MILITARY - ARMY, HISTORY, O/B, TRAINING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600150229-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 20
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 15, 2011
• Sequence Number: 229
• Publication Date: August 17, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION S-E-C-R-E-'T
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY R
CO NO.
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
Militp* - A.rru, history, Q/B, training
DATE OF
INFORMATION ' y ea
DATE GIST. / 7 Au,3 1955 50X1-HUM
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
Po Twi SGltTlx '4T*t(5~ xIT.Ix 1USU 4xx .I '.ry.l I4..141i4BI 150
SS tll. 55 755 5.5. 4551. 55 /MRC1p. II; W5S5 IU5.1. 51 5474.
HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION OF CHINESE
PEOPLE IS LIBERATION ARW
The People's Revolutionary Military Council has under it the Liberation
:rny General Headquarters, of which Chu Teh is coasnander in chief and P'eng
Te-huai, deputy commander in chief
Th Army is divided into four field armies and a North China Army 3roup.
The Navy has a People's Navy Headquarters. It controls three Naval
Districts (the Huang Hai, Tung Hai, and Nan Hai districts), six fleets, and
one naval acades;y. .~ y
The Air Force has a People's Air Force Headquarters under which are
Air Service, Ground Service, and Mechanised Service departments.
The Air Force includes divisions, b*i des (lu), groups, squadrons, and
flights. A division has three brigades. Each bride has a bomber group and
a righter group. rack group includes three squsdrons. Each squadron bas three
flights of 3J planes each.
CIAN D I OM 8,21-4494
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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S-E-C-R-E-T
In support of the Army, Navy, and Air Force are special troops, r,ac
antiaircraft, artillery, armored, labor, and railway troop:. All headgti,^.tr,?s
and the armies under them have political commissars and political deprr+
army corps, army groups, and armies. Divisions have political comtiisra.- '.o
political departments. Regiments have political offices headed by a
and deputy chairman, two assistants for organization assistants, two members of
the people's activities unit, one assistant for propaganda and education, one
assistant for cultural education assistant, one assistant for security (pso-:d),
one assistant for theory, and a clerk. Battalions have a apolitical] in:>tructor,
and companies have a [political] director. Political departmentu include six
;seven listed] subdivisions, namely, control, guard, organization, pro?ayarada,
culture, youth, and cultural work organs.
Each srwgr division headquarters has a staff department (which'conl.roie
combat, inspection, training, military affairs, and administration), political
'epartment (see above), cadre department (in charge of ucr-eening and coatrali,
and a service department (in charge of administration, maintenance, accoun:.ing,
transport, and sanitation).
Each division has three regiments, and one each of communications (signal);
labor, guard, and artillery battalions.
ti eh regiment has a staff, political cadre and rear. services office. The
staff office takes orders from the headquarters chief of staff and the political
office (see above); the cadre office has a single office chief and a secretr:.y,
and two cadre assistants; the rear services office has a chairman, an assocrte
(for political work), one administrator, a maintenance officer (in charge j:
disbursements and receipts), and an accovntant. Each regiment also ha--
port platoon and a sanitary corps. A sanitary corps has three doctors v:?,
nurse squads. Ini'a try units directly under regimental headquarters inc ::,
:-ignel company, one artillery company, and one guard company.
Each regiment has three battalions, each constituted of four companies.
Each company has three platoons and one artillery squad (armed with two ru
guns). A platoon cc'asists of three squads (four before 1953) made up of ten
men, including a squad leader and an assistant leader. The artillery squad
musters 10-12 men, including leader and assistant leader.
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An artillery unit has charge of six field guns with 10-foot barrels (p'eo-
shen), eighteen 81-nun mortars, and 92 infantry guns (p'ao).
The regimental artillery company is equipped with four recoilless guns,
three 92-mm guns, and two 81-mm mortars.
An infantry platoon has one heavy and two light machine guns, and 79 in-
fantry rifles, some a revolving type, (tun-pan) of Soviet manufacture, and
others of US manufacture. Both types are suitable for bayonet combat.
The Liberation Arvq is modernt?zing its equipment. Most of its present
modern equipment IF of Soviet or Czechoslovakian manufacture.
