Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Flying across the Yellow River

June to July 1947 Yellow River Xuzhou Nanjing The Yellow River, the mother river of the Chinese nation, looks like a huge yellow dragon, rolling thousands of hectares of sand and calling for thunder from the nine heavens.Humanity means that the Yellow River has ten beaches and nine dangers, and the Yellow River, which is flooded in June, has no beaches or dangers.Looking up, there are surging yellow waves, flying and rushing.On the river more than ten miles wide, the crests of waves piled up one after the other like sand avalanches, gathered into a huge whirlpool, and rushed towards the embankment like crazy.The ones that were not broken retreated back, collided with the waves that came one after another, slapped into the air with a "bang", and then fell down like a waterfall.The majestic momentum is awe-inspiring.It is not an exaggeration for Chiang Kai-shek to compare it to the "400,000 army".

June 30th is exactly May 12th in the old calendar.An olive-shaped moon rose from the tips of willow branches and slowly climbed into the sky.In the blue night sky, there are wisps of clouds, and the moon and stars are sparse.The earth is sleeping, except for the Yellow River, which is always awake, only the night wind blows the leaves of reeds and calamus, making a rustling sound. In the silent night, thousands of troops and horses lay down near the three hundred li river embankment in Dong'a to Pu County.Sailors from the eight counties along the river made their way to the various crossings.The branches and cloth on the boat were uncovered, and the big boat in the dock was pushed to the ferry point.Small boats in the reeds and calamus paddle out of the water.Rows of cannons in the green gauze tent raised their barrels.

Everything was going on in silence. The river-crossing vanguard at Liqiao Ferry is the 18th Brigade of the Sixth Column.Looking at the opposite bank through the telescope, under the moonlight, the enemy's sentries are wriggling on the beach like bugs. There is a bunker at 50 meters along the defense line along the coast, and a single bunker at 15 meters.The bunker and the bunker are connected by a two-foot-wide ditch, and in front of the ditch is the Yellow River with turbid waves sweeping the sky. Brigadier Xiao Yongyin smoked in the river defense headquarters.That's really pumping!Take a bite, and burn half of it with a hiss.He took a sip and glanced at his watch.Tick ​​tick, the hour hand pointed to ten thirty in the evening.Xiao Yongyin threw the cigarette butt in his hand and grabbed the phone: "Avantgarde Regiment, arrive at the crossing point within five minutes!"

The Commandos of the Vanguard Regiment arrived in four minutes.Some recruits who joined the army during the rest period have never seen the Yellow River, and they hurried on their way while whispering: "I will not give up until I reach the Yellow River! But I will not give up on the Yellow River..." Once they stood on the embankment of the Yellow River, they couldn't help but "ah!" "Get up.The heart seemed to be beating non-stop in order to prove its immortality. Before crossing the river, the troops studied Liu Bocheng's "Tactical Guidance for Crossing the River in Front of the Enemy", and everyone wrote a meritorious plan.Li Xiangyun, the deputy platoon leader of the second team of the commando, reported countless firsts in one breath: "I want the first class to take the first boat, I want to be the first to board, the first to disembark, and the first to land. , the first to occupy the dark fort, the first to blow up the bunker on the river embankment..."

When mobilizing during the day, Xiao Yongyin asked the commando to quickly occupy the traffic ditch after crossing the river and consolidate the front. As long as they persist for half an hour, the second echelon can arrive.The Qianwei regiment proposed to occupy the opposite bank within half an hour, and planned to occupy Donggangu and Yingli Village with a small team, and seize the bunker on the river bank with the second team. The boatmen and sailors on the ferry were already standing on their berths. Many of them were stripped naked, and their oily bodies were plated with silver, like bronze sculptures.

