Chapter 2 Chapter 01

The wheel of history turned to the autumn of 1948 AD.Everyone says autumn is refreshing.However, in this autumn, facing the further deterioration of the military situation, Chiang Kai-shek was full of worries and could not be happy. Two years ago, Chiang Kai-shek, who had a large number of people and guns, thought that the Chinese Communist Party and the people's army led by it could be easily wiped out. However, as a result of the two-year war, the Kuomintang army suffered setbacks everywhere and failed.In the first year of the war, the Kuomintang lost troops and turned from strategic offense to strategic defense; in the second year of the war, it continued to lose troops and lost ground, and shifted from comprehensive defense to key defense.

The grim reality made Chiang Kai-shek have to admit: "Since the national army began to fight against the bandits at the end of last year, the losses we have suffered are really great! In the past year, many of our troops were wiped out by the bandits, and many senior The fact that the general was captured by the bandit army is truly a disgrace unprecedented in the history of our revolutionary army! We can almost say that last year was the year in which our national revolutionary movement encountered the most serious obstacles." "Many comrades lost confidence in the revolution, forgot their own revolutionary stand and responsibility, and their hearts were shrouded in pessimism. Many senior generals expressed pessimism about the future of the bandit suppression military, thinking that there was no hope of victory."

"Since the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the credibility of the party in society has plummeted." Find a way out, find your own way.” In order to save the defeat.Chiang Kai-shek decided to convene a "Review Conference on Rebellion" to conduct a "thorough introspection and thorough review" of the military "suppression of bandits" in the past two years, in order to achieve "reforms that can truly bring life back to life after the meeting" and "make the military of the suppression of bandits safe and secure." for victory". From March 3 to 7, 1948, the military review meeting was held in the Auditorium of the Ministry of National Defense in Nanjing.

This is an important meeting held by the Kuomintang Military Command, and it is also the last military meeting held by Chiang Kai-shek on the mainland.More than 120 people from all walks of life attended the meeting. At the opening ceremony, Chiang Kai-shek gave a speech entitled "Reform the Psychology of Officers and Soldiers and Strengthen Their Spiritual Weapons". He said: "In the past two years, the 'suppression of bandits' military, as far as the overall situation is concerned, we cannot deny that we have been restrained everywhere and failed. In recent months, regardless of the performance of the military, political and economic aspects. It is indeed serious and dangerous, and it has reached a critical moment of survival. To this day, it has not only shaken the psychology of the people of the whole country, but also lost the confidence of the military generals and lowered their morale.

He also said, "After a long period of painstaking introspection and self-reflection, we have found the root cause of the military failures in the past two years: first, the senior cadres' psychological shake' and 'loss of confidence' in the Kuomintang's doctrine; It is the high-level generals who are "decadent in spirit and corrupt in life"; the third is that the national army lacks research on the tactics of the "communist bandits" and cannot "take the bandits' strengths and make up for my weaknesses'". He accused and said: "Now most of our senior generals have degenerated spirits, corrupted lives, fundamentally shaken the confidence of the revolution, and completely disappeared the concept of responsibility. How can such generals lead their subordinates. What makes me especially sad is that in the past two years, Many high-ranking generals whom I have commanded were captured and wronged, but they were unable to be generous, this is really a shame and humiliation unprecedented in the history of our revolutionary army!"

Chiang Kai-shek instructed the generals attending the meeting: What is the reason for the failure that must be thoroughly reviewed?How about having to thoroughly examine your own spirit?Arouse the conscience, repent thoroughly, be honest and shameless, teach the war out of shame, and strive for a reform that can truly revive the dead after the meeting. He warned: "If today's general senior generals cannot fully realize the reform of their own spiritual thinking, sweep away the defeatist psychology of the past, and fail to re-establish the confidence and determination of the revolution, then no matter how many soldiers we have , No matter how sophisticated weapons you have, they will always be wiped out by the Communist bandits in the future. Of course, our general high-ranking generals will have no place to stand in life and no place to die when they die."

