Chapter 7 Chapter 6 Flying across the Yellow River, opening the prelude to the strategic offensive

The Yellow River, the mother river of the Chinese nation, is like a huge yellow dragon rolling thousands of hectares of sand and calling for thunder from the nine heavens.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, the torrential Yellow River is rushing forward, and the wave peaks on the river more than ten miles wide overlap one after another, overlapping like a sand avalanche, forming a huge whirlpool, rushing madly towards the embankment, and retreating without being broken. , collided with the waves that came one after another, with a bang, it scattered into the sky, and then fell down like a waterfall, the majesty and awe-inspiring.Chiang Kai-shek compared it to the "400,000 army", which is no exaggeration.

June 30th is the twelfth day of the fifth lunar month in the old calendar.An olive-shaped moon rose from the tips of willow branches and slowly climbed into the sky.The blue night sky is full of clouds, and the moon and stars are sparse.The earth is sleeping soundly, except for the Yellow River, which is always awake, only the night wind blows the leaves of reeds and calamus, making a sound. In the silent night, thousands of troops and horses were lying in front of the 150-kilometer river embankment from Dong'e to Pu County.Sailors from the eight counties on both sides of the river have quietly moved towards the various crossings.Soon, the branches and cloth on the ship were lifted, and the big ship in the dock was pushed to the ferry point.Among the reeds and calamus bushes, there are boats constantly rowing 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 from the telescope to the opposite bank, 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, and a single bunker at 15 meters. There is a two-foot-wide trench between the bunker and the bunker. In front of the ditch is the Yellow River with turbid waves and shocking waves. Brigadier Xiao Yongyin smoked in the crossing 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 10:30 in the evening.Xiao Yongyin threw the cigarette butt in his hand and grabbed the phone: "Qianwei regiment, arrive at the crossing point within 5 minutes!"

The Vanguard Regiment Commando was there in 4 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!" " cried out, and the heart was beating non-stop. 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 1st platoon of the 2nd team of the commando, reported countless firsts in one breath: "I want to be the first to take the first boat, I want to be the first to board, the first to disembark, the first to land, The first to capture the bunker, the first to blow up the bunker on the embankment..."

During the mobilization 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 boatmen and sailors on the ferry are already standing on their berths.Many people were stripped naked, and their shiny 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 have inherited the resistance of being unwilling to be slaves. Whether it is the Japanese or the Kuomintang, they have eaten their open and dark arrows, so that they dare not haunt this area when it gets dark.The bold and unrestrained Liangshan hero is now showing his talents for the army of Liu and Deng.In order to compete for the first boat, fight in the arena, and compete in martial arts, hundreds of "white strips in the waves" jumped out at once. 10 years ago, they were all good at "boating", and their water skills were like dragons. 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 10 years.After receiving the task of escorting the army across the river, they gathered together, and after two months of training, the time has been shortened to 20 minutes.This evening they offered as little as 13 minutes.These heroes are not only highly skilled and bold, but also meticulous in heart. The side of the boat is wrapped with cotton tires and old cloth to prevent the ships from colliding with each other and making noises to alert the enemy.

At 10:35, the commando stepped out of the trench and rushed to the ferry. Li Xiangyun took three men and a machine gun and jumped onto the No. 1 assault boat.When the oars are drawn, all boats and ships are 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 "whoah".

This section of the Yellow River is 1 km wide, and the 45-degree slope makes the route longer.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 guns swept over immediately, and the machine guns of all ships fired. Xiao Yongyin immediately ordered: "Fire!" The cannon blasted the flames into the sky.The bunker fortress on the opposite bank suddenly set off a fire several feet high amidst the roar of the sky and the earth, burning half of the night sky red.

The heavy shelling lasted five minutes, lighting up the night sky. The first boat has landed in just 12 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 immediately went southeast to pursue the fleeing enemy. Team 2 and Team 3 commandos followed and 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 he encountered this earth-shattering event in just 11 hours.

Xiao Yongyin stared at the other side of the Yellow River, and the woods in the telescope were covered with smoke and dust. Suddenly, the crisp horn sounded across the night sky and came from the opposite bank.This is the signal for the commandos to occupy the embankment and the bunkers on the embankment.It was only 7 minutes from when they landed to when the horn sounded. The trumpet sounded like the first cuckoo song of spring.On the north bank of the Yellow River, a large fleet of thousands of troops began to ferry. 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.

Overnight, Chiang Kai-shek's painstakingly managed Yellow River defense line collapsed, 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. A burst of rapid phone ringing suddenly.Gu Zhutong turned on the light and looked at his watch that it was only 4:00 in the morning. His eyes were sleepy and he grabbed the receiver angrily.Commander Liu Ruming of the 4th Appeasement Zone reported: "Commander Gu, Liu Bocheng's main force crossed the Yellow River last night..."

