History has its own life, it is like a person, both easy-going and self-respecting. ——Yu Qiuyu
In November 1948, the East China Field Army of the People's Liberation Army and the Central Plains Field Army jointly launched the Huaihai Campaign, and after three major battles of Chen Guanzhuang, Shuangduiji and Nianzhuang, the nationalist armed forces participating in the battle were basically annihilated. In the Battle of Huaihai, the Plaster captured more than 320,000 Kuomintang prisoners, including more than 100 senior generals with the rank of major general or above.
Therefore, the screening of prisoners of war became a difficult task for the PLA at that time. Shortly after New Year's Day in 1949, Chen Maohui, then director of the Huaye Fourth Column Prisoner of War, received a call from the director of the column's health department, saying that he had arrested several suspicious Kuomintang officers and soldiers.
Two hours later, Chen Maohui met with these suspicious Kuomintang prisoners, one of whom claimed to be Gao Wenming, the quartermaster general, one claimed to be a journalist, and the other said he was a driver. Chen Maohui, who was experienced in screening prisoners of war, immediately had a premonition that the quartermaster general's high-level status was not simple, and his speech and demeanor did not look like a low-level officer or soldier.
PLA fighters captured prisoners in Zhanglaozhuang Village, Zhangzhuangzhai Town, Xiao County, Anhui Province
Chen Maohui first took out a Pegasus brand cigarette from the Liberated Area and handed it to Gao Wenming, but Gao Wenming did not take it, but instead took out the American Camel brand cigarette from his pocket and handed it to Chen Maohui. This move made Chen Maohui more convinced of his judgment, and then he asked Gao Wenming to write the names of the directors of the 13th Corps.
But when Gao Wenming went to his pocket to take out a pen, he leaked out a high-end watch, a few packs of American high-end cigarettes, a golden Parker pen and other items that were very high-end at the time. Moreover, Gao Wenming could not write after only writing his own name, it was obvious that he was not the quartermaster of the 13th Corps, otherwise how could he not know his colleagues.
After seeing all this, Chen Maohui was sure that the person in front of him was a big fish, and in the end, it was the person who claimed to be a reporter who revealed the truth. It turned out that Gao Wenming's real identity was not the quartermaster general, but Lieutenant General Du Yuming, the deputy commander-in-chief of Xuzhou, and at the same time, the higher-level organization also sent Du Yuming's photo to the management office. In the face of the evidence, Gao Wenming helplessly admitted the fact that he was Du Yuming.
Du Yuming and Chiang Kai-shek
In view of Du Yuming's contributions in the Northern Expedition and the War of Resistance Against Japan, Du Yuming received preferential treatment from the People's Liberation Army after being captured. Soon after, Du was sent to the Beijing Gongdelin War Criminals Management Center for rehabilitation, and was pardoned in 1959. It is worth mentioning that in 1955, when the People's Liberation Army conferred the title, Chen Maohui was awarded the rank of major general.
The Beijing Gongdelin War Criminals Management Center released war criminals