The Public Security Troops are under the command of the People'- Eevolu-
tonary Military Council and the Ministry of Public Security of the Government
:administration Council. Their organization is similar to that of the People's
Liberation Army [PIA].
The Militia (Min-ping) carry out the militia system as the basic force for
preserving order in local areas and the national mobilization base. They are
under- the authority of the military districts and branch districts. The mil.itis
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Ies shun-ch'u (A.. 4 AND ), formerly commander
the Fourth Field Army
Wang flung-k'uv ( * Ot ), formerly deputy :on ander of the
%u
D
4r.i
x
eh, Mi a'd'"s
p
n
c
ry
Fang Chiang, formerly commander (chun-chang) of the Fourth Field
Army
in the various haienaare organized in detacbmante v tb a det t leader and
a political comnlaaar. The militia in each ch'u era. organized into battalion
heiangs are organized in companies (chang-tui) Vith a coazpaoy co der and a
political adviser.
The follomtng personnel serve under the General Nea4martera of the PtA
CommmAer in chief, Pt; Chu Tab
Deputy commander-in-ceief : P' eng me-huni
Coeazarder of the Navy: Raiao Ching-kuang (, 1, ). foznerly desutx
government air-force officer vho surrendered
Deputy commanders:
Wang Chien-k'un ( * )
Wang Ping-chang (.-. L )
Commander of the Artillery Corps: Chen Hsi-lien, formerly commander of
the Eleventh Army of the Fourth Field Ar,
y
Deputy coa?anders:
Ch'iu Ch' uang-cheng
Wan I (# AL ), formerly co malnder of artillery in Fourth Field
Army
Commander of the Engineer Corps: Chen Shah-ch'u (v$ -t !R ), formerly
col?Wnder of the Eleventh Any Group at the Third Field Army
Commander of the Armored Force: Hsu Kuang-ta (If L L), formerly com-
~u er (, ;,:,,_;;= s) of the Third Az of Tae First Field Army
Political commissar: Liu Tao-sheng (A AL A-)
Chairman of Political Department: Chang K'o-chi (* t. * )
Deputy chairman: Tuan Te-p'eng (& r )
Commander of the Air Force: Liu Ya-lou former Nationalist
Deputy commanders:
Nieh Bao-t'ing (* '# )
R5%*W-- Ch'=94wa (1q 4t
-3-
S.E-C-R494
ce nder'of the Sixteenth Army Group)
Deputy commanders-
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Cm=rdder of the Peiping-Tientsin Oars^ieon; Nish Jong-Chan ( * )
the,rx; rst Ass Group of the First P%old A;my
Deputy c cr: Li Shoo-Muss
(rte j,
Commander of the Air Defense Corpsi Chou Mdb.ti (4 foxsserip
deputy coesmndar of the Southwest Military District
Deputy coe ende r: 'f'an Chia-shu (' I. S.)
Caneeacider of the sally yr Corpi; Waft *uai J. foroerly+ comnsnder of
-owwr-ftr of the Obinese People's Volunteers: Teary Sue ( ) r
mmndov of the Fifteenth Aru Group; cawmarader of the Volun rs
the I
ventieth ArW Group
Deputy cowftndarr: ? Chen rru A , '
~?( ?,,, v vi )r Zc:msiy Cdr of
'
. Deputy tears
Chairman of the Political Department: Li Chih-min (4 t, Ol,)
Deputy chairmen:
Tu P' ing (A- -t )
Chang Nan-eheng (*. 41
Zang-.7e-chih ( ), c endea or the Tireutieth Army Group
Zang Yung (4 ) , commander of the Fifth Army Group
Chief of staff: Li To transferred to be deputy commander
of the Southwest Military District
Deputy chief of staff: Nang Zun-dui (L J L
The First Field Army (Chun-t'uan) (literally, Army Corps] wac originally
the First Army Corps that fled out of ICiangsi. It was part of the forces of
P'eng Te-huai when he revolted in Ping-ch:ang, Hunan; hence most. of the cadres
of this force are from Hunan and Hupeh.