Before he finished speaking on the other end of the phone, Gu Zhutong cursed: "Fart!" Gu Zhutong usually doesn't scold people.When he scolded, he woke himself up: "I think you have confused Liu Bocheng! The Yellow River is currently in a great flood, and they flew 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 by no means Liu Bocheng's main force. Their main force is in the north of Henan. It is Liu Bocheng's usual trick to attack the west. Don't be fooled." Gu Zhutong was about to put down the phone, and added: "Enemy situation report !" After such a toss, Gu Zhutong's sleepiness disappeared, and he put on a pair of soft slippers and got out of bed to pace around. "Liu Bocheng..." Gu Zhutong said to himself, thinking. Liu Zhi, the colleague who co-coached with him in Whampoa back then, fell into Liu Deng's "deception" by mistake, and 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.That Liu Zhi, who is full of food all day long, has fat intestines and big ears, 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 6 a.m., the phone rang again. "Boss, it's Liu Deng's main force crossing the river. It's absolutely true! From Dong'e to Pu County, there are at least 40 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 show no sign before they crossed the river?" aware?" 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 here was peaceful, and he didn't care that the river was defenseless, so at first he didn't believe Liu Deng's report of crossing the river. At this moment, Liu Ruming had to expend his tongue to explain to Gu Zhutong. At the same time, he also knew that he could not shirk his responsibility. The enemy adopts a wide front and multiple points to forcibly cross. When they come up, they first destroy traffic and communication. After the situation is found out, they are already very passive. Moreover, after the enemy landed, they did not order the first echelon to consolidate their positions and cover the landing of the follow-up troops. Instead, the first echelon crossed the river. Quickly wedge in depth, this kind of military use..." Liu Ruming was confused again, and he didn't dare to make rash comments in front of Gu Zhutong. He paused for a while, thinking of the most important thing at the moment, and then said: "Please order the 70th Division to come up quickly, otherwise I'm afraid I won't be able to withstand it and wipe out the enemy." The plan at the river beach is difficult to realize." Gu Zhutong put down the phone, still doubting Liu Ruming's report. At that time, there were rumors in Nanjing that Yicheng (Chen Cheng) was not as good as Yicheng (Liu Bocheng), and five Lius (Liu Zhi, Liu Maosi, Liu Ruming, Liu Guangxin, Liu Ruzhen) were not as good as one Liu (Liu Bocheng).The mediocrity, triviality, and intrigue of the Kuomintang army officials made many things from simple to complicated, from favorable to unfavorable, and ruined many good opportunities 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 a fraud.He was hesitating when the phone rang again. Chen Yiding, the commander of the 70th Division, was in a hurry: "Boss, a large number of troops crossing the river from the main force of the communist army have already passed Jiaxiang and Juye. Please tell my division how to act?" "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 Huancheng to handle errands and saw that the 55th Division of Liu Ruming Corps was urgently gathering troops and was powerless to resist. Commander, should our division go north or block the south Sneaking enemy?" "Stand by and wait for the enemy's situation to follow." Liu Deng's intention of crossing the river is unclear, and it is not yet possible to let the 70th Division go north to attack. Gu Zhutong frowned more and more. There is no doubt that Liu Deng's main force crossed the Yellow River. Liu Deng's 120,000-strong army coiled their horses and bowed their bows, calmly, as calm as Mount Tai, and lay down for nearly a month. They were shaped like a flood dragon, invisible and motionless.Yesterday and overnight, dragons and tigers jumped, flying across the natural danger of the Yellow River.It is the defensive energy that can be hidden under the Nine Grounds, and the offensive energy that can be moved above the Nine Heavens. American journalist Jack Belden wrote in the book "China Shocked the World": "I have experienced many wars, but I have never seen a more brilliant military operation than the Communist Party's victory in crossing the Yellow River. It is not wise to call it brilliant." Not in the operation itself, but chiefly in the conception of it—its audacity, daring, and above all, his creative imagination." Chen Yiding, the commander of the 70th Division of the Kuomintang, Luo Zhedong, the deputy commander, and Li Mingya, the deputy commander of the 55th Division, who were in charge of defending the Yellow River, were all captured later. With a wide river surface, such big waves, and heavy soldiers on the opposite side, how did Liu Deng cross the river? It's incredible!" Li Mingya said frankly: "The river defense is guarded by our 55th Division. We still have experience in guarding the river. It is estimated that no one dares to cross the Yellow River in this season, so they are negligent. When Liu Deng's army suddenly appeared, we were already too late." organize resistance." Chen Yiding