Xiao Ke
Encyclopedia
Xiao Ke was a general in the People's Liberation Army
of China
, former vice chairman of the CPPCC, as well as principal of the University of Military and Politics.
, Hunan
Province of China.
He joined the National Revolutionary Army
and participated the Northern Expedition in 1926. He joined the Communist Party of China
in 1927 and fought in Nanchang Uprising
. He went to Jinggangshan and was recruited to the Red Fourth Army.
as pathfinders for what was to become the Long March
, subsequently joining forces troops under He Long
to become the Second Front Army. They co-founded Xiang-E-Chuan-Qian Soviet District. In July 1936, he was appointed to deputy command of the Second Front Army.
Following the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War
, Xiao was appointed second-in-command of the 120th division of the famous Eighth Route Army
, deputy commander of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region and commander of Ji-Re-Liao Military Region. He was made Lieutenant General in the National Revolution Army of the Republic of China
.
In April 1949, he was promoted to become chief of staff of the Fourth Field Army, leading them into battle in Hengbao, Guangdong, and Guangxi and elsewhere.
After the 1949 declaration of the People's Republic of China
, Xiao was appointed director of the military training department under Central Military Commission
. In November 1954, he was appointed deputy director of the training supervision department and director of battle training.
On September 27 1955 he was made a full general of PLA, ranking first on the list of senior generals.
In 1957, he was promoted to the director of training superintendence department as well as the secretary of CPC's committee there.
In 1958, Xiao came under political attack for so-called "dogmatism", and was dismissed from all posts. This attack was led by then Minister of Defense Peng Dehuai
, soon to have political troubles of his own following the Lushan Conference
. Reflecting in later years on the struggles he was subjected to, Xiao wrote, “I had been in the Party more than thirty years…had taken part in the Northern Expedition, the Nanchang Uprising, the Southern Hunan Uprising, the Struggle in Jinggangshan, the Long March… The man can be struck down, but his history will stand.” Some years later, Peng sent his nephew to apologise to Xiao for the treatment the latter had received. Xiao himself was magnanimous, realising Peng's actions had been dictated by the tenor of the times.
In January 1972, he was appointed principal of the University of Military and Politics, made deputy minister of defence, principal of military academy and a first political commissar.
In September 1980, he was appointed as one of the vice chairmen of the Fifth National Political Consultative Conference.
During the Tiananmen protests in 1989, Xiao and former Minister of Defense Zhang Aiping
, also a veteran of the Long March, together composed a letter to Deng Xiaoping
, which was signed by five other generals. They advised Deng not to bring the army into Beijing and wrote that if the PLA opened fire on protestors, “the common people will curse us for 10,000 years.”
Xiao had both the military record and experience to be appointed a Grand General due to his past honor and experience. Instead, he was awarded general, though ranked No.1. This was probably because he used to support Zhang Guotao
, who wanted to found another central communist government, and he did not get along very well with He Long
in the past.
General Xiao was also a noted author. He wrote a fictionalised account of his experiences leading the Sixth Red Army Group in a breakout of the Nationalist's Fifth Encirclement Campaign, Blood on the Luoxiao Mountains
(浴血罗霄), for which he was awarded the prestigious Mao Dun Literature Prize
. His other works include the book Sidelights on the Red Army of Zhu & Mao (朱毛红军侧记).
He died in Beijing
on the morning of October 24, 2008. Despite several English news sources giving his age at the time of his death as 102, according to all Chinese news sources, he was actually 101.
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, former vice chairman of the CPPCC, as well as principal of the University of Military and Politics.
Early life
Xiao was born in Jiahe CountyJiahe County
Jiahe County is a county of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Chenzhou city.-References:*...
, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
Province of China.
He joined the National Revolutionary Army
National Revolutionary Army
The National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
and participated the Northern Expedition in 1926. He joined the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
in 1927 and fought in Nanchang Uprising
Nanchang Uprising
The Nanchang Uprising was the first major Kuomintang-Communist engagement of the Chinese Civil War, in order to counter the anti-communist purges by the Nationalist Party of China....
. He went to Jinggangshan and was recruited to the Red Fourth Army.
Military career
Between 1930-1933, he was appointed as first to command of the Red Army's Fifth Division, then its Eighth Army, and later Sixth Army Group, fighting in many battles resisting the Nationalist's Encirclement Campaigns. In August 1934, he led the Sixth Army Group out west of the Jiangxi SovietJiangxi Soviet
The Chinese Soviet Republic , also translated as the Soviet Republic of China or the China Soviet Republic, and often referred to in historical literature as the Jiangxi Soviet , was a state established in November 1931 by the future Communist Party of China leader Mao...
as pathfinders for what was to become 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...
