Hong Xuezhi-Created a miracle of logistics supply.

Hong Xuezhi (1965438+February 2, 2003-165438+20061October 20) was born in Jinzhai, Anhui. /kloc-0 joined the revolution in March, 929, and joined the China * * * Production Party in May of the same year. During his revolutionary career, he served as commander of the military region, commander of the army and deputy commander of the Corps, and participated in the battle of Ping Jin and the battle of crossing the river.

After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), he served as the director of the State Council National Defense Industry Office, the deputy secretary-general of the Central Military Commission and the vice chairman of China People's Political Consultative Conference. He also participated in and commanded the liberation of Hainan Island and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. 1955 and 1988 were awarded the rank of general twice. 165438+20061died in Beijing on October 20th.

The War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea is the most modern war in the history of our army. During the war, almost all the food, ammunition and equipment needed by the volunteers were supplied by the country. Relying on air superiority, the US military invading Korea has always taken cutting off the transportation line of volunteers as its strategic goal. Therefore, the success or failure of the anti-bombing struggle of transportation lines is related to the outcome of the whole war.

This is a contest of wisdom and courage. Finally, Fubit, commander of the Eighth Army of the United States, had to admit: "Although the allied air force and navy tried their best to block the supplies of the producers, the producers of * * * still delivered the materials to the front line with incredible perseverance, creating an amazing miracle."

Hong Xuezhi, commander of the rear service headquarters of the Volunteers, is the one who created this miracle.

"Only by winning this rear war can we better guarantee the victory of the war ahead."

1951in late April, on the day when the first stage of the Fifth War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea ended, Hong Xuezhi was inspecting and supervising the material transportation in the Second Division of Nantingli when he suddenly received a phone call from Peng, asking him to return to China immediately and report the supply situation in the front and rear. Hong Xuezhi thought, let the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission know the actual situation of front-line logistics, so as to obtain the support of the people of the whole country in manpower, material resources and financial resources.

In Beijing, Hong Xuezhi gave Zhou Enlai a detailed report on the logistics of the volunteers.

The War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea directly confronted the highly modernized U.S. military, and there were many new situations and problems different from the previous revolutionary wars. In the past, the supply of our army's combat materials basically depended on seizing from the battlefield or using local materials. As the song goes: "No guns, no guns, the enemy made them for us", and Chiang Kai-shek is our transport captain; Food and clothes are supplied by the people in the base areas. Where there are ordinary people, there are granaries, garment factories and hospitals. But in the Korean battlefield, the situation is different. The enemy is highly mechanized and moves quickly, so you are not allowed to establish base areas at all. Moreover, wherever the enemy goes, it is a scorched earth. Near the 38th parallel, hundreds of miles of grain-free areas, even ordinary people have no food to eat. How can we "take it from the people" when volunteers have to squeeze out part of their rations to support themselves? After winning the battle, when the enemy retreated, all the trench they could not take away was destroyed. They are not "transport captains", and people don't care. If they are destroyed, they can build new ones and never stay. In this way, the supply of the front line depends entirely on domestic transportation. At that time, the volunteers had no air superiority and poor air defense capability. However, by virtue of its air superiority, the US military has carried out devastating bombing on important targets such as towns, factories, stations and bridges in northern Korea. The logistics transportation of volunteers mainly depends on cars, while the enemy takes destroying the traffic behind our war zone as an important means, which makes the logistics transportation extremely difficult. When I first entered the DPRK, I bombed more than 80 vehicles of Volunteer Army/KLOC-0 in less than a week. From World War I to World War III, more than 200 vehicles were consumed/kloc-0, with an average of more than 30 vehicles per day. In order to reduce the loss, we have to turn off the lights at night, coupled with poor road conditions and low transportation efficiency, and rollover accidents occur from time to time. During the fourth and fifth campaigns, it was the most difficult, arduous and complicated period for the logistics work of our volunteers. Due to poor traffic, a large amount of materials piled up on the Yalu River and could not be sent to the front, and the food supply could only meet a quarter of the demand; Soldiers on the front line can only fight under extremely difficult conditions, starve and suffer serious personnel losses.

After listening to Hong Xuezhi's report, Zhou Enlai attached great importance to it and said, "Foreign military strategists say that logistics is the bottleneck of modern warfare. The logistics of the volunteers must be strengthened, and the Central Military Commission considers it necessary to send more air defense units and communication units to the logistics of the volunteers. " Hong Xuezhi also said: "Mr. Peng also asked me to report to you on the establishment of the rear service headquarters of the Volunteers."

