Zhang Guohua

In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhang.

Zhang Guohua (simplified Chinese: 张国华; traditional Chinese: 張國華; pinyin: Zhāng Guóhuá; Wade–Giles: Chang Kuo-hua; October 22, 1914－February 21, 1972) was a Chinese lieutenant general and a politician, serving during the invasion of Tibet and the Sino-Indian War and later as a Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary for the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Zhang Guohua
张国华
Zhang Guohua in 1955
Communist Party Secretary of Tibet
In office 24 January 1950 – February 1952
Preceded by	None (Post Created)
Succeeded by	Fan Ming
In office 1965–1967
Preceded by	Zhang Jingwu
Succeeded by	Ren Rong
Governor of Sichuan
In office 1968–1972
Preceded by	Li Dazhang
Succeeded by	Liu Xingyuan
Commander of Chengdu Military Region
In office 1952–1965
Personal details
Born	October 22, 1914 Yongxin County, Jiangxi, Republic of China
Died	February 21, 1972(1972-02-21) (aged 57) Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Political party	Chinese Communist Party
Military service
Allegiance	People's Republic of China
Branch/service	People's Liberation Army Ground Force
Years of service	1931–1972
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	Field commander during Sino-Indian War
Battles/wars	Long March, 2nd Sino-Japanese War, Chinese Civil War, Invasion of Tibet, Sino-Indian War

Biography

First Kuomintang-Communist Civil War

Zhang Guohua was born into a poor family in Guanshan Village, Huaizhong Town, Yongxin County, Jiangxi Province. In his early years, he attended private school for more than four years, but dropped out due to family poverty. In 1929, during the first civil war between the CCP and Kuomintang, Zhang Guohua, at the age of fifteen, joined the guerrilla force of the Northwest Special Zone of Yongxin under the leadership of the CCP, and was integrated into Wang Zuo's (Chinese: 王佐) department, where he served as the head of the bugle squad.^[1] During the anti-siege battles in the Central Soviet Area, Zhang was wounded many times and was awarded the Third Class Red Star Medal by the Central Military Commission. 1930, Zhang joined the Young Communist League and became a member of the Chinese Communist Party in 1931. In October 1934, Zhang Guohua took part in the Long March with the Red First Frontier Army (Chinese: 红一方面军), and in October 1935, he arrived in Shaanxi Province. ^[2]

In the spring of 1936, Zhang Guohua crossed the Yellow River with the Red Army to take part in the Eastern Campaign, creating the Hedong Guerrilla Detachment in southwestern Shanxi, with Zhang Guohua serving as the director of the political department.^[3]

Second Sino-Japanese War

In August 1938, Zhang Guohua accompanied the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army eastward across the Yellow River to carry out the guerrilla war in western Shanxi, and served as the president of the Warrior Drama Club of the Political Department of the 115th Division, the head of the Education Unit, and the director of the Political Office of the 115th Division's Direct Subsidiary Unit. ^[2]

In December 1938, Zhang Guohua with the troops into Shandong. In January 1939, the Japanese invasion of China into the Taihang Mountains after the local sweep, Zhang Guohua led two companies of troops directly under the composition of the Ruxi working group, in Yuncheng-Heze area established the Western Shandong Anti-Japanese Base, with the formation of the seventh anti-Japanese detachment where he served as political commissar.^[4] On August 2, Zhang Guohua led his troops in Yuncheng northeast of Liangshan ambush a brigade of Japanese 5th Division, eliminating more than 600 Japanese troops.^[5]

In April 1940, the Luxi Military District (Chinese: 鲁西军区) was established, and Zhang Guohua became the political commissar of the Yellow River Detachment. Later, the Yellow River Detachment was reorganized into the Fourth Brigade of Instruction of the 115th Division and the Huxi Military Region was established.^[6] Under the leadership of Zhang, the army and people of Huxi area worked together against the Japanese army's sweep. They won successively in battles such as the Da Mangzhuang Battle, the Neihuang Battle, the Da Ming Battle, and the Weinan Battle.^[7]

Second Kuomintang-Communist Civil War

In September 1945, Zhang Guohua was transferred to be the deputy political commissar and director of the political department of the first column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Henan field army In November 1945, Zhang became deputy political commissar of the 7th Column, and in November 1946, he led his troops into the Henan-Anhui-Jiangsu area, where he served as commander of the Henan-Anhui-Jiangsu military region and cooperated with Liu-Deng's army. ^[8]

