Nie Rongzhen (1899-1992)

Chinese proletarian revolutionary, military strategist; one of the founders of the People's Liberation Army, Marshal of the People's Republic of China, Founding Father of the People's Republic of China; outstanding leader of the Party and the State. Courtesy name Fupian, native of Jiangjin County, Sichuan Province (now Jiangjin District, Chongqing). In 1917, he was enrolled in Jiangjin County Middle School of Sichuan Province. At the end of 1919, he went to France for a work-study program. In 1922, he studied in the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Labor in Charleroi, Belgium. He became a member of the Executive Committee of the European Branch of the Chinese Socialist Youth League and deputy-director of the Training Department. In 1924, he was ordered to study at the Communist Labor Party University in Moscow. In February 1925, he transferred to the Chinese Red Army School to study the military. Returning to China in September, he served as the secretary and political instructor of the Political Department of Huangpu Military Academy. In July 1926, he became the military commander of the Communist Party of China Guangdong Provisional Committee and then became secretary of the Military Commission of Hubei Provisional Committee. In mid-July 1927, he was appointed secretary of the Front Committee of the CPC Central Committee and went to Jiujiang to prepare for an armed uprising. In August, he participated in the Nanchang Uprising and served as party representative of the Eleventh Army of the uprising. In December, he participated in leading the Guangzhou Uprising. In 1928, he became the secretary of the Military Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China. In early 1930, he was appointed as the head of the Organization Department of the Shunzhi Provincial Committee of the CPC. From January to March 1931, he was appointed member and chief-of-staff of the CPC Central Military Commission. At the end of 1931, he became deputy commissar of the General Political Department of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army. In April 1932, he served as the political commissar of the Red Army East Road Army. In February 1934, he was elected member of the Second Central Executive Committee of the Chinese Soviet Republic. In October 1934, he participated in the Long March and served as political commissar of the Central Red Army advance team and the First Front Army of the Red Army. From April to December 1936, he served as member of the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission of the Chinese Soviet Republic. From December 1936 to July 1937, he served as member of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission of the Chinese Soviet People's Republic. In August 1937, he served as deputy commander and political commissioner of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army. From November 1937 to 1945, he successively served as commander and political commissar of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, member of the Northern Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and secretary of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Branch of the CPC Central Committee. During the War of Liberation, he successively served as commander and political commissar of Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, Secretary of Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Central Bureau of the Communist Party of China, Commander of North China Military Region, Third Secretary of North China Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Second Secretary of North China Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Commander of the Pingjin Guard, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, Mayor of Peiping City and director of the military control commission. Between October 1949 to June 1954, he was member of the People's Revolutionary Military Commission of the Central People's Government. Between June and September 1954, he served as Vice-Chairman of the People's Revolutionary Military Commission of the Central People's Government. In September 1954, he was elected member of the Standing Committee of the First National People's Congress. In July 1955, he was appointed member of the three-person team to lead the cause of nuclear energy by the CPC Central Committee. In September 1955, he was awarded the rank of Marshal of the People's Republic of China, the First-Class Medal of August 1, the First-Class Medal of Independence and Freedom, and the First-Class Medal of Liberation. Between April 1956 and October 1958, he served as the director of the Aviation Industry Committee of the State Council. From November 1956 to January 1975, he became vice-premier of the State Council. From October 1958 to July 1973, he also served as the director of the Scientific and Technological Commission for National Defense.

From November 1958 to 1967, he also served as the director of the National Science and Technology Commission. Between September 1959 to April 1969, he served as member of the Standing Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee. From August 1966 to April 1969, he served as member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. From April 1969 to February 1975, he served as Vice-Chairman of the Military Committee of the CPC Central Committee. From January 1975 on, he served asVice-Chairmen of the Standing Committee of the Fourth and Fifth National People's Congresses and Deputy Secretary of the Party Group of the Standing Committee of the Fourth and Fifth National People's Congresses. Between February 1975 and September 1982, he served as member of the Standing Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Military Committee of the CPC Central Committee. From August 1977 to September 1985, he served as member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

From September 1982 to November 1987, he served as Vice-Chairman of the Military Committee of the CPC Central Committee. In June 1983, he became Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Committee of the People's Republic of China. In November 1987, he resigned from his posts both inside and outside the Party. In July 1988, he was awarded the First-Class Red Star Medal of Merit of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. He died in Beijing on May 14, 1992 at the age of 93. His main works include Selected Military Works of Nie Rongzhen and Memoirs of Nie Rongzhen.