This area was originally the hometown of Liangshan heroes.Hundreds of years ago, the heroes rebelled against each other and gathered together in Liangshanshuipo, leaving behind the everlasting legend of "One Hundred Orders and Eight Generals".Their descendants inherited the resistance of their ancestors who were unwilling to be slaves. Whether it was the Japanese or the Kuomintang, they had eaten their open guns and dark arrows, so that they did not dare to haunt this area after dark.The bold and unrestrained hero of Liangshan is now showing his talents to ferry Liu Deng's army.In order to compete for the first boat, fight in the arena and compete in martial arts, hundreds of "white stripes in the waves" jumped out at once.Ten years ago, they were all good at "boating", and they were like dragons in water. They only looked for big rivers with huge waves and dangerous crests, jumped into the waves, teased and teased with the violent Yellow River, and enjoyed the joy of conquerors.Since the Yellow River was diverted, this kind of kung fu has not been shown in ten years.At that time the river was narrower than it is now, but it took half an hour to row back and forth.After receiving the task of escorting the army across the river, they gathered together, and after two months of training, the time had been shortened to twenty minutes.This evening they offered only thirteen minutes.These heroes are not only highly skilled and bold, but also careful in heart. They wrapped the sides of the boats with cotton tires and old cloths to prevent the noise of the ships from colliding with each other and alarming the enemy.

At 10:35, the assault team stepped out of the trench and rushed to the ferry. Li Xiangyun took thirteen men and a machine gun, and jumped onto Nie Yanjin's No. 1 assault boat.When Nie Yanjin moved the oars, all the small rowboats and large boats were full. Not even a cough.The moon is shining brightly. The roar of the Yellow River covered the sound of the oars hitting the water, and the sailors swung the 20-jin long oars and big sculls to rush through the turbulent waves.The yellow water carried the boat to the top of the peak quickly, and then pushed it down the trough suddenly, which made the soldiers on the boat dizzy and dripped with sweat.Someone started to vomit.

This section of the Yellow River is two miles wide, and the forty-five-degree inclination lengthens the route by several miles.The first assault boat reached the center of the river in three minutes, and the fortifications and bunkers on the opposite bank were clearly discernible in the hazy moonlight. Suddenly, the machine gun on the opposite bank rang, and bullets whized overhead. Li Xiangyun's machine gun swept over immediately.The machine guns of all the ships fired. Xiao Yongyin ordered from the north bank of the Yellow River: "Fire!" The cannon sprayed soaring flames, and the bunker fortress on the opposite bank suddenly set off a fire several feet high amidst the roar of the sky and earth, burning half of the night sky red.

The heavy shelling lasted five minutes, and the moonlight grew brighter. Nie Yanjin's first boat had already landed in only twelve minutes.Li Xiangyun was the first to jump down, led the assault squad to be the first to land, the first to cross the trench, the first to occupy the bunker, and then chased to the southeast. The commandos of the second and third teams ran across the mud and rushed towards a dark forest.Yugu Village, located in the woods, has become the stronghold of a battalion of the 543rd Regiment of the 55th Division of the Kuomintang.The commander of the 543rd Regiment, surnamed Kou, was ordered to come from the rear this morning, and only eleven hours later, he encountered this earth-shattering event.

Xiao Yongyin stared at the other side of the Yellow River, and the woods in the telescope were covered with smoke and dust. The crisp trumpet sounded across the night sky and came from the opposite bank—this was the signal for the commando to occupy the river embankment and the bunker on the embankment.It was only seven minutes from when they landed to when the trumpet sounded. The trumpet sounded like the first cuckoo song of spring.On the north bank of the Yellow River, the fleet of thousands of troops began to ferry again. Two hours before dawn, the vanguard troops of the first, second, and sixth columns all appeared on the high embankment on the south bank of the Yellow River.The commander unfolded the map, illuminated it with a flashlight, quickly judged the position, and issued a series of orders to tear apart the enemy's defense line.Overnight, the 300-mile Yellow River defense line that Chiang Kai-shek worked so hard to collapse completely, and the "400,000 army" was trampled underfoot by Liu Deng's army.

