After the founding of New China, China had seven major military regions, but the territory under the jurisdiction of the Lanzhou Military Region was the largest, because at that time, the five provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, and Xinjiang were all under the jurisdiction of the Lanzhou Military Region. However, among the first three commanders of the Lanzhou Military Region, the first commander was not very famous, and even a little unknown, but the second and third commanders were well-known. So, who are these three commanders?
The first commander of the Lanzhou Military Region was Zhang Dazhi, and although his reputation was not very prominent, General Zhang Dazhi was a veritable and excellent revolutionary who participated in the creation of the revolutionary base area in northern Shaanxi. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Zhang Dazhi also created the Anti-Japanese Base Areas in Yanbei and Daqingshan, making indelible contributions to the continuous growth of our army.
After the outbreak of the Liberation War, Zhang Dazhi served as the commander of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Jinsui guerrilla army and led his troops to participate in the battle to understand the northwest. After the reorganization of the troops, General Zhang Dazhi served as the commander of the Fourth Army of the First Field Army, and then led his troops to participate in the battles of Suiyuan, Jining, Jinzhong, Taiyuan, and Lanzhou. Zhang Dazhi's victory in the War of Liberation was also a remarkable and outstanding achievement.
After the founding of new China, in 1955, when the Lanzhou Military Region was established, Zhang Dazhi was appointed as the first commander of the Lanzhou Military Region, and in the same year he was also awarded the rank of founding lieutenant general for his merits. However, because Zhang Dazhi has been engaged in political work for a long time, his reputation is not as great as that of some generals.
However, Zhang Dazhi was replaced as the second commander of the Lanzhou Military Region by another founding lieutenant general, the famous Pi Dingjun. Speaking of Pi Dingjun, we have to mention the Battle of the Central Plains Breakthrough in the early days of the Liberation War, because in this battle, Pi Dingjun not only successfully covered the retreat of the main force in the enemy's heavy encirclement, but also ensured the full retreat of his troops, and from then on, Pi Dingjun and the Pi Brigade were famous all over the world.
Later, Pi Dingjun served as the deputy commander of the Sixth Column of Huaye, and he and the commander Wang Bicheng participated in many battles hand in hand, and all of them achieved great victories, thus making the Sixth Column of Huaye ace from then on. Therefore, at the award ceremony in 1955, the superior leaders specially approved six words for Pi Dingjun, "Pi Yougong, Shao Jinzhong", in recognition of his miraculous feats during the breakthrough in the Central Plains, so Pi Dingjun was awarded the rank of founding lieutenant general.
After the founding of New China, Pi Dingjun not only served as commander of the Lanzhou Military Region, but later also served as commander of the Fuzhou Military Region, a veritable tiger general of our army.
However, the third commander of the Lanzhou Military Region had a greater reputation than Pi Dingjun, and he was the famous whirlwind commander Han Xianchu. Han Xianchu was a fierce general of Siye, and during the entire liberation war, Han Xianchu was almost defeated, and he also made a miraculous contribution in the battle to liberate Hainan, so his superiors made him the commander of the Fuzhou Military Region to deter the enemy army. Later, due to the transfer of the eight major military regions, Han Xianchu was transferred to the Lanzhou Military Region, and he became the third commander of the Lanzhou Military Region.