went on to say: "Liu Bocheng is really a genius in the world. Such a natural danger, and there are heavy troops on the other side, dare to face it. Since ancient times, there has been no such way of fighting in military strategy." On the night of June 30th, Liu Deng's army stepped on the Yellow River defense line that the enemy claimed was "worth 400,000 troops", causing panic in the Nanjing base camp of the Kuomintang army, as if their end of the world had arrived, and there was chaos everywhere... … When the news reached Nanjing, Chiang Kai-shek was hosting a banquet for Leighton Stuart, the American ambassador to China, and the banquet was held amidst the wine.When Guo Rugui, director of the Department of Operations of the Ministry of National Defense, took the front-line telegram and sent it to Chiang Kai-shek through the forest path beside the flower bed, it was already the beginning of the lights, and it was the time of feasting and feasting.Chiang Kai-shek wiped his lips with a napkin, but he still held up the ivory chopsticks to let Stuart. "Please, please!" Chiang Kai-shek didn't take it seriously, he didn't expect how important the battle report was, and he said to Guo Rugui casually: "Speak, what telegram?" Guo Rugui bit Chiang Kai-shek's ear and told him that Liu Deng's troops had crossed the Yellow River on June 30, and an army of more than 100,000 troops had already reached the south bank of the Yellow River.Chiang Kai-shek was shocked, and the ivory chopsticks fell on the table with a clang. Although Guo Rugui kept his voice low, what Chiang Kai-shek heard was like a thunderclap, and he didn't speak for a long time.He sat there blankly, and after a long time, stretched out his withered fingers, and handed the battle report from the front line to Leighton Stuart. "Oh!" Leighton Stuart exclaimed after reading a few sentences. This former president of Yenching University, who is usually gentle and elegant, with the style of an oriental scholar, is uncharacteristically personable.I just heard him say: "This is simply an astonishing incident, the June 30 incident! This is by no means a good omen. It is really a miracle that the Communist Army broke through the Yellow River defense line with an army of 400,000 without any effort! It may become the most dazzling one among the top ten news in the world in 1947!" Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang military and political officials looked at each other, and no one dared to interrupt.In the rose garden of Chiang Kai-shek's official residence, it was suddenly deserted like a cemetery... "The Weygand Line has been breached, and the Eastern Maginot Line has been breached!" The Leighton Stuart, who was born in China in 1876, began to preach in China in 1905, and served as the president of Yenching University since 1919, pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose. With 15 million yuan in political expenses, the government of the Kuomintang is supported... Due to the reasons of the government and the army itself, it seems that the future is bleak. If the Maginot in the East is captured, the fall of the second Paris will again Repeat in Jinling... The Yellow River is just a shield, and a corrupt army cannot become a sharp sword!..." Chiang Kai-shek tried his best to conceal the panic and embarrassment in his heart, and said: "Don't worry, Mr. Ambassador, the breach of the Yellow River defense line does not mean that the Communist Army is strong. It is just the negligence of my senior commander, who fell into Liu Deng's trick to lure the army. I will He personally directed the counterattack and drove Liu Deng across the north of the Yellow River." After Chiang Kai-shek sent Leighton Stuart away, he laughed at himself and said to the people around him: "I will do what I say, and I will fight hard with the division of ten brigades. I don't believe that Liu Deng can't be driven away!" On the second day after crossing the river, in a small rural classroom in Shaheya Village, Shouzhang, Shandong Province, the heads of various columns who came to attend the meeting were sitting on wooden benches on the floor. Deng Xiaoping opened the "Central Daily" on June 30, and the headline on the front page read: "Northern Henan Military and Civilian Unite to Collaborate, Shattering the Communist Army's Mad Dreams——Liu Bocheng's Department Has Been Destroyed." Deng Xiaoping handed the newspaper to Liu Bocheng: "It's a big dream! Do you think my main force is still counterattacking in northern Henan?" Liu Bocheng said with a smile: "Soldiers never tire of cheating, let Chiang Kai-shek continue to dream of him!" After the arrival of the military and political leaders of each column, the meeting began.Deng Xiaoping spoke first: "The prelude to the great counter-offensive has been unveiled, and Chiang Kai-shek's self-proclaimed 'Yellow River Defense Line', which is worth 400,000 troops, has been breached by us. What is our task after crossing the river? Please take a look!" Deng Xiaoping vigorously pointed to the map behind him and said: "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-Henan battlefield is connecting The middle zone between the east and west battlefields. Commander Liu has a vivid metaphor—dumbbell posture, heavy at both ends and light in the middle. This is the situation after Chiang Kai-shek’s key offensive.” "The so-called small 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 pretended to be the main force in northern Henan and launched an attack. The Henan, Anhui and Soviet troops 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 move northward from Hua County, farther away from our river crossing area. Therefore, the 'handle of the dumbbell 'More detailed. Our task is to cut off this 'handle', lead the war from the liberated areas to the Kuomintang-controlled areas, and turn our army from strategic defense to strategic counter-offensive." Liu Bocheng continued: "Shandong presses the enemy's head, Shanbei presses the enemy's two legs, what about us? Cut them off at the middle!" He waved his arms and made a powerful gesture. 