气氛骤然紧张起来，参谋人员迅速通过无线电台和有线电话把攻击命令传下去。顷刻间，炮声隆隆，枪声连成一片，火光映红了半边天空。