Zuo Quan’s deeds

Zuo Quan (March 15, 1905 - May 25, 1942), a native of Liling, Hunan, was a first-year student of Huangpu Military Academy. He was a senior general of the Eighth Route Army, a proletarian revolutionist, strategist, and member of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. .

Joined the Communist Party of China in 1925; went to the Soviet Union to study in December of the same year; participated in the Long March in 1934 and participated in commanding the forced crossing of the Dadu River and the attack on Lazikou. After the Long March arrived in northern Shaanxi, Zuo Quan led his troops to participate in the Battle of Zhiluo Town and the Red Army's Eastern Expedition.

In 1936, he served as the acting commander of the First Red Army Corps, led the western expedition and participated in commanding the Battle of Mountain Castle. After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, he assisted in commanding the Eighth Route Army to go to the anti-Japanese front line in North China, smashed the "mopping up" by the Japanese and puppet troops, developed and strengthened the people's armed forces, and won many battles and battles such as the Hundred Regiment War.

In May 1942, the Japanese army launched a large-scale "mopping up" campaign against the Taihang Anti-Japanese Base Area. Zuo Quan commanded troops to cover the breakout and relocation of the Central Northern Bureau of the Communist Party of China and the Eighth Route Army Headquarters. Unfortunately, he died at the age of 37. After his death, memorial services were held for him in the Yan'an and Taihang Mountain base areas, and Liao County was renamed Zuoquan County.

Zuo Quan wrote more than 40 military works in his lifetime, which made important contributions to the study and application of Mao Zedong’s military thought, the country’s independence and the liberation of the nation. In 2009, Zuo Quan was named one of the "100 heroic model figures who made outstanding contributions to the founding of New China" by 11 departments including the Central Propaganda Department and the Central Organization Department.

Road to Revolution

Returned to Shanghai in June 1930. In September, he entered the Soviet Area of ??Western Fujian through Xiamen and Longyan. He first served as the director of education of the first branch of the Red Army Military Academy. In November, he was elected as a member of the Standing Committee of the Western Fujian Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Committee. In early December, he became the commander of the 12th Red Army.

At the beginning of 1931, he served as the operational staff officer of the 1st Red Front Army Headquarters. In June, he was promoted to the chief of staff department and began to show his strong organizational skills.

In December, he was dispatched by the Central Military Commission to Gucunwei near Ningdu, where he collaborated with Wang Jiaxiang and Liu Bojian to engage in liaison and command work for the Kuomintang's 26th Route Army uprising. Later, he served as the political commissar of the 15th Army of the 5th Army of the Red Army (adapted from the Ningdu Uprising Force), and soon became the Army Commander and Political Commissar.

In June 1932, persecuted by Wang Ming's leftist line, Zuo Quan was dismissed from his position as army commander and political commissar and transferred to the Red Army School as an instructor.

In December 1933, he was appointed chief of staff of the 1st Red Army Corps.

In October 1934, the main force of the Central Red Army began the Long March, and Zuo Quan commanded the battle with the vanguard. In May, during the battle to forcibly cross the Dadu River, Zuo Quan led his troops to move lightly and quickly on the rugged path, unexpectedly took the Xiaoxiangling Pass, and captured Yuexi County.

The next day, he rushed 140 miles to cross the Shaijing Pass. He led his army to capture the Dashubao Ferry, diverted the national army's attention to the direction of Ansunchang by pretending to cross, and successfully covered the 1st Red Division. Cross the Dadu River from Ansunchang. In the end, all the main forces of the Central Red Army passed through Luding Bridge and got rid of the chasing Kuomintang Central Army.

In October 1936, the three main forces of the Red Army successfully joined forces. In mid-November, at Mountain Castle, Zuo Quan and Nie Rongzhen commanded the 1st Red Army Corps and part of the 15th Red Army Corps to complete the encirclement of Hu Zongnan's 78th Division. A general offensive was launched on the 21st. After a day and night of fierce fighting, 2 enemy regiments were wiped out.

Liu Bocheng said: "Comrade Zuo Quan's deployment of operations is meticulous and thorough. The battle at the mountain castle in northern Shaanxi on the eve of the Double Twelve Incident in 1936 is an example."

The Anti-Japanese War

In the spring of 1938, the Eighth Route Army headquarters decided to annihilate the first division of the Japanese army. Zuo Quan suggested attacking the Tammidi Brigade first. He decided to take advantage of the terrain of Changletan and divided his troops into three parts, arranged in a pocket shape.

After all the Japanese troops entered the pocket, Zuo Quan gave the order - "Hit", and the Japanese troops were cut into several sections. Finally, they were eliminated by the Eighth Route Army with firepower and hand-to-hand combat. The commander of the brigade, Tomimidi, personally led his elite troops to come to the rescue, and Zuo Quan arranged for troops to intercept and enable him to escape. In the Battle of Changle, more than 2,000 enemies were wiped out and a large amount of baggage was seized.

In December 1938, he was appointed chief of staff of the Eighth Route Army's forward headquarters.

From the end of 1939 to the beginning of 1940, Chiang Kai-shek launched the first anti-Japanese upsurge. Zhu Huaibing, commander of the 97th Army of the Kuomintang, gathered together with Lu Zhonglin and Shi You from the Hebei-Cha War Zone. With the cooperation of the Japanese army, they stormed the Taihang Anti-Japanese Base Area.

In early March, Zuo Quan, who was also the commander of the 2nd column of the Eighth Route Army, commanded the troops to launch a self-defense counterattack on the east and west sides of Pinghan Road. After four days and four nights of fierce fighting, he defeated the attack of Shi Yousan's invading army. Annihilated Zhu Huaibing and other 10 regiments and secured the Taihang Anti-Japanese Base Area.

Married Liu Zhilan in April 1939.

From August 20 to December 5, 1940, the Eighth Route Army launched the Hundred Regiment Campaign. The general command post of this battle was located in Wangjiayu Village, Wuxiang County. Zuo Quan assisted Peng Dehuai in fully engaging in combat command.

In November 1941, more than 7,000 people from each of the Japanese 36th Division and the Independent Mixed Brigade attacked Huangyadong. The Eighth Route Army Headquarters Secret Service Regiment was responsible for defending Huangyadong. Zuo Quan asked the regiment to defend Huangyadong. During the war, "we must grasp the word 'stability' and adhere to the principle of not being arrogant or impetuous, not panicking or fearful, using defense as an offense, and using calmness as a brake."

The battle started in the early morning of the 11th. On the 21st, the Eighth Route Army, which was pursuing victory, recaptured Licheng and successfully ended the Huangyadong defense battle. In this battle, the Japanese and puppet troops lost more than 2,000 people, and the casualty ratio between the two sides was 6:1. The Central Military Commission believed: "This defensive battle was the most successful. Not only did I suffer less losses, but it also caused several times more damage to the Japanese army. It should be regarded as a model battle against 'mopping up' since 1941."

Heroic Sacrifice

In May 1942, the Japanese army dispatched a large corps to raid the former enemy headquarters of the Eighth Route Army. Zuo Quan was responsible for breaking out the rear. On May 25 of the same year, he was shot by a shell during the breakout battle at Shiziling in Liao County, Shanxi (now Zuo Quan County). Killed by a hit to the head. On October 10, 1942, a public burial ceremony for Zuo Quan was held in Shexian County. Peng Dehuai, deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army, personally wrote and handwritten the "Inscription on Comrade Zuo Quan's Tablet."

Reference materials:

Baidu Encyclopedia-Zuo Quan