, subsequently joining forces troops under He Long
He Long
He Long was a Chinese military leader. He rose to the rank of Marshal and Vice Premier after the founding of the People's Republic of China.-Early life:He Long was a member of the Tujia ethnic group...
to become the Second Front Army. They co-founded Xiang-E-Chuan-Qian Soviet District. In July 1936, he was appointed to deputy command of the Second Front Army.
Following the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, Xiao was appointed second-in-command of the 120th division of the famous Eighth Route Army
Eighth Route Army
The Eighth Route Army was the larger of the two major Chinese communist forces that formed a unit of the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China which fought the Japanese from 1937 to 1945. In contrast to most of the National Revolutionary Army, it was controlled by the Communist...
, deputy commander of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region and commander of Ji-Re-Liao Military Region. He was made Lieutenant General in the National Revolution Army of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
In April 1949, he was promoted to become chief of staff of the Fourth Field Army, leading them into battle in Hengbao, Guangdong, and Guangxi and elsewhere.
After the 1949 declaration of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, Xiao was appointed director of the military training department under Central Military Commission
Central Military Commission
A Central Military Commission or National Defense Commission is an organisation typical of Communist one-party states, responsible for supervising the nation's armed forces....
. In November 1954, he was appointed deputy director of the training supervision department and director of battle training.
On September 27 1955 he was made a full general of PLA, ranking first on the list of senior generals.
In 1957, he was promoted to the director of training superintendence department as well as the secretary of CPC's committee there.
In 1958, Xiao came under political attack for so-called "dogmatism", and was dismissed from all posts. This attack was led by then Minister of Defense Peng Dehuai
Peng Dehuai
Peng Dehuai was a prominent military leader of the Communist Party of China, and China's Defence Minister from 1954 to 1959. Peng was an important commander during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese civil war and was also the commander-in-chief of People's Volunteer Army in the Korean War...
, soon to have political troubles of his own following the Lushan Conference
Lushan Conference
The Lushan Conference , officially the 8th Plenum of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, began on July 2, 1959 and was an informal discussion about the Great Leap Forward...
. Reflecting in later years on the struggles he was subjected to, Xiao wrote, “I had been in the Party more than thirty years…had taken part in the Northern Expedition, the Nanchang Uprising, the Southern Hunan Uprising, the Struggle in Jinggangshan, the Long March… The man can be struck down, but his history will stand.” Some years later, Peng sent his nephew to apologise to Xiao for the treatment the latter had received. Xiao himself was magnanimous, realising Peng's actions had been dictated by the tenor of the times.
In January 1972, he was appointed principal of the University of Military and Politics, made deputy minister of defence, principal of military academy and a first political commissar.
In September 1980, he was appointed as one of the vice chairmen of the Fifth National Political Consultative Conference.
During the Tiananmen protests in 1989, Xiao and former Minister of Defense Zhang Aiping
Zhang Aiping
Zhang Aiping was a Chinese communist military leader.-Biography:...
, also a veteran of the Long March, together composed a letter to 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...
, which was signed by five other generals. They advised Deng not to bring the army into Beijing and wrote that if the PLA opened fire on protestors, “the common people will curse us for 10,000 years.”
Xiao had both the military record and experience to be appointed a Grand General due to his past honor and experience. Instead, he was awarded general, though ranked No.1. This was probably because he used to support 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...
, who wanted to found another central communist government, and he did not get along very well with He Long
He Long
He Long was a Chinese military leader. He rose to the rank of Marshal and Vice Premier after the founding of the People's Republic of China.-Early life:He Long was a member of the Tujia ethnic group...
in the past.
General Xiao was also a noted author. He wrote a fictionalised account of his experiences leading the Sixth Red Army Group in a breakout of the Nationalist's Fifth Encirclement Campaign, Blood on the Luoxiao Mountains
Luoxiao Mountains
The Luoxiao Mountains form a mountain range in the People's Republic of China, on the border between Jiangxi and Hunan provinces....
(浴血罗霄), for which he was awarded the prestigious Mao Dun Literature Prize
Mao Dun Literature Prize
Mao Dun Literature Prize is a prize for novels sponsored by the Chinese Writers Association. Awarded every four years, it is one of most prestigious literature prizes in China. It was first awarded in 1982.-Background:...
. His other works include the book Sidelights on the Red Army of Zhu & Mao (朱毛红军侧记).
He died in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
on the morning of October 24, 2008. Despite several English news sources giving his age at the time of his death as 102, according to all Chinese news sources, he was actually 101.
External links
- "The Last General of the Red Army", by Ed Jocelyn. A detailed biography.