Qin Jiwei
Encyclopedia
Qin Jiwei was a general of the People's Republic of China, Minister of National Defense and a member of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo
.
Qin Jiwei was born to a poor peasant family in Huang'an (now Hong'an), Hubei Province of China in November 1914.
, and spent his earliest years in the military under the leadership of Xu Haidong
and Xu Xiangqian
, and alongside future generals Chen Zaidao
and Xu Shiyou
. After a series of setbacks, the unit Qin served in was redesignated the 31st Division, Red 11th Corps.
The Fourth Front Army participated in the Long March
as a separate unit from the main force under Zhou Enlai
and Mao Zedong
. At the close of the Long March, Xu Xiangqian
’s Right Column (to which Qin, Chen Xilian
and Li Xiannian
were assigned) were shattered by Muslim cavalry in a battle that might have turned out differently had Mao Zedong
not abandon Fourth Front Army commander Zhang Guotao
. One story has Qin and future general secretary Hu Yaobang
captured in the battle and held prisoner for a year or so before finding an opportunity to escape.
In 1939, Qin was commander of the 1st Military Sub-District of the Jinjiyu Military Region and at the end of the Sino-Japanese War, Chief-of-Staff of the Taihang Military District. His units were organized into the 9th Column in 1947, and later combined with Chen Geng
’s 4th Column into the 4th Army of the 2nd Field Army(二野), this Army’s leader is Deng Xiaoping
. In 1949, Qin commanded the 4th Army’s 15th Corps.
by commanding the 15th Corps at the Battle of Triangle Hill
, which is regarded by the Chinese as one of the decisive engagements of the war.
was given command of the Kunming MR and Qin was made deputy commander. He was awarded the rank of Lt. General in 1955 and eventually, he became a member of the National Defense Council (1965-75), and commander of the Kunming (1960-67) and Sichuan (1973-76) Military Regions. In 1975, he was named political commissar of the Beijing MR, and in 1980-87 was its commander. In the latter post, Qin took over from two of the so-called ‘Small Gang of Four’, commander Chen Xilian and political commissar Ji Dengkui.
Qin was a member of the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th Central Committees. In 1977, he was named to the party Military Affairs Committee and a decade later, as one of only two military officers named to the politburo (the other was Yang Shangkun
). In September 1988, Qin was promoted to full general and made Defense Minister, until 1990. In 1989, he is said to have hesitated to use force to disperse protesters in Tiananmen Square. At his death in February 1997, his only official post was Vice Chairman of the National People’s Congress.
Politburo
Politburo , literally "Political Bureau [of the Central Committee]," is the executive committee for a number of communist political parties.-Marxist-Leninist states:...
.
Qin Jiwei was born to a poor peasant family in Huang'an (now Hong'an), Hubei Province of China in November 1914.
Combat
Qin joined a Hebei guerrilla band after the failed Autumn Harvest UprisingAutumn Harvest Uprising
The Autumn Harvest Uprising was an insurrection that took place in Hunan province and Jiangxi province, China on September 7, 1927, led by Mao Zedong, who established a short-lived Hunan Soviet....
, and spent his earliest years in the military under the leadership of Xu Haidong
Xu Haidong
Xu Haidong was a Grand General in the People's Liberation Army of China.Xu was born in Huangpi , Hubei, China. He was the six kid of his parents, who had a total of 10 children. His father was Xue Zhongben and his mother is only remembered by her last name, Wu...
and Xu Xiangqian
Xu Xiangqian
Xu Xiangqian was a Chinese communist military leader.-Biography:Xu was born in Wutai county, Shanxi province, China. He was admitted to the Whampoa Academy in 1924 and held various officer ranks in the National Revolutionary Army between 1925 and 1927...
, and alongside future generals Chen Zaidao
Chen Zaidao
Chen Zaidao was a Chinese general in the People's Liberation Army, who commanded the Wuhan Military Region 1954-67. He is most noted for having arrested pro-Mao Xie Fuzhi and Wang Li during the Wuhan Incident in July 1967...
and Xu Shiyou
Xu Shiyou
Xu Shiyou was a general in the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Born in Hubei, Xu grew up studying martial arts at the Shaolin Temple for eight years and he later became a soldier in Wu Peifu's warlord army...
. After a series of setbacks, the unit Qin served in was redesignated the 31st Division, Red 11th Corps.