Chiang Kai-shek completely attributed the responsibility for the two-year military failure to the incompetence of the front-line generals and their greed for life and fear of death, which aroused the dissatisfaction of the generals present.Chiang Kai-shek had to change his face to appease and cheer up the generals. "Now our strength in sea, land, air force, transportation, and all aspects of politics, economy and society is not several times greater than that of the communist bandit? Is there anything in the communist bandit that can compare with us? Why should we shake our confidence and be willing to fail? Woolen cloth?"

The spokesperson of the Nanjing Ministry of National Defense said in a statement: "In the past, the ratio of the national army to the bandits was three to one, but today it may be almost two to one. But the national army has an air force, and its equipment and supplies are better than the bandits. With the strength of the national army The bandits are still absolutely sure of victory." The Associated Press commented that Chiang Kai-shek led his senior generals to formulate a "new military strategy against the Communist Army", which "marked the beginning of a new phase of the government's strategy against the Communist Army." Make a decisive battle."

The autumn of 1948 was undoubtedly a golden harvest for the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Army led by it. In the first two years of the War of Liberation, the People's Liberation Army fought bravely and won successive victories.In the first year, the strategic policy of "active defense" was firmly implemented, and a large number of effective forces of the Kuomintang were wiped out.In the second year, the main force was sent to the outer lines, leading the war to the Kuomintang-ruled areas.While annihilating the Kuomintang army in large numbers, its own strength has also continued to grow and develop.The total strength of the army has increased, weapons and equipment have been improved, and the political quality, military technology and tactics of the troops, especially the ability to attack key battles, have been greatly improved.

The total strength of the People's Liberation Army has grown from more than 1.2 million at the beginning of the war to nearly 2.8 million. The ratio of troops in the same period with the Kuomintang was 1:1.3, and the ratio of the regular army was 1:1.32.The national liberated areas have an area of ​​235.5 square kilometers, a population of 168 million, and 586 cities. The conditions for "overthrowing Chiang Kai-shek and liberating the whole of China" have matured. On September 8, the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in the small cafeteria of the central government in Xibaipo.