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 fighting, the national situation has undergone major changes. The total force of the Kuomintang has dropped from 4.3 million to 3.73 million, and only 49 brigades can be used for maneuver. Hu Zongnan occupied Yan'an, and Chiang Kai-shek said it was a new The beginning of the era, I say this is the beginning of the era of great battles. Of course, generally speaking, Chiang Kai-shek's army still has a great advantage in terms of strength and equipment. But the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao have a clear understanding of the overall situation and put forward the idea of ​​a breakthrough by the Central Committee Strategic policy, decided to use the main force to hit the Kuomintang-controlled areas, and shift from internal operations to external operations." The column cadres present were attracted by Liu Deng's speech, and exchanged approving glances with each other. Deng Xiaoping lit a cigarette and scanned the venue with his eyes: "Comrades, Chairman Mao's strategic decision came after the Ping-Han Campaign last year, when the conditions were not yet ripe. This move is undoubtedly a risky move. I am good at poker, but not at chess. There are those who know how to play chess, so I can understand the weight of Chairman Mao’s move.” "After March of this year, Chiang Kai-shek's key offensive situation has been set. Chairman Mao no longer hesitated, instructing us to rest and reorganize before June 1, cross the Yellow River before the 10th, and attack the outer line. According to the situation of the enemy and ourselves, we asked the Central Committee for instructions to cross the river. Postponed until the end of June..." Liu Bocheng supported his glasses with his hand, and continued: "The implementation of the strategic shift 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 Longhai Road. After crossing the river, we will Always be ready to carry out a strategic counter-offensive, boldly leave the enemy behind, drive straight in, and leap forward to the enemy's strategic rear!" Deng Xiaoping pointed to the map: "Look, the Dabie Mountains are like a child's 'doudu'. They are a protruding part of the Yangtze River to the south. If we leap to the Dabie Mountains, we can threaten Nanjing in the east, Wuhan in the west, and the Yangtze River in the south. 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, and it is also the most strategically sensitive area. 'How can you allow others to snore while lying on the couch?' Chiang Kai-shek will definitely mobilize troops to attack northern Shaanxi and Shandong to return to aid." , and compete with us for this strategically important area. This can exactly achieve our expected goal-to crush the enemy's key strategic offensive. Of course, in this way, our burden will be heavier. , we will all encounter many difficulties, even unexpected difficulties..." Deng Xiaoping paused, and then said: "This is the first move of the Central Committee and Chairman Mao. The next step is to take the Central Plains as the base, cross the Yangtze River, and liberate the whole of China. Comrades, you can also think about it in reverse. If we now If they don’t go out, the manpower, material resources and financial resources in the liberated areas will gradually be exhausted. Now, most of the financial revenue of the border region government is used for military expenditure. A soldier needs an average of 1,600 catties of millet a year, including food and clothing. , use and equipment, field army, local army, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong and Henan originally had more than 400,000 people, how can they afford to support them in the long run? The see-saw battles in the past few months have come and gone, and in some places the cattle of the common people , Pigs, sheep, chickens, and ducks have all been killed, and there is no food to grow in the fields. How can this continue? This will not only fail to crush the enemy's key attacks, but even our liberated areas will not collapse on their own." "Chiang Kai-shek's strategic vision is that he hopes to carry out the war in the liberated areas and completely destroy the liberated areas, so as to achieve his goal of destroying the Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army. What about our strategy? It is to treat others in the same way as others, Go to his lair!" Finally, Liu Bocheng made specific arrangements for the Southern Expedition.The field army decided to fight a few battles in southwestern Shandong before dispatching to reduce the burden on going south. At