Zhou Enlai was very interested and said, "Tell me what you think."

Hong Xuezhi expounded the reasons for the establishment of logistics headquarters, and further expounded the role of logistics in modern wars. His incisive views were refreshing:

"Since the Korean War, President Peng and we have gradually realized the role of logistics in modern warfare. Modern warfare is a three-dimensional war, which is carried out simultaneously or crosswise in the air, on the ground, at sea, in front and behind. The battlefield is vast, the situation is changing rapidly, and the consumption of manpower and material resources is huge. At present, European and American countries are implementing the big logistics strategy. Fifty kilometers ago, it was the business of the front command, and fifty kilometers later, it was the business of the rear command. The war is fought not only at the front, but also at the rear. Now, the United States is waging a war in our rear, completely controlling the bombing of our rear. The scale of this war not only determines the scale of the war ahead of us, but also determines the success or failure of the war ahead. Only by winning the war in the rear can we better guarantee the victory in the war ahead. In order to adapt to this feature, the CMC needs to send more air defense soldiers, signal soldiers, railway soldiers, engineering soldiers and other multi-arms to jointly fight, and it needs to set up the leading organ of the rear war-the rear service command, to command the joint operations of multi-arms in the rear war in a unified way, to ensure in the battle and to carry out the war in the guarantee. "

Under the historical conditions at that time, it was remarkable that a Chinese army general who had just come out of China's civil war could understand some characteristics of modern warfare so profoundly.

At the beginning of May, on the basis of comprehensively summing up the logistics experience and lessons in the strategic counter-offensive, the Party Committee of the Volunteers made the "Instructions on Replenishment" on May 3, drafted by Hong Xuezhi. The directive fully affirmed the position and role of logistics in modern warfare, and pointed out: "War is a competition between manpower and material resources, especially for the US military with high-tech equipment. Without minimum supplies, it is impossible to defeat the enemy. We must realize that our military vehicles are not enough, including cannons, tanks and engineers, when the enemy has mastered the air superiority. All materials need to be shipped from China, and the logistics work is extremely difficult and complicated. Without the assistance of the whole army, it is impossible to accomplish such an arduous task by relying on the efforts of comrades in the logistics department. " The instruction emphasizes: "Logistics is the primary link in all our work at present." After the "Instructions on Supply" was reported to the Military Commission, it was quickly approved.

As the commander of logistics command.

More than half a year after the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea began, the logistics support of volunteers was mainly undertaken by the Logistics Department of Northeast Military Region (Donghou for short). With the development of the war, a large number of volunteers entered the DPRK one after another. By mid-April of 195 1, it had reached 16 infantry division, 7 artillery divisions, 4 anti-aircraft artillery divisions, 4 tank regiments, 9 engineers, 3 railway divisions and 2 directly affiliated regiments. Together with other government agencies, the total number has reached 90. Especially due to the increase of technical arms, the consumption of ammunition and oil has greatly increased. Obviously, the logistics supply of such a million-strong army can no longer be managed by the "Queen of the East". According to the situation, the Central Military Commission quickly approved the proposal of "Zhi Si", decided to set up the rear service headquarters of the Volunteers, which was subordinate to "Zhi Si", and requested that the commander of "Hou Zhi" should be a deputy commander of the Volunteers.

1951May 14 evening, Peng presided over a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Volunteer Party Committee to study the institutional setup and cadre allocation of the Volunteer Logistics Command. At the beginning of the meeting, Peng announced the decision of the Central Military Commission. Hong Xuezhi a listen to a presentiment, eighty percent by him. Because from the beginning, he was in charge of logistics. Sure enough, everyone strongly recommended Hong Dang as the post-commander, and Peng Zong also agreed. But Hong Xuezhi has his own ideas and doesn't want to have both. There are two reasons: first, I have been engaged in political and military work and am familiar with it, but I am not familiar with logistics work; Second, the logistics of the Korean War is too difficult to do, and I am worried that it may not be done or screwed up. Peng told several other leaders that Hong just wouldn't let go.