In June 1948, the Henan-Anhui-Jiangsu Military Region was upgraded to a first-class military region, with Su Yu as the commander and Zhang Guohua as the deputy commander. Subsequently, Zhang Guohua led his troops to participate in the Huaihai campaign.^[9] In December 1948, Zhang Guohua was ordered to lead five regiments of the Henan-Anhui-Jiangsu military region into the line of Baojiaji and Gaowangji, assisting the Sixth Column of the East China Field Army and the Second Column of the Central Plains Field Army, and succeeded in blocking the two regiments of Li Yannian (6th Army) and Liu Ruming (8th Army) and Chiang Ching-kuo's Tank Chariot Regiment from assisting the Huang Wei Regiment (12th Army) to the west.^[10] On February 18, 1949, by order of the Central Military Commission, the 18th Army of the Fifth Corps of the Second Field Army of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) was formed, and Zhang Guohua was appointed as the commander of the Army. Since then, Zhang Guohua led the 18th Army to participate in the Yangtze River Crossing campaign and the Battle of Hengbao.^[11]

Tibet

Zhang Guohua about 1950

Leaders of the Tibet Work Committee visiting the Dalai Lama at Norbulingka Palace, Lhasa, November 1951. From left: Jigyab Khembo Ngawang Namgye, Li Jue, Wang Qimei, Zhang Guohua, the 14th Dalai Lama, Zhang Jingwu, Tan Guansan, Liu Zhengguo, and Phünwang.

On January 2, 1950, Mao Zedong, who was still visiting the Soviet Union,^[12] telephoned the CCP Southwest Bureau (Chinese: 中共中央西南局), requesting the formation of a leading organ for operating Tibet.^[13] The CCP Southwest Bureau then reported to the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party that the 18th Army would be the main body responsible for advancing into Tibet, and proposed the establishment of a Tibet Working Committee, with Zhang Guohua, Tan Guansan (Chinese: 谭冠三), Wang Qimei (Chinese: 王其梅), Chang Shuanggui (Chinese: 昌柄桂), Chen Mingyi (Chinese: 陈明义), Liu Zhenguo (Chinese: 刘振国), and Sanggyai Yexe as members, with Zhang Guohua as secretary, Tan Guansan as deputy secretary.^[14] This plan was approved by the Central Committee on January 24, 1950, and the first enlarged meeting of the Party Committee of the 18th Army was held in Leshan, Sichuan Province, from January 27 to 30, announcing the decision of the Central Committee and marking the formal establishment of the CCP Tibet Work Committee.^[15] On October 7, 1950, Zhang Guohua commanded the Battle of Chamdo, forcing the Kashag of Tibet to send its representatives to Beijing to conduct negotiations and reach the Seventeen Point Agreement.^[16] In October 1951, Zhang Guohua led his troops into Lhasa, Tibet. ^[17]

On March 7, 1952, the CCP Central Committee telegraphed to the Tibetan Workers' Committee, deciding that Zhang Jingwu became the secretary, Zhang Guohua the first deputy secretary, Tan Guansan the second deputy secretary, and Fan Ming the third deputy secretary.^[18][19] In 1955, Zhang Guohua was awarded the rank of Lieutenant General.^[20]

Sino-Indian War

On October 10, 1962 Zhang attended a meeting of military leaders outside Beijing. There, he endorsed the summary by Zhou Enlai that because India chose to occupy disputed territory with China, instead of peacefully resolving the border demarcation with it like Nepal, Burma, and Mongolia, that "Nehru has closed all roads. This leaves us only with war." As the Commander of the Tibet military region, Zhang was present for the formal decision to go to war with India in "self-defense" at the politburo meeting of October 18. Mao raised some issues with the plan, and suggested that they were underestimating the Indian Armed Forces,^[21] but Zhang reassured him.^[22][23]

Zhang was the People's Liberation Army Ground Force field commander during the Sino-Indian War. The entire Sino-Indian War was divided into two parts, the Eastern Front and the Western Front, of which the Western Front was the main battlefield, commanded by the Frontier Command Post of the Tibet Military Region, with Zhang Guohua, Commander of the Tibet Military Region, and Vice-Commanders Deng Shaodong (Chinese: 邓少东), Chen Mingyi, and Zhao Wenzhen (Chinese: 赵文进) as the main commanders.^[24] In October 1962, the PLA carried out the Battle of Kekjerang, which completely wiped out the 7th Indian Army Infantry Brigade.^[25] In November he led his troops in the launching of the Xishankou-Bangdila, which totally annihilated the 62nd Indian Infantry Brigade and the 4th Artillery Brigade, and basically wiped out the 48th Indian Infantry Brigade, 65th Indian Infantry Brigade and 67th Indian Infantry Brigade, and pushed the traditional customary line along the Sino-Indian border to seize a major victory in the strategic decisive battle.^[26][27]