During the sweltering summer night, Gu Zhutong tossed and turned, and did not sleep peacefully until the middle of the night. There was a sudden ringing of the telephone.Gu Zhutong turned on the light and looked at his watch that it was only four o'clock in the morning. He was sleepy and angrily grabbed the receiver.Liu Ruming, the commander of the Fourth Appeasement Zone, reported: "Commander Gu, Liu Bocheng's main force crossed the Yellow River last night—" Before he could finish speaking on the phone, Gu Zhutong yelled, "Fart!" Gu Zhutong usually didn't scold others, but at this time, his scolding woke him up: "I think you have confused Liu Bocheng! The Yellow River is currently in heavy flood season, did they fly over?" Liu Ruming's voice was heavy and urgent: "Boss! The north bank of the river was fired all night last night. The river defense force reported that hundreds of boats carrying Liu Bocheng's main force crossed the river, and they are now developing in depth..." "The wind is rumbling, and the grass and trees are full of soldiers! Even if there are soldiers crossing the river, they are definitely not Liu Bocheng's main force. Their main force is in the north of Henan. It is Liu Bocheng's consistent tricks to attack the west and set up traps. Don't be fooled." Gu Zhutong was about to put down the phone, and added another sentence , "Enemy briefing!" After such a toss, Gu Zhutong's sleepiness disappeared, and he slipped on a pair of soft slippers and got out of bed to pace around. "Liu Bocheng..." Gu Zhutong said to himself, thinking.This general, who is familiar with the art of war, was thinking about an old saying over and over again at this time - "Soldiers are deceitful!" Liu Zhi, the colleague who taught him at the Whampoa Military Academy with him back then, was the one who entered Liu Deng's life by mistake. The "deceitful way" ended up being dismissed.Gu Zhutong and Liu Zhi are both highly respected figures among the Kuomintang generals. The biggest similarity between the two is tolerance and generosity.Of course, this is someone else's evaluation. Gu Zhutong never put Liu Zhi on the same level as himself.Liu Zhi, who is full of food all day long, has a big ear, is ignorant, and can't even figure out one, two, three in the art of war, is naturally not Liu Deng's opponent.Gu Zhutong turned on the fan and sighed deeply: "I am not Liu Zhi, I will never be as stupid as Liu Zhi!" At six in the morning, the phone rang again. "Boss, it's Liu Bocheng's main force crossing the river. It's absolutely true! From Dong'e to Pu County, there are at least forty crossing points, with a force of no less than 200,000!" Liu Deng's total force was only a few hundred thousand. When Gu Zhutong heard Liu Ruming say 200,000, he suppressed his anger and asked, "Since there are 200,000 heavy troops and more than 40 crossing points, why did you Commander Liu get across the river before they crossed the river?" Didn't notice any signs?" Liu Ruming's troops have been stationed on the south bank of the Yellow River for a long time, and the officers and soldiers have quite a lot of experience in river defense.During this flood season when the rain drenches the sky and the Eight Immortals are sad, it is the time for officials to go home or go to the city for recreation, and for soldiers to gather wine, gamble, and loosen their muscles and bones.When the battle report came, Liu Ruming was also smoking opium on the kang.He knew that Liu Deng's main force was fighting in northern Henan, and the world was peaceful here, so at first he didn't believe Liu Deng's report of crossing the river. At this moment, Liu Ruming had no choice but to explain to Gu Zhutong.At the same time, he also knew that he couldn't shirk his responsibility, so he hesitated and said incoherently: "In this season, the river water is so... Besides, the enemy adopts a lenient front and multiple points to forcibly cross, and destroys traffic and communication first when they come up. .Moreover, the enemy used troops upside down after landing. Instead of ordering the first echelon to consolidate its position and cover the landing of the follow-up troops, the first echelon quickly wedged in depth after crossing the river, and the second echelon stood guard in the area of ​​Yuncheng. This kind of deployment of troops... ..." Liu Ruming paused, thinking of the most important thing at the moment, and said: "Please order the 70th Division to come up quickly, otherwise I am afraid that I will not be able to withstand it, and the plan to wipe out the enemy on the river bank will be difficult to realize." Gu Zhutong put down the phone, still doubting Liu Ruming's report.There are rumors in Nanjing: "One Cheng (Chen Cheng) is not as good as one Cheng (Liu Bocheng), five Lius (Liu Zhi, Liu Maoen, Liu Ruming, Liu Guangxin, Liu Ruzhen) are not as good as one Liu (Liu Bocheng)." Things