Li Xiannian was the Political Commissar of the Twenty-fifth Division of the Ninth Army. His division with Zhang's central column, mounted a successful attack on the KMT model division where they destroyed or captured 10,000 KMT troops. In 1931 he was a regimental officer in the Fourth Front Army. In 1935 he was the commander of the Thirtieth Army. After the formation of the PRC he became President. President Li Xiannian considered himself lucky in the Cultural Revolution. He was not "pulled down" although it was a close thing. He was "set aside," protected by both Zhou Enlai and Mao himself. He died in 1992.