The deputy commanders of the Nanjing Military Region generally have several at the same time, but the commander is the only one, and the chief of staff is also the only one. Xu Shiyou was the first commander of the Nanjing Military Region and the commander with the longest tenure, which lasted for 18 years.
During Xu Shiyou's tenure as commander of the Nanjing Military Region, the chief of staff was replaced by five. Those who can be Xu Shiyou's chief of staff are not ordinary people. Who are these five chiefs of staff? What rank are they?
First of all, the first, Zhang Caiqian, a native of Macheng, Hubei, Xu Shiyou was originally also a native of Macheng, Hubei, they were fellow countrymen, and they were also generals of the Red Fourth Front. Zhang Caiqian was a great general. When the Eighth Route Army was founded, he was the regimental commander until 1947, when he became a brigade commander. After ten years of military service, he was only promoted from regimental commander to brigade commander, and his comrades-in-arms at that time were already the commanders of the column. Zhang Caiqian never cared about the level of his position.
(Lieutenant General Zhang Caiqian)
Zhang Caiqian participated in the great Central Plains breakthrough, and after breaking out to the south, he returned to the Xiang'e area to insist on guerrilla warfare, because the long-term lone army fought alone, although it also contained the enemy's strength, it was not in the main battlefield and the main force, so it affected the promotion of the post.
In 1955, Zhang Caiqian became the first chief of staff of the Nanjing Military Region, and it was in this capacity that he was awarded the title of founding lieutenant general. Two years later, Zhang Caiqian was promoted to deputy commander of the military region, in charge of operations. When Xu Shiyou was away, he presided over the work of the military region in its entirety. Later, Zhang Caiqian became deputy chief of the general staff, and Chairman Mao asked him to march into the office group of the military committee and "mix sand."
(In 1961, Lieutenant General Zhang Zuyu died of illness)
In 1957, Zhang Zuyu, the commander of the Sixtieth Army and a founding lieutenant general who became famous in the Korean battlefield, graduated from the Nanjing Military Academy, and many major military regions rushed to make him chief of staff. Zhang Zuyu was a native of Shangcheng, Henan, and a general of the Red Fourth Front.
The work of the Nanjing Military Region is full of problems, but Zhang Zuyu has done it in an orderly manner, which makes Xu Shiyou very satisfied. Xu Shiyou said from the bottom of his heart that Zhang Zuyu was a good chief of staff. After 3 years, Zhang Zuyu fell ill, and after examination, it was found that it was advanced stomach cancer. In 1961, Zhang Zuyu died of illness at the age of 50.
Zhang Zuyu was the chief of staff of the Nanjing Military Region who died of illness, and Xu Shiyou was extremely saddened, losing a good comrade-in-arms and a good chief of staff. Whether it is military merit or virtue, Zhang Zuyu is a founding general who is respected and loved.
(Second from the left is Lin Weixian)
In 1961, Lin Weixian became deputy commander and chief of staff of the military region. Who is Lin Weixian? He is a native of Jinzhai, Anhui. Lin Weixian did not participate in the Long March, and after the main force of the Red Army left, he led a three-year guerrilla war with Gao Jingting in the Red Twenty-eighth Army.
Lin Weixian had a set of guerrilla warfare ideas. When the enemy came to clear and suppress the Red Army's base areas, he did not passively defend, but took the initiative to attack, took a strange army, jumped to the outside line, and directly pounded the enemy's old lair, beating the enemy at a loss. Later, Chairman Mao called Lin Weixian a "guerrilla expert."
To get such a high evaluation from the chairman, Lin Weixian is not a mortal. During his tenure as chief of staff of the military region, Lin Weixian often went down to the grass-roots level and paid attention to cultivating typical examples. Under his organizational leadership, many advanced collectives and individuals have emerged in the Nanjing Military Region. Lin Weixian was also a founding lieutenant general.
(Major General Wang Yunrui)
In 1962, Wang Yunrui became chief of staff of the Nanjing Military Region. Wang Yunrui was a native of Julu, Hebei, he was a general in the Ningdu Uprising, originally a general of Feng Yuxiang, after joining the Red Army, Wang Yunrui served as chief of staff to many famous generals, such as Su Yu. Su Yu fought guerrilla warfare in the south and served as the commander of the Advancing Division, with Wang Yunrui as chief of staff. During the Liberation War, Wang Yunrui also served as chief of staff to Chen Zaidao and Chen Xilian. Chen Zaidao called him a rare good chief of staff.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Wang Yunrui also served as Chief of Staff to Chen Geng and participated in the invasion of Korea, but in Chen Geng's absence, Wang Yunrui assisted Wang Jinshan in commanding the operation. After coming to the Nanjing Military Region, Wang Yunrui assisted Xu Shiyou in carrying out the large-scale military training and competition, which was affirmed by the central authorities and Chairman Mao.
Wang Yunrui is the founding major general. In 1969, another founding major general, Xiao Yongyin, took over as the fifth chief of staff of the Nanjing Military Region. Xiao Yongyin was a native of Xinxian County, Henan, and a general of the Red Fourth Front. During the Long March of the Red Army, Xiao Yongyin was wounded and lying on a stretcher, and the troops wanted to leave him behind, Xu Shiyou, then commander of the Red Fourth Army, said, take him with you.
(Xu Shiyou is Xiao Yongyin on the right)
Xu Shiyou's words saved Xiao Yongyin's life. However, at that time, Xu Shiyou did not know Xiao Yongyin. It was not until many years later, when Xiao Yongyin became deputy commander and chief of staff of the Nanjing Military Region, that when he talked about this past, Xu Shiyou knew that he had saved the current chief of staff.
Among the five chiefs of staff, it should be said that Xiao Yongyin was the most trusted by Xu Shiyou. Xu Shiyou specifically ordered that the door of his home be opened for Xiao Yongyin 24 hours. In that special era, Xiao Yongyin worked hard and formed a lifelong friendship with Xu Shiyou.
In 1973, the commanders of the Eight Military Regions were transferred, Xu Shiyou went to the Guangzhou Military Region, Xiao Yongyin did not follow the adjustment, he continued to be the chief of staff of the Nanjing Military Region. Therefore, Xiao Yongyin also became the last chief of staff when Xu Shiyou was the commander of the Nanjing Military Region. In 1985, Xu Shiyou died of illness, and Xiao Yongyin handled his affairs and sent the old chief on his last journey.