became simple and complicated, favorable turned unfavorable, and many good opportunities were ruined in vain.Gu Zhutong was worried and angry about this.At this time, he suspected that Liu Ruming's report was false, and also suspected that Liu Bocheng's crossing the river was fraudulent. He was hesitating, when the phone rang again. Chen Yiding, the commander of the 70th Division, was in a hurry: "Boss, the main force of the communist army has crossed the river in large numbers. The vanguard troops have already passed Jiaxiang and Juye. Please tell my division what to do?" "Is the information accurate?" "Our troops stationed in Jiaxiang and Juye saw it with their own eyes. The head of the 13th Regiment went to Yuncheng to handle affairs and saw that the 55th Division of Liu Ruming's Corps was urgently gathering troops and was powerless to resist. Commander, our division is heading north. Or stop the enemy fleeing south?" "Stay where you are, and report the enemy's situation." Liu Deng's intention of crossing the river was unclear, and he could neither let the 70th Division go north, nor attack rashly.Gu Zhutong frowned more and more. It is certain that Liu Deng's main force has crossed the Yellow River, and what the president was worried about finally happened. The 120,000 troops of Liu and Deng, with their horses and bows bent, lay down for nearly a month. They were shaped like a flood dragon, invisible and motionless. Last night, dragons leaped and tigers leaped across the Yellow River. Under it, the attack can move above the nine heavens. American reporter Jack?Belden wrote in the book "China Shocked the World": "I have experienced many wars, but I have never seen a more brilliant and outstanding military operation than the Communist Party's victory in crossing the Yellow River. It is not that it is brilliant this time The military operation itself, but mainly in the conception of this military operation - its boldness, courage, and especially their creative imagination." The sun is scorching, and the heat is steaming.In a small rural elementary school classroom, the walls are covered with military maps marking the situation of the enemy and ourselves, and the military and political leaders of various columns are sitting on wooden benches. At the beginning of the meeting, Deng Xiaoping made a speech: "The prelude to the great counter-offensive has been unveiled, and Chiang Kai-shek's 'Yellow River Defense Line, which is enough to reach 400,000 troops', has been torn apart by us! What is our task after crossing the river? Please see—" Deng Xiaoping pointed to the map: "This is the northern Shaanxi battlefield, with 200,000 soldiers from Hu Zongnan; this end is the Shandong battlefield, with 450,000 soldiers from Gu Zhutong. Our Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong and Henan battlefields connect the east and west battlefields. In the middle zone, Commander Liu has a vivid metaphor - dumbbell posture. The two ends are thick and the middle is thin. This is the situation after Chiang Kai-shek's key offensive. "The so-called thin middle means that only two divisions and six brigades of the Liu Ruming Group are placed in front of us. In addition, before we cross the river, the troops of the Taihang and Southern Hebei military regions disguised themselves as the main force to attack in northern Henan; Feinting to the south of Kaifeng caused the enemy's illusion and diverted the enemy's sight. Chiang Kai-shek ordered Wang Zhonglian's troops near the main force of our field army to also move north from Hua County, farther away from our crossing area. Therefore, this dumbbell The "handle" has become more detailed. Now, the task entrusted to us by the central government is to cut off this "handle", lead the war from the liberated areas to the areas ruled by the Kuomintang, and make our army shift from strategic defense to strategic counter-offensive." Liu Bocheng continued: "In Shandong, the enemy's head is pressed, and in northern Shaanxi, the enemy's legs are pressed. What about us? Cut them off at the waist!" Liu Bocheng waved his arm and made a gesture, and the commanders and political commissars of the columns laughed. Deng Xiaoping: "This knife must be cut well, and it must be cut at the enemy's vital parts." Liu Bocheng: "After a year of war, the national situation has undergone major changes. The total strength of the Kuomintang has dropped from 4.3 million to 3.73 million, and only 40 brigades can be used for maneuver. Of course , Chiang Kai-shek's army still had a great advantage in terms of military strength, equipment, and economic power. However, the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao had an insight into the potential counter-offensive situation, and proposed a strategic policy for the central government to break through. Operations shift to outside operations." The column cadres present