the same time, Chiang Kai-shek sharpened his sword and decided to try at all costs to drive Liu Deng's army back to the north of the Yellow River and reverse the unfavorable situation on the battlefield.For this reason, Chiang Kai-shek gave up the activity of meeting the special representative of the US President in Nanjing and went straight to Zhengzhou.When he arrived in Zhengzhou, regardless of the fatigue of the journey, he hurriedly held a combat meeting, faced with the map of the southwestern battlefield, and studied countermeasures. In the combat conference held in Zhengzhou this time, apart from Hu Zongnan in the Northwest battlefield, key members of the Kuomintang such as Bai Chongxi, Chen Cheng, Gu Zhutong, and Liu Zhi, and generals above the reorganization division Sun Lianzhong, Wang Jingjiu, Wang Zhonglian, Hu Lian, Qiu Qingquan, Sun Yuanliang, Li Mi and others are here.The central topic of the combat meeting was how to drive Liu and Deng's main force back to the north bank of the Yellow River. The atmosphere in the venue was serious and formal.Focusing on the central issue, Chiang Kai-shek first consulted Bai Chongxi, Gu Zhutong, and Liu Zhi for their opinions.Bai Chongxi had served in the Kuomintang army all his life, and knew very well what Chiang Kai-shek was like, and he also knew that Chiang Kai-shek would not accept his opinions, so he simply kept silent.Gu Zhutong was a teacher at the Whampoa Military Academy, and Chiang Kai-shek was the principal of the school.Seeing Jiang asking for his opinion, Gu quickly said, "The principal's head is the student's head." Liu Zhi quickly echoed: "The leader's thoughts are our thoughts." Seeing that his subordinates did not dare to speak much, Chiang Kai-shek announced an order: "The two armies of Wang Jingjiu and Wang Zhonglian will fight side by side. Guard Yuncheng with the 55th Division and Dingtao with the 63rd Division. The division and the entire 70th division, with 10 brigades each, advance hand in hand, and force the communist army to cross the Yellow River, otherwise they will be wiped out on the spot!" Then, Chiang Kai-shek suddenly dropped the red and blue pencils in his hand, and said sharply: "Force Liu and Deng to fight with their backs, and put them to death!" Since the start of the war, Chiang Kai-shek has never been so angry. He stared at the wall with bloodshot eyes and shouted: "If I can't stop their attack, I will automatically go to the field. I would like to resign and return to Fenghua, Zhejiang, no! I'm going to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, I'm going to kill myself!" Chiang Kai-shek lost his temper sadly, which made the senior generals around him speechless... In the war room, Comrade Liu Bocheng stared at the formation of the seven brigades commanded by Wang Jingjiu on the bank of the Yellow River for a long time, pondering in his heart: Wang Jingjiu is the direct line commander of the Jiang army, and holds the "trump card" of the Jiang army in his hand. Playing the leading role, but what does he mean by laying out the words of these 7 brigades, what is this formation, what is so good about it, and why is it placed like this? Liu Bocheng took a sip of tea and kept thinking.At this time, Deng Xiaoping was going deep into the troops to understand the situation after the troops crossed the river. Liu Bocheng stood in front of the battle map in the war room and stared at it for a long time, then turned around suddenly, and told the chief of the battle: "Immediately send a car to pick up Political Commissar Deng, and quickly invite him back to the headquarters! I will see him soon, please invite him to the war room!" The small jeep drove out like lightning, and without much effort, Deng Xiaoping was invited back to the war room. Liu and Deng are thinking side by side, and another fierce battle is brewing.Deng Xiaoping himself moved a willow chair and sat in front of the map. Liu Bocheng asked someone to pick up a dead branch from the courtyard and use it as a command pole.He said: "In order to drive our army back to the north bank of the Yellow River, Chiang Kai-shek sent Wang Jingjiu to command this operation. The 153rd Brigade guards Dingtao. Seven brigades, including the 32nd Division, the 66th Division, and the 70th Division of the Right Route Army, hit me on the side and forced me to fight against the water!" "The enemy always wants to play their own wishful thinking. You must know that fighting is not a matter of wishful thinking! As I said earlier, we are not Han Xin, and we will never fight with our backs!" Deng Xiaoping spoke sharply and explained the enemy's conspiracy in one sentence.He also said: "Whatever is put to death to survive, and what to put to death to survive, our revolutionary troops are all conscious fighters, for the needs of the victory of the revolution, we don't need to be forced to die, we will fight hard. We must The enemy will be put to death, let's see how he tries to survive." "It's absolutely correct. Using despair to force one's own soldiers to fight is the way for feudal masters to lead troops! Not only do we not want to be forced to death by the enemy, but we want to put the enemy to death!" Liu Bocheng fully agreed with Deng Xiaoping's views on combat.He analyzed incisively: "Mr. Jiang is in charge of operations, and he likes to chew his tongue