This army is rake up of $amaneae commend" by P?.og Te-berm and Shensi Ban
led by Liu Ton-tan 94 ;- Bence. the commA T of the pint Army Crary
was the Bimeaese Heag Commander of the 8iaamd Am Grump ws the SMnei
man, Chang Teong.tie' ( & ). This gsw w haul in the Beeft-1=6
Shan in northern Shensi sad operated in the?Sioasi. ana awls boa sr ares.
In the winter of 108, it was reorg!snlsed into On pint Field Army with head-
quarters in Slam, i emai. Me various oo^reats are garsisamadin wastsrn
Shensi, Hawn (Ream sad !ingsia have been Joinsi), MA Unklemg.
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Commander, Peng Te-huai
Deputy commander, Chao Shou-sben (At 4 )
Political commissar, Rai Ch lung-bsun
Chairman of the Political Department, Kan Ssu-ch't (
Chief of staff, Yen K'uei-yao (4 , ; -*-)
First Amy Group -- cc nder, Tao Cher ( l ), fortserly
Wang Euai-hhien ( .i I .) to command of the Rai way Corps.
is made up of the First, Second, Third, Fifth, and Eight Armies.
assigned by
This group
Secon1 t,:.: Gro :p -- c.rrmwid?r, Wang Shih-t'ei (J ' A- ) (position
formerly held by Chong Taung-hewn, nov deputy chief of ste f). This group is
Second Field Armor
lion under command of Liu Po-ch'eng opzaeting in southeast
Shensi.
On 31 October 1945, Liu's troops persuaded the Sin Chien-cr'ung
( 4 At ) forces and the Fifth A! of Ma 7- vu ( _ ~t_ -'-.) and
Kao Sbu-ch'in (;$ *f AS ) to defect to the Co?wnista, They :ere later
reorganized into the Second Field Army.
The headquarters of the Second Field Arryy was established at Chungking.
The forces were distributed in Szechwan, Yunnan, I3reichow, S:;aang, mnd Tibet.
Commsender: Liu Po-ch'eng (, 44 #C.
Deputy commanders: Chen Kong (*
Yang Yung (4 ~~'.)
Political commissar: Teng Ezlao-p'ing
f)
Chairman of Political Department: Cha chi-ch'ca (* ' )
Chief of staff : Li Ta (4 A-)
Third Army Group (Ping-tu'an) -- commander, Wei Chieh (1 ).
cludes the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Armies.
Fourth Army Group -- commander, Chen Meng. Includes the Th!rtm"th,
Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Armies.
Fifth Army Group -- commander, Yang Yung. Includes the Eixt nth, %-uen-
teenth, and Eighteenth Armies.
Sixth Army Group -- commander, Chang Kno-hum. Includes the Ninth m
Nineteenth Armies.
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During the Anti-Japanese War the Third Field Army vas the Nev Fourth ArQV-
militia (t':z-ping) scattered in the borderlands of gi st, Fukien, Chekiang,
and Hunan and to reorganize them as the Nev Fourth AThe government sppointed
Feb Chien ( 4 ) as ecea: der, with Hsiang 'ling (74* k ) as deputy commander.
At that time, the ftw Fourth Army consisted of less than 5,000 mm. On 4 juuary
1941, the Rev Fourth Army received orders to move north of the Yellow River to a
surprise move against the Nationalist forces in northern Kia su. InI 2e move,
commander os this remnant. Be L vided his forces and bawd tho* in Eiangau, Anhwei
life Chen then mused himself commander and Chang Tun-ku'ei deputy
The Third Field Army Headquarters was established jr Nanking. The forces
deployed in Shantung, Anhwei, Kiengsu, Chehia:ag, and Fukien.
The or untnation of the Third Field Army is as follows :
Commander: Ch'en I (A
Deprty commanders: Su Yu (f { )
T'an Chen-lin (> ' )
Chang Ting-ch'eng ( . *, )
Political ccimnissar: Jao Shu-shih (AL fC. rY )
Chairman of the Political Department: T'a , Liang (e U
Chief of staff: T'an Ch'i-lung ( A. 110, )
The Seventh Army Group -- commander: Wang Chien-an. Includes the Twentieth,
Twenty-First, Twenty-Second, and Tventh-Third Armies.
Eight Army Group -- commander: Wang Hsin-ch'eng ( )s- ). Includes
the Twentir-Fourth, Twenty-Fifth, and Twenty-Sixth Armies.