were shocked by this bold strategic decision and exchanged glances with each other.Some of these high-ranking generals have followed Liu Deng in battles for several years, and some for decades. They are often impressed by Liu Deng's demeanor and talent as a great military strategist with far-reaching strategies, vertical and horizontal connections, and overall command.Liu and Deng are just like two highly accomplished directors, who have directed many war dramas that shocked China and foreign countries with extraordinary courage.Now Liu Deng has accepted a new "script", and the leaders of each column will play extremely difficult roles in this new "script".They are excited and stressed at the same time... Deng Xiaoping lit a cigarette and scanned the venue with his eyes: "Comrades, this strategic decision of Chairman Mao was made after the Ping-Han Campaign last year, when the conditions were not yet ripe. At the beginning of this year, Chairman Mao was preparing Move this move. Since March, Chiang Kai-shek's key offensive posture has been set. Chairman Mao no longer hesitates, instructing us to rest and reorganize before June 1, cross the Yellow River ten days before, and attack the outer line. We base our troops and the enemy Due to the situation, we consulted the central government and postponed the crossing of the river until the end of June..." Pressing his eye sockets with his hands, Liu Bocheng continued: "The implementation of the strategic transfer is a major turning point in the War of Liberation and an event of historical significance. Comrades, don't treat this crossing of the river as the same as the previous attack on the Longhai Road. After crossing the river, implement The way of strategic counter-offensive is not to advance city by city, but to jump. We must boldly leave the enemy behind, drive straight in, and leap into the deep rear of the enemy!" Deng Xiaoping pointed to the map: "Look, the Dabie Mountains are like a child's 'doudu'. It is a protruding part of the Yangtze River bend to the south. If we leap into the Dabie Mountains, we can threaten Nanjing in the east, Wuhan in the west, and reach the Yangtze River in the south. Gallop the Central Plains!" The column leaders were astonished.Deng Xiaoping went on to say: "The Dabie Mountains are the enemy's military depots, grain depots, and treasury. It is also the most strategically sensitive area. 'How can you allow others to snore next to the couch'?" Chiang Kai-shek will definitely mobilize troops to attack northern Shaanxi and Shandong to return to aid , to compete with us for this strategically important area. This can exactly achieve our expected goal - crushing the enemy's strategic offensive. Of course, in this way, our burden will be heavier. Whether it is on the way to the Leap Forward or to the Dabie Mountains After that, we will all encounter many difficulties, even unexpected difficulties..." Liu Bocheng: "Since ancient times, people only know that the Three Gorges is a natural danger of the Sichuan River, but we Sichuanese all know that there is another dangerous pass besides the natural danger, which is the Taoist Pass. The Taoist Pass is surrounded by two mountains and a river. The mountain is high and the water is fast. If you rush in the gorge, the ship will capsize if you tilt it slightly. The three big characters "come to me" are engraved on the rock of Daoshiguan, challenging everyone who passes by it. The brave ones rush towards it without incident. What about the cowardly? If you hesitate for a moment, you will be swallowed by the oncoming torrent vortex. We are going to rush to the 'Taoist Pass' now - we can only move forward, not back, without any hesitation!" Liu Bocheng made specific arrangements for the Southern Expedition.The field army decided to fight a few battles in Southwest Shandong before dispatching to reduce the burden on going south. Nanjing, the official residence of Chiang Kai-shek. At this moment, a foreign guest was sitting in the small living room. He was a close friend of Chiang Kai-shek's political career and American Ambassador to China Leighton Stuart.A few days ago, Chiang Kai-shek flew to Beiping to preside over a military meeting, and returned in a hurry within a few days.He was eager to meet the ambassador. "Mr. Ambassador, the Sixth State Council of the Nationalist Government will adopt a new plan of 'putting down the Communist rebellion, sweeping away obstacles to democracy, and implementing the peaceful establishment of the country'. This plan has been seen by Mr. Ambassador, so I won't go into details. The government is now The difficulty is that..." Stuart stared at Chiang Kai-shek. After taking a sip of plain water, Chiang Kai-shek continued his topic: "The difficulty lies in the fact that the implementation of this plan requires not only your country's political support, but also your country's