In 1973, there were 11 major military regions in China, namely the Beijing Military Region, the Wuhan Military Region, the Shenyang Military Region, the Jinan Military Region, the Fuzhou Military Region, the Guangzhou Military Region, the Lanzhou Military Region, the Nanjing Military Region, the Xinjiang Military Region, the Chengdu Military Region, and the Kunming Military Region. At the end of this year, the higher authorities issued an order to transfer the commanders of the eight major military regions except the Xinjiang Military Region, the Chengdu Military Region, and the Kunming Military Region.
The specific methods were that Li Desheng, commander of the Beijing Military Region, and Chen Xilian, commander of the Shenyang Military Region, were to be transferred; Zeng Siyu, commander of the Wuhan Military Region, was in tune with Yang Dezhi, commander of the Jinan Military Region; Han Xianchu, commander of the Fuzhou Military Region, was in tune with Pi Dingjun, commander of the Lanzhou Military Region; and Ding Sheng, commander of the Guangzhou Military Region, was in tune with Xu Shiyou, commander of the Nanjing Military Region.
So how old were the eight commanders of the great military regions who participated in the reassignment at that time? What about the subsequent achievements?
Among these eight people, the oldest at that time was Xu Shiyou. Born in February 1905, Xu Shiyou studied martial arts at the Shaolin Temple for many years in his early years, and after joining the Red Army, he fought bravely and served as the captain of the death squad many times. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, he fought against the Japanese puppet army in the Jiaodong area for a long time and fought the red half of the sky in Jiaodong. During the Liberation War, he led his troops to attack Jinan, and captured Wang Yaowu, a famous general of the Nationalist army, alive in only 8 days.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Xu Shiyou held important positions many times, and in March 1955 he became the commander of the Nanjing Military Region, and at the time of this transfer, he had been in this position for 18 years. In October 1985, a generation of generals, General Xu Shiyou, died of illness at the age of 80.
The second oldest is Yang Dezhi. Born in January 1911, Yang Dezhi learned to play iron with his father in his early years due to his family's poverty, and later worked as a worker in the Anyuan Coal Mine. In 1928, 17-year-old Yang Dezhi joined the red army and became famous in the battle of the forced crossing of the Dadu River, becoming a famous general in our army. After that, he participated in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and the War of Self-Defense and Counterattack against Vietnam, and made many achievements in battle.
In April 1955, Yang Dezhi was appointed commander of the Jinan Military Region, and in 1969 he was appointed commander of the Wuhan Military Region. Before the outbreak of the self-defense counterattack against Vietnam, he and Wang Bicheng were transferred to each other, served as the commander of the Kunming Military Region, and were responsible for commanding the troops on the Western Front, with excellent results. Since then, Yang Dezhi has served as vice minister of national defense and chief of the general staff of the People's Liberation Army, and died of illness in October 1994 at the age of 83.
The third oldest is Zeng Siyu. Born in February 1911, Zeng Siyu was only a month younger than Yang Dezhi, who joined the revolution at the age of 18 and officially joined the Red Army a year later. He has experienced the Agrarian Revolutionary War, the Long March, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and can be said to have experienced hundreds of battles, and was awarded the rank of lieutenant general in 1955.
After the founding of New China, Zeng Siyu served in the Shenyang Military Region for a long time, and in 1967 he became the commander of the Wuhan Military Region, and he worked in this position for 6 years when he was transferred. In 2012, General Zeng Siyu died of illness at the age of 102.
The fourth oldest man was Han Xianchu. Born in February 1913, Han Xianchu herded cattle for the landlord's family when he was a child, and later worked as a smith because his family was poor. In 1927, at the age of 14, Han Xianchu joined the revolution and officially joined the Red Army three years later. In 1934, he followed the Long March of the Red 25th Army and became famous in the Battle of Dushu Town. Later, he participated in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation, and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.
It is particularly worth mentioning that during the Liberation War, Han Xianchu repeatedly suggested the early liberation of Hainan Island, and after the campaign was launched, he personally followed the 40th Army to charge and made important contributions to the liberation of Hainan Island. After the founding of New China, Han Xianchu held important positions many times, and in September 1957 he succeeded Ye Fei as commander of the Fuzhou Military Region. In October 1986, Cyclone Commander Han Xianchu died of illness at the age of 73.
The fifth oldest man was Ding Sheng. Born in November 1913, Ding Sheng was nine months younger than Han Xianchu, and in 1930, at the age of 17, Ding Sheng joined the Red Army and successively experienced the Agrarian Revolutionary War, the Long March, the War of Resistance Against Japan, the War of Liberation, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and the War of Self-Defense against India, and was awarded the rank of major general in 1955. In July 1969, Ding Sheng became the commander of the Guangzhou Military Region, and four years later, he was transferred to Xu Shiyou and became the commander of the Nanjing Military Region. In September 1999, General Ding Sheng died of illness at the age of 86.
The sixth oldest man is Pi Dingjun. Born in 1914, Pi Dingjun joined the revolution at the age of 14 and officially joined the Red Army a year later. During the Liberation War, he made great achievements during the breakthrough of the Central Plains and became famous in World War I. In 1955, when the title was awarded, the great man personally gave instructions that "Pi has meritorious service, less promotion to middle school", so he changed from major general to lieutenant general.
In November 1969, Pi Dingjun succeeded Zhang Dazhi as commander of the Lanzhou Military Region, and four years later he was transferred to Han Xianchu as the commander of the Fuzhou Military Region. In July 1976, General Pi Dingjun was tragically killed in a plane crash at the age of 62.
The seventh oldest person is Chen Xilian. He was born in January 1915, and in 1929, at the age of 14, Chen Xilian joined the Red Army and was known as the "Little Steel Cannon" because of his bravery in battle. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, he led the 769th Regiment to attack Yangmingbao at night, blowing up 24 enemy planes and becoming famous in World War I.
After the founding of New China, Chen Xilian served as the commander of the Shenyang Military Region for a long time, and in 1973, he and Li Desheng were transferred to become the commander of the Beijing Military Region. Since then, Chen Xilian has also served as vice premier and presided over the work of the Central Military Commission on behalf of Ye Shuai, and his achievements have been very great. In June 1999, Chen Xilian died of illness at the age of 85.
Among the eight commanders on the other side, the youngest person at that time was Li Desheng. Born in April 1916, Li Desheng joined the revolution at the age of 14 and officially joined the Red Army two years later. He experienced the Agrarian Revolutionary War, the Long March, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and was awarded the rank of major general in 1955.
In the world-famous Battle of Shangganling, Li Desheng led the 12th Army to participate in the second phase of the operation, making important contributions to the victory of the Battle of Shangganling. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Li Desheng held important positions many times, and in 1973, he was elected as a member of the Standing Committee and became a member of the Zhengguo level. Among the 8 commanders of the Grand Military Region who participated in this transfer, Li Desheng was the youngest, only 57 years old at the time, and later his achievements were also the greatest.