He Long facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yuanshuai
He Long
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贺龙
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Marshal He Long in 1955
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| Member of Central Committee of the Communist Party of China | |
| In office October 1954 – 9 June 1969 |
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| Chairman | Mao Zedong |
| Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China | |
| In office October 1954 – 9 June 1969 |
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| Premier | Zhou Enlai |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
賀龍
22 March 1896 Sangzhi, Hunan, Qing Empire |
| Died | 9 June 1969 (aged 73) Beijing, China |
| Political party | Communist Party of China (1926–1969) |
| Occupation | General, politician, writer |
| Awards |  Order of August the First (1st Class Medal) (1955) Order of Independence and Freedom (1st Class Medal) (1955) Order of Liberation (China) (1st Class Medal) (1955) |
| Nicknames | 贺老总 (Hè lǎozǒng, "Old Chief He") |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  People's Republic of China |
| Branch/service |  People's Liberation Army Ground Force |
| Years of service |  Beiyang government 1914-1927.svg){kind=small} Communist Party of China 1927–1969 |
| Rank | Marshal of People's Republic of China |
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| Battles/wars |
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He Long (simplified Chinese: 贺龙; traditional Chinese: 賀龍; pinyin: Hè Lóng; Wade–Giles: Ho Lung; March 22, 1896 – June 9, 1969) was a famous Chinese military leader. He was one of the ten "Marshals" of the People's Liberation Army. He came from a poor family in Hunan, China. He didn't go to school much. He became a revolutionary leader and played a big part in China's history.
He Long started his journey as an outlaw. He later joined the Kuomintang, a major political party in China. But he soon joined the Communist Party of China (CCP) when the Kuomintang started to fight against Communists. He led many important battles and helped the Communists win the Chinese Civil War.
After the People's Republic of China was formed in 1949, He Long held many important jobs. He was named one of the ten Marshals in 1955. He also served as a Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China. During the Cultural Revolution, he faced difficulties and passed away in 1969. He was later honored again for his contributions.
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He Long's Early Life and Adventures
He Long was born in Sangzhi, Hunan province. His family was part of the Tujia ethnic group. Even though his father was a minor military officer, his family was poor. He Long didn't get a formal education.
When He Long was 20, he stood up against a local tax collector. This collector had killed his uncle. He Long then became an outlaw. People said he started his revolutionary journey with just two kitchen knives. He became known as a "Robin Hood-like figure" because he helped the poor. His special weapon was a butcher knife.
Around 1918, He Long formed his own volunteer army. In 1920, his army joined the National Revolutionary Army. This was the army of the Kuomintang. By 1923, He Long was promoted to lead the Nationalist Twentieth Army. In 1925, he ran a school for Kuomintang soldiers. Here, he met and became friends with some students who were also Communists.
Joining the Communist Revolution
In late 1926, He Long joined the Communist Party of China (CCP). In 1927, the Kuomintang leader, Chiang Kai-shek, started to crack down on Communists. So, He Long left the Kuomintang. He joined the Communists and led the 20th Corps of the Red Army.
He Long and Zhu De planned and led the Nanchang Uprising in 1927. This was a big event where Communists tried to take control of the city of Nanchang. They had about 24,000 soldiers. But they couldn't hold the city against the Kuomintang. Many of their soldiers were lost. Only about 2,000 survivors continued to fight for the Communists.
After this defeat, He Long went to Lufeng, Guangdong. He also spent some time in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Chiang Kai-shek tried to get him to rejoin the Kuomintang, but He Long refused.
Leading Guerrilla Warfare
After the Nanchang Uprising failed, He Long returned to Hunan. In 1930, he gathered a new army. His forces controlled a large area around Hong Lake. They set up a rural soviet, which was like a local government run by Communists.
In 1932, Kuomintang forces attacked He Long's soviet. He and his army had to leave their bases. They moved southwest and set up a new base in Guizhou in 1933. In 1934, Ren Bishi joined He Long with his own soldiers. They combined their forces. He Long became the military commander.
He Long joined the Long March in November 1935. This was a very long and difficult journey for the Communist army. He Long's forces were among the few Communist groups that arrived in Yan'an mostly intact. They helped protect the new Communist headquarters.
He Long in War and Peace
When the Red Army was reorganized in 1937, He Long became the commander of the 120th Division. From 1938 to 1940, he fought against both the Japanese army and Kuomintang groups in Hubei. His responsibilities grew during the Second Sino-Japanese War. By 1943, he was in charge of all Communist forces in several provinces.
By the end of World War II, He Long commanded about 175,000 troops. He was very good at expanding Communist control. He often worked with local groups who were also fighting the Japanese. He Long's experience made him think about different ways to fight, not just guerrilla warfare.
In October 1945, after Japan surrendered, He Long's forces joined Peng Dehuai's army. He Long became Peng's second-in-command. He also became a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. This showed his growing importance. Near the end of the Chinese Civil War, He Long led the First Field Army. After the Communists won in 1949, He Long spent most of the 1950s working in both civilian and military roles in southwest China.
After the Founding of the People's Republic
He Long's military achievements were recognized in 1955. He was promoted to be one of the Ten Marshals of China. He also held many important civilian jobs. He became a Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China. He also led the National Sports Commission. He Long traveled a lot, meeting leaders in other Asian countries, the Soviet Union, and East Germany.
In 1959, Mao Zedong wanted to investigate Peng Dehuai. Mao asked He Long to lead this investigation. He Long was sympathetic to Peng. He took a long time to submit his report. When he finally did, his report was positive about Peng. This was a brave thing to do, as Mao's power was very strong.
However, during the Cultural Revolution which began in 1966, He Long faced serious problems. He was accused of being a "rightist" and of causing trouble within the Party. He and his supporters were quickly removed from power. He was even called the "biggest bandit" by his accusers.
He Long was held captive for the last two and a half years of his life. His health suffered greatly during this time. He was denied proper care for his diabetes. He passed away in 1969 after being hospitalized.
After Deng Xiaoping came to power in the late 1970s, He Long was honored again. A stadium in Changsha was named after him in 1987. This showed that his contributions to China were finally recognized.
See also
In Spanish: He Long para niños
- List of officers of the People's Liberation Army
