In October 1943, the command system of the Eighth Route Army underwent a major reform, and the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army was merged with the headquarters of the 129th Division. Since then, the Eighth Route Army has been organized as follows: the Shandong Military Region (115th Division), the Jinsui Military Region (120th Division), the 129th Division, and the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region. In addition to the above-mentioned military regions, there are four other military regions under the direct command of the Headquarters of the Eighth Route Army, namely the Taihang Military Region, the Taiyue Military Region, the Ji'nan Military Region, and the Jiluyu Military Region. So, let's first talk about who are the commanders of these four military regions directly commanded by the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army? Who later had the highest rank?
The commander of the Taihang Military Region was Li Da.
Li Da (1905-1993), a native of Meixian County, Shaanxi Province, joined the Northwest Army in his early years, followed Zhao Bosheng, Dong Zhentang, and Ji Zhentong in the Ningdu Uprising in December 1931, served as a company commander in the 5th Army of the Chinese Red Army, chief of staff of the Independent 1st Division and acting regimental commander of the 3rd Regiment, chief of staff of the Red Second Front, and served as the chief of staff of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, chief of staff, and participated in the creation of anti-Japanese base areas such as Jinyu, Ji'nan, and Taiyue. After participating in the War of Liberation and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, he was awarded the rank of general in 1955.
The commander of the Taiyue Military Region was Chen Geng .
Chen Geng (1903-1961), a native of Xiangxiang, Hunan Province, was born in a family of Xingwu, joined the Party in 1922, and was born in Huangpu in 1924, he was an important leader of the Special Branch of the Central Committee of china and participated in the Nanchang Uprising. Later, he served as the commander of the 318th Regiment of the 13th Division of the Red 4th Army, the chief of staff of the Red Fourth Front, and the head of the Red Army Cadre Regiment and the commander of the First Division of the Red Army at the time of the Long March. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he served as the brigade commander of the 386th Brigade of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, the commander of the Taiyue Military Region, and the commander of the Taiyue Column of the Jinji-Hebei Luyu Field Army. Later, he participated in the War of Liberation, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and was awarded the rank of Great General in 1955.
The commander of the Ji'nan Military Region was Chen Zaidao.
Chen Zaidao (1909-1993), a native of Macheng, Hubei Province, joined the revolutionary organization in 1926, participated in the Macheng Uprising, served as the battalion commander of the 32nd Regiment of the 11th Division of the 4th Army, the commander of the 11th Regiment of the Red 11th Division, the division commander, the deputy commander of the Red 4th Army, participated in the Long March of the Red Fourth Front, served as the deputy brigade commander of the 386th Brigade of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the commander of the East Column of the Eighth Route Army, and the commander of the Ji'nan Military Region, participated in the Liberation War, and was awarded the rank of general in 1955.
The commander of the Hebei-Luyu Military Region was Yang Dezhi.
Yang Dezhi (1911-1994), a native of Zhuzhou, Hunan, joined the Red Army in 1928 and served as the company commander of the 11th Division of the 4th Army, the chief of the management section of the 45th Division, the commander of the 93rd Regiment, the commander of the 1st Regiment of the 1st Division of the 1st Division of the Red First Army, the deputy division commander, and the commander of the 2nd Division. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he served as the commander of the 685th Regiment of the 343rd Brigade of the 115th Division, the acting brigade commander of the 344th Brigade, the commander of the Jiluyu Detachment, the commander of the 2nd Column of the Eighth Route Army, and the commander of the Jiluyu Military Region, and participated in the War of Liberation and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and was awarded the rank of general in 1955.
The commanders of the above-mentioned four military regions directly commanded by the Headquarters of the Eighth Route Army were generals at the beginning of their ranks in 1955, and Commander Chen Geng was the oldest among them to participate in the revolution, so it was well deserved to confer him the title of general!