Su Yu was known as the first general of the Republic, and he liberated many provincial capitals under the command of East China, and made outstanding achievements. However, after thinking deeply, we have to admit that Su Yu, as the commander-in-chief, could not personally command every battle. For example, in the battle to liberate Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province, Su Yu was responsible for support, and it was actually Xu Shiyou who commanded the siege on the front line. Therefore, Xu Shiyou's liberation in Jinan is even more memorable. Similarly, in the battle to liberate Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province, which was completed by Ye Fei under the command of the Tenth Corps, Su Yu did not go to Fujian in person, but sat in the base camp and was responsible for the overall coordination. Therefore, Su Yu could not take the credit for the liberation of a certain city alone. So, excluding Su Yu, which general has liberated the most provincial capitals with his troops? There are two tied for first place. The first is Xiao Jinguang. In the Liaoshen Campaign, Xiao Jinguang led an army of 100,000 to encircle Changchun for a long time, and finally prompted the Kuomintang defenders to revolt peacefully, and Changchun was successfully liberated. There is no doubt that Changchun, the provincial capital, was liberated by Xiao Jinguang. After the liberation of Northeast China, Xiao Jinguang led the 12th Corps south and approached Wuhan.
With the cooperation of the local military region, the 12th Corps successfully liberated the three towns of Wuhan, and Xiao Jinguang served as the commander of the Wuhan City Garrison. There is no doubt that Wuhan was liberated by Xiao Jinguang, because he was the commander of the 12th Corps, and the 12th Corps was the main force and key force in the liberation of Wuhan. Immediately afterwards, Xiao Jinguang led the army to approach Changsha. The peaceful liberation of Changsha was a common victory of the struggle on two fronts, and the 12th Corps played the most crucial role. The liberation of Changsha can also be undoubtedly attributed to Xiao Jinguang. After the liberation of Changsha, Xiao Jinguang was appointed director of the Changsha Military Management Committee and commander of the Hunan Military Region. said that Changsha was liberated by Xiao Jinguang, and there was not much objection. Even if Chen Mingren did not declare a peaceful uprising, Xiao Jinguang's corps would still be able to liberate Changsha. And Xiao Jinguang himself is a native of Changsha, and it is such a glorious thing to lead the troops to liberate his hometown. In general, from Changchun to Wuhan and then to Changsha, Xiao Jinguang led the army to liberate or participated in the liberation of three provincial capitals. The second place is Chen Geng. Chen Geng was a general who fought in the Central Plains during the Liberation War.
After the three major battles, he led the Fourth Corps to participate in the battle of crossing the river, successfully breaking through the enemy's defensive line, advancing quickly to Jiangxi, and successfully liberating Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province, in May. Nanchang is an unforgettable place for Chen Geng, where he participated in the Nanchang Uprising, and was eventually escorted here, and was even persuaded by Chiang Kai-shek to surrender himself, but Chen Geng was always unswerving, showing noble integrity and firm faith. A few years later, Chen Geng led the army to liberate Nanchang again and return to this land, and his mood can be imagined. Subsequently, Chen Geng's corps was placed under the command of the Fourth Field Army, participated in the Liangguang Operation, and successfully liberated Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province. Although the liberation of Guangzhou was not Chen Geng's ultimate goal, it was of great significance. Immediately afterwards, Chen Geng's corps moved to Yunnan, the Kuomintang defender Lu Han declared a peaceful uprising, Chen Geng's army entered Kunming, and the provincial capital city was also liberated by him. Nanchang, Guangzhou, and Kunming, the three provincial capitals, were liberated or participated in the liberation by Chen Geng's troops, which can be said to be indispensable. The two generals, Chen Geng and Xiao Jinguang, complemented each other and jointly made immortal contributions to the liberation of the country. Chen Geng and Xiao Jinguang have a very close personal relationship, and the two have been fighting side by side since Xiao Jinguang returned from studying in the Soviet Union.
In 1961, Chen Geng died of illness, becoming the first general to die and had the shortest lifespan; In 1989, Xiao Jinguang passed away, becoming the last general to die and had the longest life. Throughout their lives, they contributed all their strength to the cause of the liberation of the country and the people.