The Ninth Army Group -- commander: Sung Shih-lun ( . ). In-
cludes the Twenty-Seventh, Thirtieth, and Thirty-Second Armies.
Tenth Army Group -- commander: Yeh Fei Includes the Twenty-
Eight, Twenty-Ninth, and Thirty-First Armies.
The Eleventh Army Group -- commander: Yuan Yeh->deh ( 'fi e) In-
cludes the Thirty-Third, Thirty-Fourth, Thirty Fifth, Thirty-Sixth, and Thirty-
Seventh Armies.
D. Fourth Field AM
The Fourth Field Army was original]y the vartime 115th Division of the
Eight Route Army coasnded by Lin lido (w` . ), is was originally in
north Shansi. After the victory over Japan, Lin Piao led his forces into
the Northeast. After their defeat by the Rassiens, the 9111.-4 armies of the
Northeast, nalely, the *nchukuo forces, the Northeast Herein tasopo, ~:~
the Japanese IDsangtung Army, all joined Lin Piao's forces with the title of
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On 12 October 1937, Chou En..lai petitioned the government to arm the local
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this army south of the Great Wall, and it was renrganiaa an the Po th F'ieM
are de ,1o it F,ornn. R h, r an, Kiax ei, K "atung, Dstgal, and tim
The orgnization, or the are is as folims:
Commander: Lin Piso (.4.. ,. )
Deputy c aaderE: Rsiao Ching-kueng (4 0
Li Kuang-men (4 : )
Political commissars: LR Jung-.himc,
Tong Tcu-hut 3' $ )
T'a.n..C:heng (: )
Chairman of the Political Depart-ent: T'ao Chu Ole'
Chiefs of staff: Hsiao K'cs (4 L
Chao Hsi-lu (rim. `t,
At)
The Twelfth Arny* Group -- commander: Lieng Pi-yeh ( A
In-
cludes the Thirty-Eighth, Thirty-Ninth, and Fortieth Armies.
The Thirteenth Army Group -- commander: Ch'en Tsu-hua (1- ).
Includes the Forty-First, Forty-Second, and Forty-Third Armies.
The Fourteenth Army Group -- commander: Chen Nfsa-yuan (' y ).
Includes the Forty-Fourth, Forth-Fifth, and Forty-Sixth Armies.
The Fifteenth Army Group -- commander: Teng Ea:a (I ). Includes
the Forty-Seventh, Forty-Eighth, and Forty-Ninth Armies.
The Sixteenth Army Group -- commander: Pe'ng Ming-chip
Includes the Ffttieth, Fifty First, Fifty-Second, Fifty-Third, and Fifty-Fourth
Armies.
The Seventeenth Army Group -- commander: Chen Mina-jet (* I k- ).
Includes the Fifth'-Fifth, Fifty-Sixth, Fifty-Seventh, and Fifty-Ei*th Armies.
Most of these force have been transferred to the Northeast ~mder the osoamd
of Kao Kang (16 1~ ), commander of the Northeast Military District.
E. North China Are Group
The North China Army Group was originally the First DspartWnt (Pm) of the
115th Division of the Eight Route Army.
-.-,tea c r iys7, the deputy commander or the ll.Sth Divis10F* R1ei Java
Alen W ), 1" one Independent regiint, one cavalry be f LUM US
two compames in gaarrilla carfare around Vu-teat ften in NNfeaaat. On T Nevr-
ber, the sight fsoute Army Headquarters ordered Wish Jhag-ehsa to estshlish the
Headquarters of the Shensi, Chahar, and 'Em, -0, Military District, erne them
-.7
a-2-C-344
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Provinces became his beee of ?perxtionis. In an exp raion of forces, dish's
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n-,i tion'.of the arcup is as follows.
The
~
t ; )
Deputy camasander: Yang Ch'eng?.w : ( . f, )
Political commissar: Po I-po ( r )
Chairman of the Political Department Chu Liang-Te'ei
Chief of staff: yang Vh'eng-vu ( .4 J'., & )
^_he Elatteentit Amy Group - t'o s aricr: Nish .".ung-chen. 'r.a_LaafS@S
( ), and Yang a o - ru ($~~