Members of the Politburo attending the meeting were: Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Ren Bishi, Dong Biwu, and Peng Zhen.Members of the Central Committee are: Xu Xiangqian, Rao Shushi, He Long, Deng Xiaoping, Lu Dingyi, Zeng Shan, Ye Jianying, Nie Rongzhen, Teng Daiyuan, and Bo Yibo.Alternate members are: Liao Chengzhi, Chen Boda, Deng Yingchao, Liu Lantao.Ten important staff members including Luo Mai, Yang Shangkun, Hu Qiaomu, Fu Zhong, Li Tao, An Ziwen, Li Kenong, Feng Wenbin, Huang Jing and Hu Yaobang attended the meeting.This was the first Politburo meeting held by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China after leaving Yan'an, and it was also the most attended meeting of the Central Committee. The meeting first heard Mao Zedong's report. The report discusses eight aspects: the estimation of the international situation; our strategic policy and strategic tasks; the establishment of the people's democratic dictatorship led by the proletariat and based on the alliance of workers and peasants; the development of inner-party democracy, training of cadres, raising the theoretical level, Cadres preparing for all aspects of work after the occupation of the country; learning about industry and doing business; strengthening discipline and overcoming indiscipline and anarchy; about new capitalism, agricultural socialism, etc. Mao Zedong's report ran through a theme, that is, how to achieve the victory over the Kuomintang Chiang Kai-shek and how to build a new democratic China after the victory.The participating comrades conducted serious and in-depth discussions and discussions around this theme. Based on the combat situation in the first two years of the Liberation War, especially the combat victories in the first three months of the third year of the war, the Political Bureau meeting of the Central Committee established that "the army will move forward, production will increase by an inch, discipline will be strengthened, and guerrilla warfare will transition to regular warfare. Build an army of 5 million, annihilate 500 brigades of the enemy's regular army, and fundamentally overthrow the reactionary Kuomintang rule in about five years (counting from July 1946). During the meeting, Liu Shaoqi made special speeches on the construction of New Democracy and Zhou Enlai on the People's Liberation Army's operations and army building in the third year of the war. Zhou Enlai analyzed in detail the comparison of the forces of the enemy and ourselves.It is believed that based on the development of the war in the first two years, the People's Liberation Army is completely sure to defeat the Kuomintang in the next three years. Liu Shaoqi pointed out in his speech: We propose to overthrow the Kuomintang and unify the whole of China.It used to be a propaganda slogan, but now it is on the agenda for planning.This plan is conditionally guaranteed victory.In our wars, we have never experienced decisive assaults or major battles.After passing these two levels, the problem is solved. Ren Bishi said that the achievements of the liberation war in the past two years have further strengthened his confidence in victory.If you don't make big mistakes, you probably won't have any problem winning in about five years. Deng Xiaoping said that after winning the battle in the first two years, the third year is the key: there are indeed difficulties, and the truly decisive battle has not yet been passed.But difficulties can be resolved in victory, and military victory is the decisive link.Mao Zedong's estimates and plans can be announced within the party and in front of the people to excite and inspire the people. The meeting emphasized that the third year of the war is a crucial year in the five-year victory.There are two possibilities for the development of the situation in the future: If we deal a severe blow to the Kuomintang in the third and fourth years of the war, coupled with the development of the political and economic crisis of Chiang Kai-shek of the Kuomintang, the rule of Chiang Kai-shek of the Kuomintang may collapse earlier and victory will come sooner ; Another possibility is that the United States sends troops, and the war may also be prolonged.Let us neither be ill-prepared because we win too quickly, nor impatient because we win a little slower. On the 13th, the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee was successfully concluded after Mao Zedong made the conclusion of the meeting. The spirit of the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and various resolutions were quickly communicated and implemented to all liberated areas and the People's Liberation Army, which further stimulated the revolutionary enthusiasm and fighting spirit of the army and the people, and strengthened the determination and confidence to completely defeat Chiang Kai-shek and liberate the whole of China. Shortly after the September meeting, the People's Liberation Army began to accept the test of "breaking through the barriers": that is, to annihilate the Kuomintang's heavy army group in a single battle and conquer a large city guarded by the Kuomintang with more than 100,000 people. After weighing, the central government decided to set the goal of "breaking through the gate" at Jinan, which is heavily guarded by the Kuomintang. On the evening of September 16, the East China Field Army launched the Jinan Campaign.After 8 days and nights of fierce fighting, Jinan and other cities were conquered, a total of 104,000 Kuomintang troops were wiped