In January 1947, the Shandong Field Army and the Central China Field Army were merged into the East China Field Army, with Chen Yi as commander and political commissar, Su Yu as deputy commander, Chen Shiyu as chief of staff, and Tang Liang as director of the Political Department. It has 9 columns under its jurisdiction, with a total strength of about 280,000 people. So who were the commanders of these 9 columns at that time? What about the subsequent achievements?
Ye Fei, commander of the First Column: Ye Fei was born in Quezon Province, Philippines, his father was a native of Annan, Fujian Province, who came to the Philippines in his early years to make a living and married a local woman. When Ye Fei was 5 years old, he was sent back to China by his father for education. He joined the revolution at the age of 14 and officially joined the Ranks of the Red Army at the age of 19. During the agrarian revolution and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he successively served as the commander of the Independent Division of Eastern Fujian, the commander of the Sixth Regiment of the Third Detachment of the New Fourth Army, and the commander of the 1st Division of the New Fourth Army. After the outbreak of the Liberation War, he successively served as commander of the 1st Column of Huaye and commander of the 10th Corps of Sanye, and was awarded the rank of general in 1955. After the founding of New China, he successively served as commander of the Fuzhou Military Region, minister of communications, and commander of the navy.
Commander of the Second Column Wei Guoqing: Wei Guoqing is a native of Donglan, Guangxi, who joined the revolution at the age of 15 and joined the Red Army at the age of 16. During the agrarian revolution and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he successively served as the commander of the Special Branch Regiment of the Red Army, the political commissar of the 3rd Detachment of the 5th Column of the Eighth Route Army, the commander of the 9th Brigade of the New Fourth Army, and the deputy commander of the 4th Division of the New Fourth Army. After the outbreak of the Liberation War, he successively served as the commander of the 2nd Column of Huaye, the commander of the Northern Jiangsu Corps, and the political commissar of the 10th Corps of Sanye, and led his troops to participate in the Battles of Lianshui, the Battle of Menglianggu, the Battle of Huaihai and the Battle of Crossing the River, and was awarded the rank of general in 1955. After the founding of New China, he successively served as the governor of Guangxi Province, the first political commissar of the Guangxi Military Region, the first secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee, and the standing committee member of the Central Military Commission.
He Yixiang, commander of the Third Column: He Yixiang is a native of Xichong, Sichuan, who joined the Red Army at the age of 19. During the agrarian revolution and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he successively served as the commander of the Red 4th Division, the commander of the 2nd Regiment of the Jinxi Independent Detachment of the 115th Division, the deputy commander of the Lunan Military Region, and the commander of the Binhai Military Subdistrict. After the outbreak of the Liberation War, he successively served as commander of the 3rd Column of Huaye, chief of staff of the 8th Corps of Sanye, and chief of staff of the Shandong Military Region, and was awarded the rank of major general in 1955. After the founding of New China, he successively served as deputy commander of the Zhejiang Military Region and deputy commander of the Nanjing Military Region.
Commander of the Fourth Column Tao Yong: Tao Yong is a native of Huoqiu, Anhui Province, and joined the Red Army at the age of 16. During the agrarian revolution and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he successively served as the commander of the Red 9th Army, the deputy chief of staff of the 1st Detachment of the New Fourth Army, the brigade commander of the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Division, and the commander of the 3rd Column of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang Military Region. After the outbreak of the Liberation War, he successively served as the commander of the 4th Column of Huaye and the commander of the 23rd Army of Sanye, and led his troops to participate in the Battles of Laiwu, the Battle of Menglianggu, the Battle of Huaihai and the Battle of Crossing the River, and was awarded the rank of lieutenant general in 1955. After the founding of New China, he successively served as the commander of the navy of the East China Military Region, the deputy commander of the navy, and the deputy commander of the Nanjing Military Region.