The Fourth Front Army participated in the Long March
Long March
The Long March was a massive military retreat undertaken by the Red Army of the Communist Party of China, the forerunner of the People's Liberation Army, to evade the pursuit of the Kuomintang army. There was not one Long March, but a series of marches, as various Communist armies in the south...
as a separate unit from the main force under Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976...
and Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
. At the close of the Long March, Xu Xiangqian
Xu Xiangqian
Xu Xiangqian was a Chinese communist military leader.-Biography:Xu was born in Wutai county, Shanxi province, China. He was admitted to the Whampoa Academy in 1924 and held various officer ranks in the National Revolutionary Army between 1925 and 1927...
’s Right Column (to which Qin, Chen Xilian
Chen Xilian
Chen Kaichu, better known by the nom de guerre Chen Xilian was a general of People's Liberation Army of China and a member of the Central Committee Politburo....
and Li Xiannian
Li Xianniàn
Li Xiannian was President of the People's Republic of China between 1983 and 1988 and then chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference until his death. He was an influential political figure throughout the PRC, having been a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of...
were assigned) were shattered by Muslim cavalry in a battle that might have turned out differently had Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
not abandon Fourth Front Army commander Zhang Guotao
Zhang Guotao
Zhang Guotao was a founding member and important leader of the Chinese Communist Party and bitter rival to Mao Zedong. During the 1920s he studied in the Soviet Union and became a key contact with the Comintern and organized the CCP labor movement in the United Front with the Guomindang...
. One story has Qin and future general secretary Hu Yaobang
Hu Yaobang
Hu Yaobang was a leader of the People's Republic of China who served as both Chairman and Party General Secretary. Hu joined the Chinese Communist Party in the 1930s, and rose to prominence as a comrade of Deng Xiaoping...
captured in the battle and held prisoner for a year or so before finding an opportunity to escape.
In 1939, Qin was commander of the 1st Military Sub-District of the Jinjiyu Military Region and at the end of the Sino-Japanese War, Chief-of-Staff of the Taihang Military District. His units were organized into the 9th Column in 1947, and later combined with Chen Geng
Chen Geng
Chen Geng was a Chinese communist military leader.-Early life:Born in Hunan province, Chen was second of 12 siblings. However, because his elder brother died early due to illness, Chen became the eldest son. His grandfather, Chen Yiqong was an officer in the imperial Chinese army and was rewarded...
’s 4th Column into the 4th Army of the 2nd Field Army(二野), this Army’s leader is Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician, statesman, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy...
. In 1949, Qin commanded the 4th Army’s 15th Corps.
Battle of Triangle Hill
Qin Jiwei gained fame during the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
by commanding the 15th Corps at the Battle of Triangle Hill
Battle of Triangle Hill
The Battle of Triangle Hill, also known as Operation Showdown or the Shangganling Campaign ,Chinese sources often mistranslate Shangganling Campaign as the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge. was a protracted military engagement during the Korean War...
, which is regarded by the Chinese as one of the decisive engagements of the war.
Domestic assignments
In the 1954 reorganization that established 13 Military Regions, Xie FuzhiXie Fuzhi
Xie Fuzhi was a Communist Party of China military commander, political commissar, and national security specialist. He was born in 1909 in Hong'an County, Hubei and died in Beijing in 1972. He was married to Liu Xiangping...
was given command of the Kunming MR and Qin was made deputy commander. He was awarded the rank of Lt. General in 1955 and eventually, he became a member of the National Defense Council (1965-75), and commander of the Kunming (1960-67) and Sichuan (1973-76) Military Regions. In 1975, he was named political commissar of the Beijing MR, and in 1980-87 was its commander. In the latter post, Qin took over from two of the so-called ‘Small Gang of Four’, commander Chen Xilian and political commissar Ji Dengkui.
Qin was a member of the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th Central Committees. In 1977, he was named to the party Military Affairs Committee and a decade later, as one of only two military officers named to the politburo (the other was Yang Shangkun
Yang Shangkun
Yang Shangkun was President of the People's Republic of China from 1988 to 1993, and was permanent Vice-chair of the Central Military Commission...
). In September 1988, Qin was promoted to full general and made Defense Minister, until 1990. In 1989, he is said to have hesitated to use force to disperse protesters in Tiananmen Square. At his death in February 1997, his only official post was Vice Chairman of the National People’s Congress.