Chen Yi (marshal)
![]() | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2013) |
Chen Yi | |
---|---|
陈毅 | |
![]() | |
Mayor of Shanghai | |
In office 1949–1958 | |
Preceded by | Zhao Zukang |
Succeeded by | Ke Qingshi |
Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China | |
In office 1958–1972 | |
Premier | Zhou Enlai |
Preceded by | Zhou Enlai |
Succeeded by | Ji Pengfei |
Secretary of the CPC Shanghai Committee | |
In office 1954 | |
Preceded by | Rao Shushi |
Succeeded by | Ke Qingshi |
President of the China Foreign Affairs University | |
In office 1955–1969 | |
Preceded by | none |
Succeeded by | Liu Chun Closed until 1980 |
Personal details | |
Born | Lezhi, Sichuan | 26 August 1901
Died | 6 January 1972 Beijing | (aged 70)
Awards |
|
Nickname | Poet Marshal |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | People's Liberation Army |
Years of service | 1927–1972 |
Rank | Marshal of People's Republic of China |
Commands | Commander-in-Chief, Eastern China Field Army, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Central China Field Army |
Battles/wars | Northern Expedition, Long March, Hundred Regiments Offensive, Chinese Civil War |
Chen Yi (Chinese: 陈毅; pinyin: Chén Yì; Wade–Giles: Chen I; August 26, 1901 – January 6, 1972) was a Chinese communist military commander and politician. He served as Mayor of Shanghai from 1949 to 1958 and as Foreign Minister of China from 1958 to 1972.
Biography
Chen was born in Lezhi County near Chengdu, Sichuan, into a moderately wealthy magistrate's family.
A comrade of Lin Biao from their guerrilla days, Chen was a commander of the New Fourth Army during the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), 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. He was made a Marshal of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 1955.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Jacob_Rosenfeld.jpg/220px-Jacob_Rosenfeld.jpg)
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chen became mayor of Shanghai. He also served as vice premier from 1954 to 1972 and foreign minister from 1958 to 1972 and president of the China Foreign Affairs University from 1961 to 1969. As vice premier, he was present during the breakup of Sino-Soviet relations. In August 1960, Chen Yi attempted to ease tensions with the Soviets, declaring on one instance to the Soviet Ambassador to Beijing that Moscow should stop "severing the friendship between the two nations," and two weeks later to the Soviet deputy foreign minister that Moscow and Beijing should both try to save the alliance.[1] During the Cultural Revolution, he was criticized in 1967, but never dismissed, so Zhou Enlai performed the duties of foreign minister in his place. He was a member of the 8th CPC Politburo from 1956 to 1967 and he was not admitted to the 9th Politburo (1969), though he was a member of the 9th CPC Central Committee.
After Marshal Lin Biao's death in 1971, he was restored to favor, although not to his former power. Mao Zedong attended Chen's funeral in 1972.[2] This was Mao's last public appearance and his first appearance at anyone's funeral during the Cultural Revolution.
See also
References
- ^ Shu Guang Zhang, 2010, The Sino-Soviet alliance and the Cold War in Asia, 1954-1962. The Cambridge History of the Cold War, Vol 1, p.371.
- ^ Perlez, Jane (6 December 2013). "A Leader in Mao's Cultural Revolution Faces His Past". New York Times. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Long March Leaders: Chen Yi (by Paul Noll)
- 陈毅纪念馆 (Chen Yi memorial site; Template:Zh icon)
- 诗人元帅——陈毅 (The poet-general Chen Yi; Template:Zh icon)
- Handbook for the Chinese Civil War (US Naval War College)
- Vice premiers of the People's Republic of China
- 1901 births
- 1972 deaths
- Chinese military personnel of World War II
- Marshals of China
- People's Liberation Army personnel of the Second Sino-Japanese War
- Communist Party of China politicians from Sichuan
- Mayors of Shanghai
- People from Ziyang
- People of the Chinese Civil War
- Foreign Ministers of China
- People's Republic of China politicians from Sichuan
- Chinese expatriates in France