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 3rd 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.

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.

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.

[2] Like other Chinese policymakers, Chen viewed the July 1963 Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty as demonstrating a US-USSR re-alignment against China.

[4]: 154  As a result, he was required to request a leave of absence and undertake self-criticism,[4]: 154  but he was never dismissed, so Zhou Enlai performed the duties of foreign minister in his place.