Seeing that Hong was so stubborn, Mr. Peng was so angry that he patted the table and asked loudly, "Don't you do it?" All right! You don't have to do this! "Hong said," then who will do it? "Mr. Peng continued to growl:" I will do it! Go and command the army! "When Hong Xuezhi saw General Peng say this, he immediately softened and said," Boss, if you say this, my army will be lost! " "I am your army, or you are my army, huh? ！” Hong Xuezhi couldn't get rid of it, so he took a step back and said, "I can be the logistics commander at the same time, but there must be a condition that allows me. "

Peng Jianhong agreed, softened his tone and asked, "What are the conditions?" Hong said: "The conditions are simple. The first is to leave your post as soon as possible if you can't do it well and change to a comrade who is more capable than me; Second, I am an army cadre, and I am willing to do military work. After the end of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, I will not be asked to engage in logistics work after returning to China. " Peng said with a smile, "What should I look like, that's all? All right! Aye! Agree with you! "

19 in may, the central military commission made the decision on strengthening the rear service of the volunteers. The "Decision" orders that the rear service command of the Volunteers should be established immediately, which is responsible for managing all logistics organizations and facilities in North Korea (including railway and military transportation); The rear service command of the volunteers is directly led by the head of the direct department; In the past, all units belonging to the logistics department of the Volunteers (such as engineers, artillery, public security, communications, transportation, railway corps, engineering troops and hospitals, etc.). ) In the future, it will be the responsibility of the rear service headquarters of the Volunteers. The Central Military Commission appointed Hong Xuezhi as the logistics commander of the Volunteers, Zhou Chunquan as the political commissar, Zhang Mingyuan as the deputy commander, Du Zheheng as the deputy political commissar, and Qi Yuanwo (later Li Xuesan) as the director of the political department. The decision of the Central Military Commission defines the position and role of logistics in modern warfare from the combination of theory and practice, expands the authority and scope of logistics work, marks a major change in logistics from a single service to a combination of multiple services, and is an important guiding document in the history of volunteer logistics development.

Establish a supply system combining regional supply with organizational supply.

In the early days of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, the logistics work of the Volunteers inherited the experience of the later period of the Civil Liberation War, and each division deployed its station according to the operational direction to provide follow-up support to the troops. Initially, three logistics divisions were formed to cross the river with the troops. Each division formed a supply line, and several large (soldier) stations were under its jurisdiction, equipped with warehouses, automobile groups, loading and unloading groups, highway engineering teams, stretcher teams, security teams, hospitals and rescue teams. Until the third battle, these three divisions ensured the supply of the front line. After the third battle, the fourth division was added, which was adapted from the logistics department of the ninth corps. Later, with the expansion of the front, several divisions were added.

This kind of logistics system is not conducive to giving full play to their initiative and enthusiasm, and even chaotic phenomena such as interdependence or repeated supply appear. After the battle, with the increase of troops, the task of logistics supply has been greatly aggravated and the contradiction has become more prominent. Peng was very anxious about this, and Hong Xuezhi was on pins and needles.

What forms and methods should be taken to organize the supply? Hong Xuezhi has run some military, division and regiment logistics agencies, as well as some frontier positions. Combined with the past experience and in view of the new situation, this paper puts forward a supply system scheme combining regional supply with organizational supply. This supply system divides the whole area behind the theater into two levels: campaign and tactics. From the Yalu River to the front-line troops, the rear of the campaign constitutes the rear of the volunteers. From military logistics to forward positions, it is the tactical rear, which constitutes the rear area of the army. After the campaign, the volunteer logistics will divide the supply areas and set up stations and lines to supply troops in different areas according to the general operational policy, operational direction, troop deployment, terrain, roads and other conditions, as well as the logistics' own strength. In the tactical rear, the logistics of the Corps is cancelled, with military logistics as the main body, and the organization and supply are still implemented according to the system of troops, divisions and regiments. Practice has proved that this supply system, which combines regional supply with organizational supply, has adapted to the geography, traffic conditions and operational requirements of the Korean war zone and fully demonstrated its superiority in the war. Hong Xuezhi reported the situation to Peng, who thought the change was good. The order is executed immediately.

The establishment and perfection of the new logistics system of the Volunteers marks the maturity of our army's modern war support system.

"The enemy has many tricks, and we can figure out how to deal with them."

195 1 In August, the US military formulated a "strangulation war" plan for communication lines in an attempt to destroy the railway system in northern Korea within three months and suffocate the combat forces of China and North Korea. 18, the us air force began to focus on bombing railway bridges. Since September, the focus of bombing has shifted to the railway transportation hub in northern Korea. 12 from September to February, the enemy dropped more than 38,000 bombs on several sections of this area, which was only 73.5 kilometers long, making the area impassable for 80% of the time.