economic..." The military staff officer hurried in and handed Chiang Kai-shek a battle report. Being disturbed at a crucial point, Chiang Kai-shek was very displeased, and did not raise his eyelids: "Read." The staff officer read the message in a low voice.Chiang Kai-shek's eyebrows twitched, and his eyes glanced at the military staff officer like lightning.Stuart felt that something important had happened.Chiang Kai-shek read the battle report again, and then handed it to Leighton Stuart calmly. "Oh!" Leighton Stuart exclaimed, "The Communist Party actually broke through the defense line of the Yellow River!" Chiang Kai-shek held his mustache on his lips with a handkerchief. Leighton Stuart said anxiously: "Liu Bocheng crossing the river will undoubtedly make the situation worse!" "Our military is resisting. It's not that bad, Mr. Ambassador." "Mr. Jiang, I thought this was a major event, the '630 Incident'! It may become the most eye-catching one of the top ten news stories in the world in 1947! The Yellow River Defense Line, the Eastern Maginot Line of Defense, was It has been breached!" Leighton Stuart said, feeling more and more impulsive, "Mr. Jiang, you just mentioned the economy. With all due respect, this is the issue that I am least interested in. Isn't that generous enough to support you with an administrative fee of fifteen million dollars? The future looks bleak due to this government and the military itself!" Chiang Kai-shek was furious, but his face was still as calm as water.He needs the support of the United States so much that he has to bend his wings and seek the right.Chiang Kai-shek's calm made Leighton Stuart's vent like hitting a rubber wall, which made him even more angry.He was about to hit the opponent with more intense words when he suddenly caught a glimpse of Chiang Kai-shek's trembling fingers.Leighton Stuart suppressed his anger and expressed compassion.After all, he and Chiang Kai-shek have had friendship for many years. "Chairman, I earnestly ask you to understand my situation. American taxpayers are not allowed to invest their money in a hopeless cause. The only way at present is to end the one-party rule of law as soon as possible and establish a real democratic society. , and this is the only way out for China. Communism will be most effectively overcome and American economic assistance will be most effective if you and your colleagues are able to implement true freedom, democracy, and fundamental administrative reforms. Otherwise..." Leighton Stuart was too clear about the inside story of the Kuomintang, and he knew that it would not be easy for Chiang Kai-shek to destroy the Communist Party.At the beginning of the outbreak of the Civil War, he took the trouble to make such exhortations again and again. "Exchange tea for Mr. Ambassador." Chiang Kai-shek called the attendant outside the door. Serving tea to see off guests, Leighton Stuart understood this implicit oriental etiquette, so he got up to leave. Seeing off the American ambassador, Chiang Kai-shek screamed nervously: "If I can't stop the Communist Party's attack, I will automatically step down! Resign and retire! Return to Fenghua, Zhejiang!" As soon as the voice fell, the mansion was dead silent. Chiang Kai-shek stood facing the wall with his hands down, motionless for half an hour.Afterwards, he called Xuzhou, and his tone was very calm: "Mo San, Ambassador Situ is very dissatisfied with the breakthrough of the Yellow River defense line. It is understandable that he is a scholar and he does not understand war. It doesn’t mean the Communist Party is strong, it’s just my senior commander’s negligence, and I fell into Liu Deng’s trick to lure the army. Mo San, talk about the Xuzhou headquarters’ judgment on the enemy’s situation.” Gu Zhutong prepared to be scolded, but unexpectedly it was a gentle breeze and a drizzle.He called "Principal" emotionally and said: "Analyzed by the Xuzhou headquarters, Liu Deng transferred the main force to the south of the Yellow River, which is different from the past. In the past, they fought and left; now the troops are divided into several groups and do not move lightly. This must be There is a big attempt, and it is likely that they want to cooperate with the enemies of southern Shandong, northern Jiangsu, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu, and jointly take Xuzhou." Chiang Kai-shek said: "One point of the judgment on Xuzhou is correct, but the basic point is completely wrong. Liu Bocheng's gesture to commit Xuzhou is just a gesture-he has no ability to commit Xuzhou. Even if he really captured Xuzhou, his real purpose It is also to cooperate with Shandong, get rid of Chen Yi, and try to resolve my key offensive strategy. The way of war, both offensive and defensive ends, is to strike first and strike later. Liu Bocheng crossing the river is not a bad thing. And win, strike later!"