like meat - he is fooling himself. I have just speculated about the enemy's formation for a long time. What kind of formation is the enemy using? Isn't it a Is it the dead snake array? He can't save the head and tail, and he is completely ready to be beaten!" Deng Xiaoping hurriedly stood up from his chair, and said decisively: "Shoot his one-word death snake formation, even if it is a snake of Changshan, it must be cut off!" According to Liu Deng's combat plan, our army did not retreat to the Yellow River, but faced the enemy and launched an attack on the enemy. The first column that had already crossed the Yellow River obeyed Liu Deng's order and rushed towards Yuncheng, the central town of Chiang Kai-shek's "Yellow River Defense Line" a hundred miles away, at a forced march speed. There was fire in July, and the vast plains were unsheltered. On the boundless fields, sorghum taller than a man fell scattered on the ground, already withered.Flocks of crows are pecking at unripe millet.Cotton, mung beans, sweet potatoes, and melon vines were all uprooted, lifeless vines entwined on the brown ground like dead snakes. An old man sat in the wasteland where the sorghum had been felled, his dull eyes kept looking at the speeding procession.Suddenly, he lay down on the ground and stopped a big sorrel horse. Immediately it was Yang Yong, the commander of the first column.He hastily dismounted. "Revenge us!" the old man cried bitterly. Yang Yong helped the old man up. The old man's name is Han Qiyi, and he belongs to Han Zhuang.Pointing to the wilderness, he said that the sorghum had grown taller, and seeing the tassels turn red, Cao Fulin's troops from the Kuomintang came and issued an order to pull out all the sorghum within 5 miles on both sides of the road and within 10 miles around the county town within 5 days.Otherwise, you will be punished according to military law.In the Great Plains here, the main roads are as dense as spider webs, and there is no place between the main roads for more than 1 mile.This is equivalent to saying that all the sorghum should be pulled out. The geology in southwestern Shandong is not good. People have been eating sorghum rice and using sorghum stalks as fuel for generations. Pulling out sorghum is tantamount to breaking the job and cutting off the smoke.And not only sorghum was pulled out, but also millet, beans, sweet potatoes, and melon mushrooms had to be pulled out.The Kuomintang soldiers called these things "stumbling". Three orders were issued.The first said: If you don't pull it out, you will be punished with one bullet for each sorghum.The second order said: One sorghum will be punished with one gun.The third order said: If you don't pull it out for two days, you will be shot.The fifth younger brother of the old man Han Qiyi is a tough guy. He said: "If you pull it up, you will die. If you don't pull it out, you will die. If you don't pull it up!" He took the lead in not pulling it out, and 28 households in the village did not pull it up.As a result, on the third day, the family pulled out a man, tied them together, and buried him alive in their sorghum field... The old Han Qiyi was crying to death, pointing to a stand-alone withered sorghum tree in the distance: "That is a mark made by us, my fifth brother and the others are buried there... We burn incense every day, hoping that you will come and liberate soon... ...Looking forward to your revenge..." Yang Yong comforted the old man and asked him to tell the villagers to rest assured, and galloped away. After a while, the password came down: "speed up and get to Yuncheng before dark." The team marched silently across the land of Southwest Lu. Yang Yong is from Liuyang, Hunan.For Lunan, he has feelings for his second hometown.At the beginning of the War of Resistance Against Japan, he led his troops here to open up a base area, haunted waters and plains, and formed a life-and-death relationship with the mountains, rivers, and villages in Southwest Shandong.This time, when crossing the south of the river, Yuncheng is the first hurdle.Before departure, Liu Bocheng gave instructions: "Whether Yuncheng plays well or not has a great relationship, and directly affects the implementation of the overall strategy. You can't make any mistakes." In mid-March this year, the first and seventh columns of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army merged, and Yang Yong served as the commander of the merged first column. In the battle in northern Henan in late March, the first column undertook the task of attacking and annihilating the Yellow River Iron Bridge to defend the enemy and blow up the Yellow River Iron Bridge.This is a key part of the Northern Henan Campaign.As a result, the enemy's firepower at the iron bridge was fierce, and the 1st Brigade on the mission could not approach the bridgehead, and did not complete the task of blowing up the bridge.Xinyizong lost the first battle, and the contusions and shocks were huge.Although after the battle review and rectification and rest, whether the entire column can really recover its vitality and revive the tiger's prestige depends on the battle of Yuncheng... "Yuncheng!" Yang Yong rode his horse and whipped his whip, and couldn't help shouting in his deep thoughts. He didn't expect that Liu Deng would hand over the heavy task of overcoming the