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I have always admired this man but have never come across his name in this forum. Was he not noteworthy enough a historical figure in China? So many discussions about China, it's past and present, but Chou Enlai played a significant role to bring China to where it is today. From what I knew, he understood spoken English which was not realised by the Western Powers which gave him a decided advantage during negotiations. A truly inspiring figure and a personification of the "enigmatic and inscrutable Chinaman."
The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military | 2001 | Copyright
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Zhou_Enlai.aspx
Zhou Enlai[/B] (1898–1976) born into the Chinese gentry, a leading figure in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), premier of China (1949–1976), and foreign minister of the People's Republic of China (1949–1958).
He played a significant role in the Chinese revolution and one of the great negotiators of the twentieth century. Arrested in 1920 for dissent and political agitation, he went to France when he was released and, while there, made his commitment to Communism. He returned to China in 1924 and participated in the National Revolution, led by Sun Yat-sen's Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) with the collaboration of the CCP and Russian assisstance.
He was appointed deputy director of the political department at the Whampoa Military Academy and, in 1927, became director of the military department of the CCP. After organizing the workers of Shanghai for Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists, he fled to Wu-han, the center of Communist power, when Chiang purged his Communist allies.
He was elected to the CCP Central Committee and its Politburo during the Party's Fifth National Congress, and helped organize the Nan-ch'ang Uprising, a Communist insurrection, in August 1927. He retreated again, this time to Shanghai via Hong Kong, after the Nationalists recaptured Nan-ch'ang.
He returned to China in 1928, and eventually left Shanghai for Kiangsi province, where he Zhu De and Mao Zedong had been working to develop Communist rural bases (soviets). In 1932, Zhou succeeded Mao as the political commissar of the Red Army, commanded by Zhu De. The success of Chiang's campaigns finally forced a Communist retreat in 1934, and the Long March to the north of China began. Although Zhou had earlier sided with the CCP leaders who took control of the Kiangsi soviet from Mao, they became close associates.
When the Long March ended in 1935 at the Communist base in Shensi province, Zhou became the CCP's chief negotiator and succeeded in forming an alliance with the Nationalists to resist Japan's aggression. When Chiang's generals arrested him in order to stop the CCP-Nationalist civil war, Zhou negotiated Chiang's release on the condition that he cease attacking the Communists and support the United Front. From the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Zhou became the CCP's chief representative to the Nationalist government, a position he held until 1943.
After Japan surrendered in 1945, he accompanied Mao Zedong to peace talks arranged with Chiang Kai-shek. He was also an important figure in the negotiations with the Nationalists in 1946, and was a major factor in Chiang's eventual downfall in 1947. Zhou became the first premier of the Republic of China in October 1949, and served as the chief administrator of its huge civil bureaucracy.
Between 1950 and 1964, he continued in his role as negotiator and traveled widely. He was also responsible for arranging and carrying out plans for the historic meeting between Mao Zedong and President Richard M. Nixon in 1972.
The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military | 2001 | Copyright
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Zhou_Enlai.aspx
Zhou Enlai[/B] (1898–1976) born into the Chinese gentry, a leading figure in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), premier of China (1949–1976), and foreign minister of the People's Republic of China (1949–1958).
He played a significant role in the Chinese revolution and one of the great negotiators of the twentieth century. Arrested in 1920 for dissent and political agitation, he went to France when he was released and, while there, made his commitment to Communism. He returned to China in 1924 and participated in the National Revolution, led by Sun Yat-sen's Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) with the collaboration of the CCP and Russian assisstance.
He was appointed deputy director of the political department at the Whampoa Military Academy and, in 1927, became director of the military department of the CCP. After organizing the workers of Shanghai for Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists, he fled to Wu-han, the center of Communist power, when Chiang purged his Communist allies.
He was elected to the CCP Central Committee and its Politburo during the Party's Fifth National Congress, and helped organize the Nan-ch'ang Uprising, a Communist insurrection, in August 1927. He retreated again, this time to Shanghai via Hong Kong, after the Nationalists recaptured Nan-ch'ang.
He returned to China in 1928, and eventually left Shanghai for Kiangsi province, where he Zhu De and Mao Zedong had been working to develop Communist rural bases (soviets). In 1932, Zhou succeeded Mao as the political commissar of the Red Army, commanded by Zhu De. The success of Chiang's campaigns finally forced a Communist retreat in 1934, and the Long March to the north of China began. Although Zhou had earlier sided with the CCP leaders who took control of the Kiangsi soviet from Mao, they became close associates.
When the Long March ended in 1935 at the Communist base in Shensi province, Zhou became the CCP's chief negotiator and succeeded in forming an alliance with the Nationalists to resist Japan's aggression. When Chiang's generals arrested him in order to stop the CCP-Nationalist civil war, Zhou negotiated Chiang's release on the condition that he cease attacking the Communists and support the United Front. From the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Zhou became the CCP's chief representative to the Nationalist government, a position he held until 1943.
After Japan surrendered in 1945, he accompanied Mao Zedong to peace talks arranged with Chiang Kai-shek. He was also an important figure in the negotiations with the Nationalists in 1946, and was a major factor in Chiang's eventual downfall in 1947. Zhou became the first premier of the Republic of China in October 1949, and served as the chief administrator of its huge civil bureaucracy.
Between 1950 and 1964, he continued in his role as negotiator and traveled widely. He was also responsible for arranging and carrying out plans for the historic meeting between Mao Zedong and President Richard M. Nixon in 1972.
