Chen Yi (marshal)

Military career

Red Army era

A comrade of Lin Biao from their guerrilla days, he was prominent in the Jiangxi Soviet. Later, due to a leg injury, he was the only one of the later Ten Marshals to have not participated in the Long March. Thus, Chen was later made a commander under Ye Ting in the New Fourth Army.

Second Sino-Japanese War

After the Wannan Incident, Chen succeeded Ye Ting as commander of the New Fourth Army during the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). He played a pivotal role as commander of the Third Field Army, working closely with his close friend and comrade Su Yu. When Su Yu showed his expertise and talent in large formational warfare, the division of labour between them meant that Chen Yi remained in command of Third Field Army, but mainly focused on rallying support for Su Yu's plans as well as focusing on political work, which was his area of expertise.

Chinese Civil War

Thus, he and Su Yu spearheaded the Shandong counter-offensive during the Chinese Civil War, and later commanded the Communist armies that defeated the KMT forces during the Huaihai Campaign and conquered the lower Yangtze region in 1948–49. After the capture of Shanghai, he remained in the city as Director of the Shanghai Military Control Commission and then Mayor where he oversaw the stabilisation and reconstruction of the city and its economy. In 1950, he offered to take command of the People's Volunteer Army in Korea, but Mao declined, possibly because Chen's partner Su Yu was in poor health due to shrapnel injury and selected Peng Dehuai instead. He was promoted to Marshal in 1955.

People's Republic of China

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chen continued to serve as Mayor of Shanghai. He also served as Vice Premier from 1954 to 1972 and Foreign Minister from 1958 to 1972, then President of the China Foreign Affairs University from 1961 to 1969. As Vice Premier, he was present during the breakup of Sino-Soviet relations. In August 1960, Chen Yi attempted to ease tensions with the Soviets, declaring on one instance to the Soviet Ambassador to Beijing that Moscow should stop "severing the friendship between the two nations," and two weeks later to the Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister that Moscow and Beijing should both try to save the alliance.

A CIA file dated 23 July 1951 named Chen Yi as a military advisor to North Vietnamese forces then being stationed in Inter-Region 4.

In June 1958, Mao changed the Party and government structure by establishing groups in charge of finance, legal matters, foreign affairs, science, and culture and education which bypassed the State Council. Chen was made the head of the Foreign Affairs Group.

In 1962, Chen called for some market-style experiments in the cultural field. In comparison to most other top leadership in China, he was more supportive of artistic autonomy.

Like other Chinese policymakers, Chen viewed the July 1963 Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty as demonstrating a US-USSR re-alignment against China. Chen described it as "targeted against us."

During the Cultural Revolution, Chen was one of the most vocal leaders in the February Countercurrent, which criticized the Cultural Revolution for creating social disorder and undermining China's leadership. As a result, he was required to request a leave of absence and undertake self-criticism, but he was never dismissed, so Zhou Enlai performed the duties of Foreign Minister in his place.

Addressing China's support for revolution in the context of principles of self-reliance, Chen stated in 1963 that "China will support revolutions both morally and politically. We are Marxists. We must support them... But it must be noted, Chinese troops will not cross our borders to advance revolution."

He was a member of the 8th CPC Politburo from 1956 to 1967 but was not admitted to the 9th Politburo (1969), though he was a member of the 9th CPC Central Committee.

After Marshal Lin Biao's death in 1971, he was restored to favour, although not to his former power. Chen did not enjoy his rehabilitation for long; he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer and died in Beijing on 6 January 1972 at the age of 70. Mao Zedong attended Chen's funeral in 1972. This was Mao's last public appearance and his first appearance at anyone's funeral during the Cultural Revolution. It was also the only time Mao Zedong attended a memorial service for a Party and state leader after the founding of the People's Republic.

Other work

When not in military uniform, Chen Yi was known for his trademark sunglasses and white shirt. He was an avid weiqi player and was prominent in promoting the game to a professional level in the People's Republic of China.