Knowing this, Peng specially called Hong Xuezhi and said as soon as they met, "Da Hong, the enemy is going to move to the rear. This is a cruel struggle between destruction and anti-destruction, strangulation and anti-strangulation. The front is mine and the back is yours. You must win! "

Hong Xuezhi knew how heavy the burden was for him. Forty years later, he recalled: "The war is going on fiercely, and it is really worse and more difficult to encounter a catastrophic flood. I am the leader and commander of Chis. I really can't eat and sleep, and my heart is on fire. But the more difficult it is, the more calm it is. "

At that time, where is the most difficult, where is the most critical, Hong Xuezhi ran to where, transportation hub, ferry, enemy blockade, he often appeared; He also went deep into the soldiers and cadres to give ideas and find ways together. As long as there are new ways to deal with the enemy, he will immediately convene a meeting to summarize and promote it.

Because the enemy bombed day and night and the terrain was dangerous, it was difficult to repair the bridge in a short time. After research, it is decided to concentrate on four major stations, 1000 vehicles, and adopt the mode of reverse transportation. There are more than 600 wagons at Xiqing Chuanjiang Bridge, 270 wagons at Dongda Tongjiang Bridge 1 100, and 270 wagons at Liujiang Bridge in Northeast China. This is the famous "Xiasanjiang" in the history of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. This method of reverse transportation, water transportation and feeder transportation is a special form of transportation created in the case of flooding and bombing by enemy planes. The purpose of uninterrupted transportation of roads and bridges is achieved.

Some newly-built railway bridges can't bear the weight of locomotives, so the railway soldiers of the Volunteers came up with a good idea: push the wagons loaded with materials across the river with locomotives on one side of the bridge, and then pull them away by the locomotives waiting there, so that the locomotives can't get on the bridge. In this way, the train full of military materials can safely pass through the temporary bridge that may be crushed at any time and transport the materials to the front. This method was called "pushing cattle across the river" at that time.

The railway soldiers of the Volunteers also came up with many amazing ways: lowering the height of the bridge below the water surface and becoming an "underwater bridge" invisible to enemy planes. Some bridges remove important components immediately after opening to traffic, and then build them at night, which becomes a movable temporary bridge that removes the frame during the day and at night. Some build temporary bridges and lines far away from the main bridge, and even if the enemy plane blows up one place, the other place can still be opened to traffic.

In order to pass more trains within the limited opening time, volunteers broke the routine and adopted measures such as "unilateral transportation" (trains in one or several sections run in the same direction for a certain period of time), "continuous operation" (more than two trains run continuously in an interval) and "joint operation" (more than two trains run continuously), which improved the transportation efficiency.

In the Korean battlefield, difficulties are hard to see, but Hong Xuezhi always believes that as long as the masses are mobilized and brainstormed, there are always more ways than difficulties.

Decades later, Hong Xuezhi recalled: When it comes to unforgettable things, the whole War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea is unforgettable. Talk about the wisdom of the masses. The enemy has many tricks, and we can figure out how to deal with them. For example, enemy planes dropped bombs and blew up many large pits on the highway. At first, engineers filled it with soil. Later, they thought of a way, found two boards to press on the pit, and the car drove past. Then one board was enough. One of our platoon leaders pondered and learned to unload a time bomb. If the enemy blows up the bridge, we will build an underwater ship. The bridge deck is underwater and the enemy plane can't find it. Enemies often use flares for reconnaissance at night. We found that after the flare found the target, the enemy plane flew over and bombed. There is a time difference, so we just borrow lights and use enemy flares to illuminate our driving at night. When the enemy plane came, our car rushed through the danger zone. We have many ways to deal with them.

Mobilize the masses, rely on the masses, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians go into battle together.

Hong Xuezhi's other magic weapon is to fully mobilize the masses and rely on them.

At the end of the fifth campaign, the battle ahead was very tense and ammunition and food were urgently needed, but the traffic was paralyzed and most of the materials could not be transported to the front. The grain situation of the 20th Corps in Yang Chengwu on the Eastern Front is extremely difficult.

Peng called Hong Xuezhi and said, "Hong Xuezhi, I tell you that the 20th Corps is running out of food. No matter how hard it is, we must ensure that the troops on the Eastern Front have five days' food. "

In this most tense period, on the one hand, Hong Xuezhi brainstormed and thought of many ways: find some people who know how to top the grain and transport it across the Qingchuan River; Do everything possible to find some wooden boats and rubber boats to transport grain; On the other hand, mobilize the masses and rely on them to fight the people's war.

Because of the rain crossing the river, some food was wet, so the masses were organized to bake, kang and sun. At that time, 300 thousand people used it to turn over grain, and the Korean people were also mobilized to turn over the sun in every household.

In those days, Hong Xuezhi reported the food situation to Peng twice a day, including how much food was delivered from the rear, whether it was delivered, and how many troops were sent from the front.

Through joint efforts, we finally passed the most difficult period.