out, 23 senior Kuomintang generals were captured, more than 800 various guns, 20 tanks and armored vehicles, and 238 cars were captured. The victory in the Battle of Jinan created a precedent for the People's Liberation Army to seize a large city firmly held by the Kuomintang's heavy troops, and shook its confidence in defending the big city. And improved the People's Liberation Army's ability to tackle tough battles. Xinhua News Agency pointed out in the editorial "Celebrating the Great Victory of the Liberation of Jinan": "This proves that the People's Liberation Army's powerful attack capabilities are already beyond the reach of the Kuomintang army. No Kuomintang city can escape the attack of the People's Liberation Army." On September 29, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China pointed out in a congratulatory message to the heads of the East China Military Region and the East China Field Army that the Battle of Jinan was "one of the most serious blows to the enemy in the development of the Revolutionary War for more than two years." The Americans exclaimed: "The strong attack on Jinan shows that the communist army is no longer afraid of directly attacking the positions held by the government." "The communist army has become strong enough to attack and may conquer any city north of the Yangtze River." The Associated Press quoted an expert on China as saying that the capture of Jinan by the People's Liberation Army was a military victory that "shaken the foundation of Chiang Kai-shek's regime" and that the Supreme Command of the Kuomintang was "stunned with panic." Japan's "Asahi Shimbun" commented: "After Jinan fell to the People's Liberation Army, China's civil war has entered a very important new stage." "The capture of the big city of Jinan has greatly improved the economic situation of the CCP and strengthened their military status." After winning the Battle of Jinan, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China set its sights on the northeast again.Almost at the same time as the Jinan Campaign began, the Northeast Field Army launched the decisive Liaoshen Campaign. From September 12 to November 2, after 52 days of fierce fighting, the People's Liberation Army wiped out the Northeast "Suppression General" and its 4 corps headquarters, 11 military headquarters, 36 divisions and local security teams totaling more than 472,000 people. The Battle of Liaoshen was the last battle of the Northeast War of Liberation and the first major battle in which the People's Liberation Army and the Kuomintang fought a strategic decisive battle during the National War of Liberation.In the vast area starting from Changchun in the north, reaching Shanhaiguan in the south, starting from Fushun in the east, and ending in Fuxin in the west, the two sides invested a total of more than 1.6 million troops. contest.The victory of this battle enabled the People's Liberation Army to gain experience in large-scale annihilation battles, which has important guiding significance for the further development of strategic decisive battles and the final victory. The victory of the Liaoshen Campaign dealt a heavy blow to the Kuomintang, Chiang Kai-shek. "The KMT's military setback in Manchuria has now brought Chiang Kai-shek's government closer to the brink of collapse than at any time during its more than two decades of existence," Reuters said. Badawi, head of the United States Joint Military Advisory Group in China, believes: "The loss of Manchuria and its 300,000 or so best troops is an astonishing blow to the government. In my opinion, the loss of the army is the most Serious results, this is really the beginning of the death of the national army. The Communist army has increased its strength by 360,000 people, and now it can move freely and attack the pass, so there is no hope of preserving North China.” Leighton Stuart, the U.S. ambassador to China, was even more pessimistic. He said: "We are very unwilling to come to the conclusion that the collapse of the current Kuomintang government is inevitable." In this battle, Chiang Kai-shek flew three times to Shenyang, took the command in Beiping, and personally commanded, "several seats were too busy for half a month" in an attempt to restore the defeat in the Northeast.In the end, he was unable to recover, and personally lost the Northeast and ruined all the elite divisions in the Northeast.Chiang Kai-shek was inexplicably sad and wanted to cry but had no tears.He "vomited blood in Beiping, and continued to vomit blood after returning to Nanjing." On the afternoon of October 30, Chiang Kai-shek convened an emergency meeting in Nanjing, "speaking in the most gloomy and pessimistic tone", "describing the current military situation as the 'most serious' since the end of the war against Japan". Chiang Kai-shek admitted: "This Northeast Campaign is the biggest lesson in our revolutionary history, and it is also the biggest setback in our revolutionary process." The victory of the Liaoshen Campaign and the liberation of the entire Northeast made the Northeast Field Army a strategic mobile force, and the Northeast Liberated Area became a consolidated strategic rear area, which is of great and far-reaching significance. The day after the end of the battle, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a telegram to Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan, Gao Gang, Chen Yun and all the officers and soldiers of the Northeast People's Liberation Army and all the people of the Northeast to warmly