fortifications to his first column. For Yang Yong, this time is undoubtedly a new test.Yang Yong has followed Liu Deng for these years, and he often admires Liu Deng for his sincerity in loving soldiers and his dedication in using them.Stepping on this former battlefield, he couldn't help but think: In July last year, following the instructions of the central government to cooperate with the Shandong battlefield, Liu and Deng went out to Longhai and fought 5 extremely beautiful battles within 100 days.At that time, Liu Dengdong's army had only 60,000 horses.However, Liu Deng led his troops without losing sight of the advantage, never doubting the opportunity, lenient and maneuvering, with ease, moving and stilling, striking and leaving, seemingly inevitable but not, seemingly impossible but inevitable, seeming to do but not doing, seemingly impossible to do And for it.The ancient military strategy was endlessly developed and created in the hands of Liu Deng, and it radiated new vitality.After five battles and five victories, the Kuomintang general Liu Guangxin said: "Rather than saying that we are under the command of Bai Chongxi and Chen Cheng, it is better to say that we are under the command of Liu Bocheng." Time flies by in the thick gunpowder.Now Liu Deng led the Southern Expedition Army and embarked on the journey of counter-offensive.If the successful crossing of the river is the prelude to the big counter-offensive, then the attack on Yuncheng is the first shot of the big counter-offensive.Yang Yong took a deep breath and lit a cigarette on the galloping horse. Even Deng Xiaoping's political commissar felt inferior to him. "Song Jianghe!" Shouted Pan Yan, the chief of staff of the first column who rode his horse to Yang Yong's side.Yang Yong raised his eyes and looked into the distance, and a maroon curve appeared in his vision.Pan Yan said with emotion: "The weeping willows on both sides of the river are all gone, and the green yarn fields have also been cut. Only the river water that can't be cut down is left!" When the city of Yun arrived, the changing light and mist made the city looming.Yuncheng, this thousand-year-old castle lying on the bank of the Yellow River and the bank of the Songjiang River, has experienced the vicissitudes of war, experienced ups and downs in the world, sorrows and joys, accompanied by the "Yellow River Ballad" of suffering. head. Yang Yong watched from a distance through the telescope.The city wall about 7 meters high and 3 meters thick is full of bullet marks and gunshot wounds. The "Niutou Gate" guarding the four gates is huge and strong, with fist-sized rivets next to each other, and the rivets are full of pockmarked bullet holes. Putting down the binoculars, Yang Yong rushed back to the headquarters immediately.The heads of the brigades are holding a meeting to report the enemy's situation.Pan Yan, chief of staff of the column, was speaking: "After you go back, you must use the shortest time to conduct reconnaissance, organize artillery groups, firepower teams, and commandos, and be ready to attack the city at any time." Just as everyone was about to leave, Yang Yong walked in: "Wait a minute, comrades, let me say a few words. The battle in Yuncheng was a tough battle to break through the city's defenses during the offensive. That is to say, what we gnawed was a hard bone. Whether this bone can be gnawed or not, firstly, it is crucial to the entire counterattack, secondly, it will have a great impact on the troops to cheer up and improve morale, and thirdly, it is also an explanation to the folks in Yuncheng!" On July 4, the battle to attack Yuncheng was launched.The 1st Brigade of the First Column approached Yuncheng Xiguan; the 2nd Brigade occupied Dongguan and Beiguan, and the 19th Brigade and the Cavalry Regiment entered the Dinglichang area, completing the encirclement of the enemy in Yuncheng and clearing the borders of Chengguan. enemy.The 22nd Brigade wiped out the enemy's 87th Regiment at Nanguan. At this time, the second, third, and sixth columns of Youlin also crossed the Yellow River and successively occupied the area south of Yuncheng, completely isolating the enemy of Yuncheng. After the enemy of Yuncheng was surrounded, they actively repaired fortifications, stood by and waited for help, and were already in a passive state. The time has come, and on July 7, Liu Deng issued an order to siege the city.Chief of Staff Li Da said on the phone: "The enemy's main force has entered Juye, and there is no need to delay. You must take Yuncheng in one fell swoop." Summer days are long and nights are short.In an instant, the bunkers and wall ditches around Yuncheng came alive. My 20th Brigade was responsible for launching the attack from the south gate of Yuncheng. Brigadier Wu Zhong has always attached great importance to reconnaissance.前些天，他早已下了命令：团干部要把南门的火力点摸得准确精细。他说：“南城门大，易于接近。但南城门也是敌人主要防御点，兵力、火力最强。我们不能存任何幻想，只有破釜沉舟，拿下南城。” 18时整，总攻开始。刹那间，山炮、野炮、迫击炮一起轰鸣，工兵冒着弹雨强行爆破。 巨大的爆炸声此起彼伏。 战事的发展是如此之快，去年打陇海战役第一仗时，杨勇的主攻部队没有一门炮，攻坚全靠机枪、手榴弹、爬梯子。今天，第一纵队已经有各种火炮49门，攻城可以采取火炮齐射了。 炮火攻击将近半小时，敌前沿阵地的大部分火力点被摧毁。 第20旅的突击队跳出掩体，越过护城河，向城墙的豁口冲去。 敌人的后续部队冲上南城门，已经哑了的火力点又向城外扫射。 突击队身陷火海，突击受阻…… 纵队指挥所，杨勇紧皱眉头，习惯性地手里不停地撕着纸片。地上已经一层纸屑。 “要1旅！” 杨勇扔下纸条，抓起话筒：“杨俊生，你部立即发起攻击，20旅已经牵制住了敌人的主要兵力，你要以迅雷不及掩耳之势突破西门，直捣55师师部！” 第1旅攻击位置是西城门。这里是一片开阔地，不易隐蔽，敌人估计解放军不易屯兵，故火力配备薄弱。这是杨勇选择西城门作为突破点的主要原因。 