One difficulty has been overcome, and new difficulties have emerged.

The frenzied bombing and flooding by the US military destroyed most of the railways and highways in northern Korea. At that time, the war ahead was tight and food and ammunition were urgently needed. It is of no help to repair damaged railways and highways by relying on several regiments of logistics engineering troops for another six months. Hong Xuezhi asked Chen Geng, the second deputy commander.

Hong Xuezhi said: "Commander Chen, the amount of road construction is too large and the repair is too slow!"

Chen Geng asked, "What do you think?"

Hong Xuezhi said: "The whole army should do it, except the front-line troops, no matter the organs, troops or handyman. In addition, the Korean people also want to go up, but also to add to the people's army. The road is impassable and everyone is difficult! "

Hearing this, Chen Geng said, "This method is good. Let's have a meeting to study it. "

At the meeting of the leaders of the Volunteers, Hong Xuezhi talked about his own ideas: "Unified layout and reasonable division of labor. Every army, division and regiment clearly stipulates which workshop should be packed and completed within a time limit; In any case, it must be fully open to traffic within one month. "

Some people think that the workload is too heavy to finish.

Chen Geng said seriously, "This is the same as fighting. This is a combat mission. I can't finish it during the day and night, and I will go all out day and night. "

According to the decision of the meeting, Hong Xuezhi came up with a plan, which area is what corps, which area is what army, which area belongs to the Korean people, which area belongs to the logistics organ and which area belongs to the engineering corps.

Then, Hong Xuezhi and Chen Geng reported the situation to Peng together. Mr. Peng was very happy to see the plan and said, "I am worried about the traffic line!" " This way is good! According to this plan! "

On September 8, at the Party Committee of the Volunteers, General Manager Peng said: "This is a combat mission, and the whole army should concentrate on it. In order to quickly restore the washed-out roads, it is of strategic value to generally widen roads and build several standard roads. "

After the meeting, Hou Zhi 1 1 troops, nine engineering corps and three engineering brigades, with hundreds of thousands of people, braved the bombing and strafing of enemy planes with the support of the Korean People's Army and the Korean people, and set off a huge upsurge of repairing roads. Due to the implementation of the subsection responsibility system, the progress of the project has been greatly accelerated. As a result, the road was completed in only 25 days. In this way, the logistics and transportation supply of the whole army has passed the most critical and dangerous difficulties.

During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Chinese people's Volunteer Army, with the cooperation of the Korean people and their troops, defeated the bombing and blockade of railways and highways in northern Korea by the US Air Force, ensured the logistics supply, and created an amazing miracle, which was known as the "unbreakable steel transportation line". In this process, Hong Xuezhi made outstanding contributions. Peng has said many times: "60% to 70% of the victory in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea is due to logistics." He often said, "If you want to award medals, the first medal will be given to Da Hong."

In 1980s, as a great general, Hong Xuezhi, head of the General Logistics Department of China People's Liberation Army, set foot on American soil and paid a friendly visit to the American army.

General Hong's humorous and unique speech surprised his American counterparts. At a dinner party, an American general asked, "General Hong, which university did you graduate from?"

Hong Xuezhi smiled and said, "I graduated from your American university."

The translator was surprised and translated word for word. The American soldier was puzzled and asked, "Which military school did we graduate from?"

"Your Air Force University."

The American soldier suddenly realized this and smiled and said, "Then please come to our office."

Hong Xuezhi said, "You haven't given me a diploma yet!"

……

By this time, everyone knew that the general was talking about the war in the 1950s.

It was that war that gave full play to the military talents of General Hong Xuezhi and became a dazzling general of our army.

Two generals

In the history of China People's Liberation Army, he served as the logistics minister of China People's Army twice; The rank of general was awarded twice: once, in September of 1955, the rank of general was awarded; Another time was in September after the military rank system was restored. 1988. Deng Xiaoping, then chairman of the Central Military Commission, awarded 17 senior officers the rank of general (including him). There is only one case in the history of China People's Liberation Army, and there is no precedent abroad.

refer to

1. Hong Xuezhi: Memories of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, PLA Literature and Art Publishing House, 200 1 Edition.

2. Wang Shuzeng: Korean War in the Far East, PLA Literature and Art Publishing House, 2000.

3. Huang Zexian: "The Strangulation War to Defeat the American Army", Military History, No.4, 2004.

4. See People's Daily Online 2006165438+1October 22 for an interview with General Hong Xuezhi to resist US aggression and aid Korea.

Originally published in Soul of China, No.9, 2009.

Global Vision No.262 (September 2009 17) reprinted.