congratulate the great victory of the Northeast Liberation War: "Northeast is the largest center of China's industry, especially heavy industry. With the active assistance of U.S. imperialism, the reactionary Kuomintang government has used great force to seize the Northeast since the winter of 1945, successively investing troops and recruiting puppet troops and bandits. A total of 1.1 million people. Relying on the unity of all the soldiers and civilians in the front and rear of the Northeast, and fighting bravely, and with the victorious cooperation of the liberated areas in our pass, they wiped out more than one million enemies in three years of fighting, and finally liberated the nine northeastern regions. All the land in the province and the 37 million compatriots smashed the dream of the Chinese and American reactionaries to enslave the people of the Northeast and use the Northeast to provoke an international war, and laid a solid foundation for liberating the whole of China within a few years, and then gradually building China into an industrial country .” "Northeast Daily" published an editorial "Celebrate the Liberation of Shenyang, Celebrate the Liberation of the Northeast", pointing out: "Shenyang and the Northeast are completely liberated, and the bloody bets that the US imperialists and Chiang Kai-shek's bandit gang tried their best to throw in the Northeast have all been lost." " Chiang Kai-shek's "Second Manchuria" rule supported by U.S. imperialism has now been wiped out by the Northeast People's Liberation Army and gone forever. This is an unprecedented and great victory for the people of Northeast China." The victory of the Liaoshen decisive battle effectively promoted the smooth development of the entire strategic decisive battle and accelerated the historical process of China's revolutionary war. On October 31, the Central Military Commission sent a call to the leaders of the Northeast Field Army and pointed out: "The Central Committee's September meeting stipulated that five million troops should be built in about five years, and five hundred brigades of the enemy's regular army should be wiped out. This is basically the task of overthrowing the Kuomintang. Because the war is developing rapidly, it may Finished a year early. On November 11, Mao Zedong sent a message to the leaders of the Northeast Field Army, pointing out again: "The victories of our army in ninety-two months, especially in the Northeast and Jinan, have fundamentally changed the situation between the enemy and ourselves. From July to now more than four months In the battle, nearly one million enemies were wiped out. The Kuomintang army has less than three million people, while our army has increased to three million. "In early September (before the Battle of Jinan), the Politburo meeting of the Central Committee made an army of five million in about five years and a regular army in five days to wipe out the enemy, which fundamentally defeated the KMT's estimates and tasks. Because of the great victories in September and February, It already seems to be lagging behind, this——the completion of the task will only take another year or so.'' On November 14, Mao Zedong solemnly announced to China and the world in his commentary on "Major Changes in China's Military Situation" written for Xinhua News Agency: Since then, the People's Liberation Army has not only already had an advantage in quality, but also now has an advantage in quantity. already have an advantage.In this way, the course of the war we originally expected will be greatly shortened.It only takes another year or so to completely overthrow the reactionary Kuomintang government.This is a new historical turning point, and this new historical turning point "is a sign that the success of China's revolutionary war and the realization of peace in China are approaching". Under such circumstances, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Mao Zedong were determined to seize the favorable opportunity for a decisive battle that had emerged, expand the scale of the decisive battle between the People's Liberation Army and the Kuomintang Army, and wipe out the Liu Zhi Group on the spot in the Xuzhou area on the southern line and the Pingjin area on the northern line. And Fu Zuoyi Group to speed up the process of the liberation war.Try to use another year or so to fundamentally overthrow the reactionary rule of the Kuomintang Chiang Kai-shek. With the end of the Liaoshen Campaign, the entire territory of Northeast China has been liberated; on the Northwest battlefield, the main force of the Hu Zongnan Group of the Kuomintang Army was compressed in the Guanzhong area, seeing doom; The vast area of ​​northern China has also been liberated. The railways on the eastern section of the Longhai Line and the southern section of the Pinghan Line are completely in the hands of the People's Liberation Army. The Huaihai Campaign in East China has also begun smoothly. The Liu Zhi Group stationed in Xuzhou will soon become the East China and Central Plains Field Army stuff in the bag. Under this situation, how to clean up the Fu Zuoyi Group in North China was put on the agenda and became a question considered by Mao Zedong and the Central Military Commission. North China is in a pivotal position connecting the Northeast, Northwest, Central Plains, and East China, and its strategic position is very important.Therefore, it has become one of the main battlefields where the Kuomintang army and the People's Liberation Army compete fiercely.