杨勇一到郓城，就命令第1旅利用暗夜进行迫近作业，在开阔地上迅速构筑起一道环形堑壕和10多条通向冲击出发地的纵深交通壕，使火力队能迫近城墙，进行直接瞄准射击，而突击队又能够在距敌防守外壕的最近处发起冲击。 南门，守城敌军拼死顽抗，动用各种口径的火炮阻击。炮弹黑压压飞过来。我第20旅的阵地被炸得浮土三尺，一把土就有五六块炮弹碎片。战士们被飞起的泥土埋起来，刚爬出来，又被埋进去…… 19时15分，第1旅阵地升起一颗红色信号弹。强大的炮火群立刻按火力分工有层次地准确射击预定目标。城内的敌炮立即还击。 第1旅旅长杨俊生带着作战参谋到第1团指挥所靠前指挥。性格内向、沉默寡言的杨俊生越是激战越冷静，颇有大将之风。他指挥作战言简意赅，善于扼要准确地表达意图，眼神和手势很富有表现力。 杨俊生命令两门105榴弹炮和4门山炮同时对准突破点上的大型砖碉堡。他一个手势，火炮齐射，掀掉了碉堡的盖顶。在重机枪的掩护下，第1团2营突击队乘势发起冲锋。6连爆破组在副连长田金堂带领下，从敌障碍物中开辟通道。 城头攻破。我第1团乘势进行攻击，特务连左右开弓向突破口两边撑开，5连、6连像两把尖刀从中间插下去，后面紧跟着攻城的部队狂风一般涌入城内。 战斗激烈，十里之外都能听到枪炮声。 北门、东门同时发起攻击。冲锋号响，部队如潮水一样突进城里。守军未料到战斗发展得如此迅速，师长曹福林正在主持连以上的军官开会，听到我军炮火猛烈轰击，只得匆忙结束会议，下令参加会议的军官全部赶回各自岗位，但已经来不及了。大半军官未到达指挥位置即被击毙。 与此同时，我第19、第20旅先后攻下北门和东门。 郓城守军狼奔豕突，城内大街到处是敌第55师遗弃的山炮、战防炮、轻重机枪。 烟尘中，我军几十路健儿向一个方向冲去，矛头直指城东北角的教堂——敌55师师部。此时，素有“固守将军”之称的曹福林也慌了起来，立即命令旅特务连督战，开枪射击败退下来的官兵。但这并不能阻止已成定局的颓势。20分钟后，教堂外围已失去抵抗力量。躲藏在地下深达10米掩蔽部内的曹福林明白大势已去，仓皇换上便衣，率领几个亲信，从地洞窜出东门外，向东南方向逃命去了。 曹福林前脚刚走，战士们就冲了近来。余下的军官还要抵抗，战士们端起刺刀刺死两个军官，其余的人都乖乖地举手投降了。 经过一夜战斗，到8日拂晓，郓城之战全部结束，全歼敌55师师部及第29和第74两个整旅，歼灭副师长以下1万余人，缴获山炮10门、战防炮6门、迫击炮25门，汽车9辆，各种枪支近万件。 刘邓大军开始大反攻后第一仗取得了辉煌胜利。 刘邓大军不仅在一夜间把蒋介石精心构筑的“黄河防线”踩在脚下，而且在跨过黄河之后，迅速拿下郓城。蒋介石心惊肉眺，只好挖肉补疮，急急忙忙从豫西南调第32师、第66师向盘踞在金乡、嘉祥之间的第70师靠拢，以金乡为依托，在东翼对巨野地区形成威逼态势；同时，又把陇海路上的58师调至金乡，把豫东调来的63师153旅调到定陶，和盘踞曹县以南的68师残部形成西翼，企图阻拦刘邓大军。我军行动神速，一个星期之间，就将其55师全歼于郓城，又把第153旅吃掉于定陶。这样一来，国民党军队上下手足无措，只好把第66师、第32师和第70师，在金乡西北和巨野东南的六营集、独山集和羊山集，三个相距不到15公里的集镇上，摆成一字长蛇阵。32师和70师是前卫，66师是本队。看样子是打算相互策应。 几次败仗后，国民党军上下都对刘邓大军的行动无所适从。正如国民党中央社7月14日说的那样：“刘伯承所部渡河以后，忽东忽西，流窜无定。” 于是有人说刘伯承下一步会取菏泽，有人说会取济宁。就在他们纷纷猜测之际，刘邓大军如神兵天降，把第66师、第32师和第70师切成三块，实施包围。 至此，国民党军才发现大事不好，但已经太迟了。 战场上的形势时而旌旗蔽日，时而静若深潭；有时山势崩颓，有时风平浪静。郓城一丢，兵团指挥官王敬久急命各师迅速构筑攻防工事，并连连电催各师派出一个团搜索侦察，探明刘邓大军的动向。 两天过去了，却没有发现敌情。王敬久越发坐立不安。他来到第199旅训话：“此番会战非同小可，委员长亲自筹划指挥，各路雄师云集鲁西南，只等一声炮响就从四面八方兜抄过来，把过河的共军全部干掉！共产党是很好对付的，我们可采用的办法很多，说简单些，也就十个字。第一个字是稳。稳，就是不要慌嘛。第二字是狠，更毋须解释了。第三个字是准……第四个字是硬……这第十个字嘛……” 王敬久把第十个字忘了。直到晚饭后，他才想起这第十个字是“活”。王敬久有几分迷信，恰在这个关头把个“活”字给忘了，这使他神色沮丧，举止更加失措。 参谋人员私下议论：“王司令官吊儿郎当，讲话时竟把活命的'活'字忘了，这是一个不好的兆头啊！” 就在第二天拂晓，刘邓大军第一纵队进抵狼山附近地区，切断了王敬久的第70师与第32师的联系。第二纵队中午歼灭了谢集敌第66师的一个团，向东协同第三纵队包围了羊山集之敌第66师。 这样，到7月13日中午，王敬久的三个师被分割包围，第70师被压缩在六营集，第32师被压缩在独山集，第66师被压缩在羊山集。 我军迅雷闪电般的行动对敌人而言无异晴天霹雳，王敬久的一字长蛇阵一断三截，顿时势乱神散。 慌忙之间，王敬久先是下令第70师向南，第66师向第32师靠拢，以求形成“链锁”，避免被分歼。接着又改令第32师到六营集接应第70师南下，解救羊山集之危，而后一同突围。 王敬久部署混乱，朝令夕改，弄的部下无所适从。第32师师长唐永良不再相信他，直接要通了第70师长陈颐鼎的电话：“你我所据六营集、独山集均为荒野小镇，又无工事屏障，即便突围靠向羊山集，也是出了小圈进大圈，仍在被围之中。依我之见，趁共匪仓促之时，你我两厢靠拢，一同冲出包围，你意如何？” 陈颐鼎说：“嘉祥城高池深，工事坚固，似是可攻可守之地，且有我一个团在那里接应。只是……” 沉稳、老辣的陈颐鼎认为，突围并非易事，弄不好即全军覆没，于是他有意停顿了一下，说：“只是望兄能向六营集靠拢，你我从六营集突围较便利。” 形势险恶，不容分秒贻误。唐永良不再计较，打完电话后，立即率兵向北突围，向第70师驻地六营集靠拢过来。 唐永良的第32师一出独山集，早已埋伏在大路左右的我第一纵队立即抓住战机，迅猛追击和侧击。敌32师拼命突围，战至晚上22点，被歼灭一个整旅，剩下的一个旅和师部虽逃向六营集，也被打得残缺不全。 14日，远道奔袭而至的我第六纵队也赶到六营集，协同第一纵队将敌第70师和第32师团团围住。 六营集只是个有200户人家的小镇，敌第32师进入六营集之后，两师之众集于一地，兵力拥挤，指挥不统一，人马相踏，粮食、饮水供给相当紧张，第70师和第32师部乱成一团。 刘邓面对新的敌我态势分析道：羊山集守敌第66师是蒋介石的嫡系，师长宋瑞珂是陈诚的亲信，战斗力比较强。而且羊山集三面环水，背靠羊山，曾是当年日军多年经营的一个据点，敌可依托这些据点及重新构筑的坚固工事防御。六营集则地带狭窄，工事薄弱，又两个师挤在一起，不会长久固守，必谋突围。于是决定先打弱一些六营集之敌。同时考虑：如果采取四面围攻，敌必作困兽之斗，徒增攻坚的难度。遂采取“围三阙一，网开一面，虚留生路，暗设口袋”的战法，把阵地攻坚战转化为运动战，在运动中歼灭敌人。 第六纵队受命在西面以坚决突破相威胁，促成其突围决心；第一纵队受命在东面示意留有生路，以诱敌夺路逃脱。 同日，王敬久又下令被围在六营集的唐永良、陈颐鼎向南出击，接应第66师，一起向金乡靠拢。 唐永良接令后愤愤地说：“这不等于是让我们去找死嘛！” 陈颐鼎也不愿意退至金乡，于是唐、陈二人越过王敬久，直接致电顾祝同，说南撤不可能，要求向嘉祥、济宁方向撤出。并报告六营集北、西、南已被共军围得风雨不透，只有东面存一空隙。顾祝同也无计可施，只好应允。 是夜，云黑天低。解放军从六营集北、南、西三面发起进攻。唐永良、陈颐鼎决定提前突围。按预先部署，第32师为左翼、第70师为右翼行动，但还没出村，部队就已经没了队形。两个师争着往东跑，几乎是眨眼的功夫，部队建制全散了，人喊马叫，乱成一团。 守候在东面的第一纵队十几把军号一齐吹响，嘹亮的号音划破夜空，一下子就把敌人给震慑了。继而层层伏兵一跃而出，无数轻重机枪一齐开火，子弹像暴雨倾泻，炮弹一个接一个在敌群里炸响，又像暴雨中一串串惊雷。 敌军由慌乱到惊惶到恐惧，顿时失去抵抗能力，官兵四散逃窜，各自弃命。许多士兵吓得扔掉枪，往高粱地里一站，等着当俘虏。炮车、弹药、牛车被丢得到处都是，东倒西歪、横三竖四地被遗弃在道路的两侧，无数骡马嘶鸣着遍地乱窜，不少人竟被按倒活活踩死。六营集东南方圆十几里的大洼地成为敌第70师和第32师的最后归宿。方圆十公里的旷野上，到处都可听见我军的联络号、哨子声和战士们的喊声：“缴枪不杀！”、“优待俘虏！” 15日8时，战斗结束，六营集大捷，国民党军整编第32师、第70师几乎全军覆灭。 现在，就剩下羊山集的敌66师了。羊山是金乡西北万福河北岸的一座小山。这座山由西向东全长不过2.5公里，形状很像一只羊。最东面的山包，当地群众叫它羊头，中间的一个最高最大的山头是羊身，山顶西面是一道往下倾斜的斜坡，上面有一些不大的山包，人们说它是羊尾。紧靠这座山的南面山脚下，居住着七八百户人家，这就是羊山集。这个集东西有三里路，西头是一条大街，可是到东头却又岔成了两条。全村的主要建筑，都在十字街以东。羊山集自古以来就是军事重镇。抗日战争期间，日军把羊山集初步修成了一个坚固的防御工事。敌66师赶到这里之后，除了尽量恢复日军修建的工事外，还昼夜加修了许多工事，把羊头、羊身两个制高点和十字街的主要房屋连在一起，构筑了核心阵地。此外，还把野战阵地伸出羊山集四周1公里远。 攻占六营集后，包围羊山集的第二、第三纵队立即对羊山集发起进攻。但宋瑞珂依靠坚固防御工事，拼命反击。至7月下旬，第二纵队、第三纵队共发起三次进攻，均被敌人打退，我军损伤很大，战事一时呈现胶着状态。 刘邓大军无后方作战，举步维艰，不容许发生哪怕是微小的一点失误。显然，如果刘邓大军继续滞留羊山集一带，待敌人从四面八方赶来，形势将变得更为不利。23日，远在陕北的毛泽东专门给刘邓来电，指出：“对羊山、济宁两点之敌，判断确有攻歼把握，则歼灭之；否则，立即集中全军休整10天左右，除扫清过路小敌及民团外，不打陇海路，不打新黄河以东，也不打平汉路，下决心不要后方，以半月行程直出大别山，占领大别山为中心的数十县，肃清民团，发动群众，建立根据地，吸引敌人向我进攻，打运动战。” 同时，毛泽东在来电中还告诉刘邓：他已经分别给陈赓和谢富治以及陈毅和粟裕发出电文，指示让陈谢兵团8月下旬挺进豫西，陈粟率领的华东野战军西线兵团进入鲁西南牵制敌人，以配合刘邓大军南下。 天似乎让炮火轰塌了，大雨不停，肆虐的风疯了似的东冲西撞，呜呜地呼啸着。接到毛泽东的来电后，刘伯承立即赶到羊山集前线。 他的衣服湿透了，紧紧地贴在身上，雨水顺着腿往下流。陈锡联面对刘伯承站着，彼此离得很近。 刘伯承摔掉帽子。这是他不常有的动作。 “仗打得太蠢了！太蠢了！”刘伯承头顶上那道伤疤由于动怒而泛着紫红色的光，嘴唇被冷雨冻得没了一点血色。“不管你是多么高的指挥官，权威有多么大，一个口令能使成千上万的人向你立正，但是你没有权力让哪怕是一个士兵做无谓的牺牲！……歼敌3，000，自损800。一个指挥官不但要负歼敌3，000之责，也要负自损800之责，不能随便死一个人！” 刘伯承转过身，面对窗外哗哗的大雨，宽而厚的脊背急剧地颤抖着。 “司令员，仗没打好，责任在我。”陈再道说。 陈锡联说：“三纵担任总攻，打羊山我是总指挥。司令员，处分我吧！” 陈再道面带愧色：“我们的主要问题是轻敌，连打了几个胜仗，开始麻痹大意了，对敌人的防御能力估计过低，对敌情侦察得不详细。第一次攻击，5旅报告说攻下了'羊尾'。天黑，对地形不熟悉，其实只占了几个小山包，并没有真正占领'羊尾'。听到'羊尾'攻下了，就让4旅向羊山集攻击。结果天亮后敌人居高临下，用火力向我反击，部队队形密集，遭到炮火杀伤……” 陈锡连接着说：“我们三纵过黄河之后一直没有机会参战。兄弟部队攻郓城、拿定陶、打六营集，更挑起我们急于求战的情绪。士气高本来是好事，但忽视了潜伏着的急躁、蛮干情绪，对敌情的侦察不够细致，工事做得也不够坚固……” “就凭硬冲了，是不是？” 刘伯承太阳穴上的青筋爆得高高的，还想说什么，眼光落在陈锡联的脸上。那张脸比几天前瘦了一大圈儿，胡子像一道乱草，双眼布满了血丝，大眼角上挂着两砣黄黄的眼垢。刘伯承又转向陈再道，一身泥水，赤着脚，裤腿高高挽起，两条细长的泥腿上东一块、西一块的伤疤，那是战争给这位出生入死的老战士留下的印记…… 刘伯承摘下眼镜，擦着上面的雨水。 “几天没睡觉了？”刘伯承戴上眼镜，语气显然缓和了。“越是胜利，越要细心谨慎。打了半辈子仗，应该认识战争了。”刘伯承话锋一转，轻声问道，“怎么样？羊山还打不打？” 陈锡联肩膀一颤，陈再道猛地抬起头，几乎同时喊道：“打！当然打！” 刘伯承说：“中央正在陕北召开会议，对我们挺进大别山，实行中央