The Final Page
4
ON JUNE 11, Zhang Zhixiu flew to the frontline headquarters at the Sino-Vietnamese border. The comrades in the Frontline HQ also faced reorganization, even though this was a place where stability was so sorely needed.
As the helicopter landed on the ground at Wenshan, Zhang suddenly became excited. He had been here countless times. In 1979, Zhang once served as the assistant of Commander Yang Dezhi when he was in leading the troops during the twenty-eight-day defensive counterattack against Vietnam in 1979. Zhang, as the highest commander on the battlefield, had fought at the side of his soldiers and subordinates. He had been at the Battle of Koulinshan in 1981, at the Battle of Laoshan, and the Battle of Zheyinshan in 1984, as well as having participated in the endless skirmishes which followed. His heart had beat with his men's; they suffered the bitterness of war and reveled in the joy of victory together. However, this might be the last time he would land here as commander of the military region. According to the orders of the Central Military Commission and the General Staff Department, he was to transfer his post to the commander of the new Chengdu Military Region on July 30.
He abruptly realized that this journey was his farewell to the frontline.
After conveying the news and implementing the order at "Frontline HQ" , Zhang Zhixiu continued onwards. He visited the frontline command posts and border-defense regiments entrusting them one after one with the confidence of an outgoing commander and experienced soldier. He climbed up the Bali River East Mountain to the border post and took photos with the cadres stationed there.
Finally, he went to Malipo Martyrs Memorial Park. Here were buried the young lives that had been cut short in battle since 1979. The general's emotions were always contradictory. He unwaveringly demanded his subordinates march on through the blood and death of battle; yet he felt pained and guilty when people were praised for their victories. After all, they sacrificed themselves under his orders! The commander's objectives, troop deployment and orders would be worthless without these young soldiers' struggles and sacrifices. Once, a commanding officer saw that soldiers had been wounded by landmines as a result of the care-lessness, arrogance and lack of battlefield discipline in some of the companies. He hit the roof and declared, in the throes of deep grief: "From now on, if any soldier is wounded by a landmine in any company, I will have all of his superiors stand beside the operating table to watch the surgeons cut into their soldier's legs!" The punishment that this general inflicted was extremely harsh.
The earth of the Martyrs Memorial Park was aware of its charges. Eighteen years old, nineteen years old, twenty years old … They stayed in the spring of their youth forever. It was they who had built the foundations for victory and glory, it was they who had given their youth and blood for the honor of their troop and military regions. As their commander, he thanked them deeply; he would remember them forever as comrades-in-arms.
With the help of the Chief of the Border Defense Regiment and the Deputy Chief of Operations who were accompanying him, he laid a huge wreath in front of the martyrs' tombs. The elegiac couplet read: "Martyrs who die for their country will live forever in our hearts / Your Commander and comrade-in-arms Zhang Zhixiu."
He silently lowered his head and stood there for a very long time.
5
AS HE WAS FLYING to the frontline, Zhang Zhixiu was concerned that his comrades would feel disheartened, and suffer as a result of losing momentum. However, when he saw their fierce passion for revenge against the Vietnamese, this concern turned to a worry that his officers and soldiers would behave rashly.
Amongst the several million troops in the PLA, they may have been the only ones who were not emotionally affected by the reorganization carried out in the summer of 1985. These troops were truly "not pleased by material gains or saddened by personal losses."
The enemy did not leave them time to think about other matters. War didn't leave any room to spare in their thoughts.
Towards the end of May, as the commanders and political commissars were gathering in Beijing, this division was 20km away from the enemy and advancing along a muddy trail. Shielded by the curtain of greenery and the darkness of the night, they quietly relieved their brother troops of their position. According to the plan, the troops at the command post would be changed at midnight on May 31. At the same time in Beijing, the pace had increased. As a result of this, the meeting entered its second session four days earlier than scheduled. The chief officers of the troop who would be replaced on May 31 now needed to go to Beijing for the meeting. Therefore, the commander at Frontline HQ consulted with Commanding Officer Zhang Zhijian, who led the unit which was to relieve them. "Could you take over the defense position in advance?" Zhang Zhijian agreed as it was what he had wanted.
On the afternoon of May 29, as the other leaders were directing the relief of the garrison, they received an emergency notice from Zhang Zhijian telling them to return to the command post immediately. In their first meeting after relieving the post on May 30, they spent six hours analyzing the enemy situation. Based on various signs, the Vietnamese forces were planning to attack sometime in the near future. They estimated that the attack would involve more than one regiment; that it would take place at some time between the end of May and the beginning of June; and that the main thrust would be towards the "mountain pass" region. However detailed knowledge of the exact location was still unavailable.