Wang Bicheng, commander of the Sixth Column: Wang Bicheng is a native of Macheng, Hubei Province, and joined the Red Army at the age of 17. During the agrarian revolution and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he successively served as the deputy commander of the 89th Division of the Red 30th Army, the chief of staff of the 1st Detachment of the New Fourth Army, the commander of the 2nd Column of the Northern Jiangsu Headquarters of the New Fourth Army, and the brigade commander of the 16th Brigade of the Sixth Division of the New Fourth Army. After the outbreak of the Liberation War, he successively served as the commander of the 6th Column of Huaye, the commander of the 24th Army of Sanye, and the deputy commander of the 7th Corps of Sanye, and led the troops to participate in the Battles of Suzhong, the Battle of Menglianggu, the Battle of Huaihai and the Battle of Crossing the River, and was awarded the rank of lieutenant general in 1955. After the founding of New China, he successively served as commander of the Kunming Military Region and commander of the Wuhan Military Region.
Commander of the Seven Columns Cheng Jun: Cheng Jun was the head of the Hubei Shishou, who joined the revolution at the age of 16 and joined the Red Army at the age of 19. During the agrarian revolution and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he successively served as the commander of the Red Army and the commander of the 7th Division of the New Fourth Army. After the outbreak of the Liberation War, he successively served as the commander of the 7th Column of Huaye and the commander of the 25th Army of Sanye, and led his troops to participate in the Battle of Suzhong, the Battle of Subei, the Battle of Menglianggu and the liberation of Shanghai, and was awarded the rank of lieutenant general in 1955. After the founding of New China, he successively served as deputy commander of the Fujian Military Region, commander of the air defense force of the East China Military Region, and deputy commander of the air force.
Wang Jian'an, Commander of the Eighth Column: Wang Jian'an is a native of Huang'an, Hubei Province, and joined the Red Army at the age of 19. During the agrarian revolution and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he successively served as the political commissar of the Red 4th Army, the deputy commander of the Shandong Column of the Eighth Route Army, the deputy commander of the Shandong Military Region, and the commander of the Luzhong Military Region. After the outbreak of the Liberation War, he successively served as the commander of the 8th Column of Huaye, the deputy commander of the Eastern Front Corps, and the deputy commander of the Shandong Corps. He participated in the Battle of Lunan, the Battle of Menglianggu, the Battle of Jinan and the Battle of Crossing the River, and was awarded the rank of general in 1956. After the founding of New China, he successively served as deputy commander of the Shenyang Military Region, deputy commander of the Jinan Military Region, and deputy commander of the Fuzhou Military Region.
Commander of the Ninth Column Xu Shiyou: Xu Shiyou is a native of Xinxian County, Henan. During the agrarian revolution and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he successively served as the commander of the Red 25th Division, the commander of the Red 4th Army, the deputy brigade commander of the 386th Brigade of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, the commander of the Third Brigade of the Shandong Column, and the commander of the Jiaodong Military Region. After the outbreak of the Liberation War, he successively served as the commander of the 9th Column of Huaye and the commander of the Shandong Corps, and led his troops to participate in the Battle of Laiwu and the Battle of Jinan, and was awarded the rank of general in 1955. After the founding of New China, he successively served as commander of the Nanjing Military Region, commander of the Guangzhou Military Region, and member of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission.
Commander of the Tenth Column Song Shilun : Song Shilun was a native of Liling, Hunan, who served as the commander of the Red 61st Division, the commander of the Red 28th Army, the commander of the 716th Regiment of the 358th Brigade of the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army, and the commander of the 4th Column of the Eighth Route Army during the Agrarian Revolution and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. After the outbreak of the Liberation War, he successively served as the commander of the 10th Column of Huaye and the commander of the 9th Corps of Sanye, and led his troops to participate in the Battles of Menglianggu, the Battle of Eastern Henan, the Battle of Huaihai and the Battle of Crossing the River, and was awarded the rank of general in 1955. After the founding of New China, he successively served as president of the Academy of Military Sciences, director of the Education and Training Committee of the Central Military Commission, and member of the National Defense Commission.