Sichuan

In February 1967, at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, three divisions of Red Guards tried to oust Zhang Guohua from the Governorship in Lhasa. Using armor, he succeeded in repressing them, and negotiated with the central government to be moved to Sichuan to form a revolutionary committee.^[28] In April 1967, he transferred to Sichuan as First Political Commissar of the Chengdu Military Region, First Secretary of the Party Committee of the Chengdu Military Region, Director of the Sichuan Provincial Reform Committee, and Head of the Party Core Group of the Sichuan Provincial Reform Committee.^[29]

On February 21, 1972, Zhang Guohua died of a heart attack at the age of 57 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.^[30][31]

References

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2. 河南党史人物传. 党史人物资料丛书 (in Chinese). 河南人民出版社. 1987. p. 4. ISBN 978-7-215-00798-7. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
3. 中共党史人物研究会 (1980). 中共党史人物传. 中共党史人物传 (in Chinese). 陕西人民出版社. p. 325. ISBN 978-7-224-03407-3. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
4. Liao, G. (2001). 中国共产党历史大辞典: 新民主主义革命时期. 中国共产党历史大辞典 (in Chinese). 中共中央党校出版社. p. 547. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
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7. 山東省鄄城县史志编纂委员会 (1996). 鄄城县志. 中华人民共和国地方志丛书 (in Chinese). 齐鲁书社. p. 461. ISBN 978-7-5333-0549-9. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
8. 决战．中原西南解放战争：1945～1951. 解放战争系列丛书 (in Chinese). 上海人民出版社. 2017. p. RA4-PT196. ISBN 978-7-208-14621-1. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
9. 中国人民解放军历史资料丛书编审委员会 (1988). 淮海战役回忆史料. 中国人民解放军历史资料丛书 (in Chinese). 解放军出版社. p. 155. ISBN 978-7-5065-0815-5. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
10. 中国人民解放军历史资料丛书编审委员会 (1988). 淮海战役回忆史料. 中国人民解放军历史资料丛书 (in Chinese). 解放军出版社. p. 151. ISBN 978-7-5065-0815-5. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
11. 二野檔案: 第二野战军 (in Chinese). 国防大学出版社. 1998. p. 82. ISBN 978-7-5626-0835-6. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
12. 名人传记 (in Chinese). 黄河文艺出版社. 2009. p. 26. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
13. 解放战争史话. 中国史话.近代政治史系列 (in Chinese). Social Sciences Literature Press. 2012. p. 1-PA23. ISBN 978-7-5097-2786-7. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
14. 中国人民大学. 书报资料社; 中国人民大学. 书报资料中心 (2008). 中国現代史. 报刊资料選汇 (in Chinese). 中国人民大学书报资料社. p. 14. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
15. 中国共产党. 中央组织部; 中共中央党史硏究室; 中央档案馆 (2000). 中国共产党组织史资料: 过渡时期和社会主义建设时期, 1949.10-1966.5 (第5卷). 中国共产党组织史资料 (in Chinese). 中共党史出版社. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
16. Goldstein, Melvyn C. (2009). A History of Modern Tibet. Vol. II: The Calm Before the Storm: 1951-1955. University of California Press. pp. 292–299.
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18. 中共西藏自治区委员会. 党史研究室 (2006). 张经武与西藏解放事业 (in Chinese). 中央党史出版社. p. 79. ISBN 978-7-80199-514-8. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
19. 西藏自治区党史资料征集委员会 (1995). 中共西藏党史大事记, 1949-1994 (in Chinese). 西藏人民出版社. p. 39. ISBN 978-7-223-00798-6. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
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21. 毛泽东与共和国重大历史事件 (in Chinese). 人民出版社. 2001. p. 339. ISBN 978-7-01-003413-3. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
22. Johnston, Alastair I.; Ross, Robert S. (2006). New directions in the study of China's foreign policy. Stanford University Press. pp. 121–122, 116. ISBN 978-0-8047-5363-0.
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24. 中印边境自卫反击作战史编写组 (1994). 中印边境自卫反击作战史 (in Chinese). 军事科学出版社. p. 187. ISBN 978-7-80021-772-2. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
25. 超越对抗: 中美三次大冲突. 超越对抗: 中美三次大冲突 (in Chinese). 金城出版社. 1998. p. 851. ISBN 978-7-80084-194-1. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
26. 新中国第一代: 共和国首任政要纪实. 新中国第一代: 共和国首任政要纪实 (in Chinese). 湖南人民出版社. 2000. p. 1157. ISBN 978-7-5438-2302-0. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
27. 中印边境自卫反击作战史编写组 (1994). 中印边境自卫反击作战史 (in Chinese). 军事科学出版社. p. 278. ISBN 978-7-80021-772-2. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
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Party political offices
Preceded by Liao Zhigao	Secretary of the CCP Sichuan Provincial Committee 1971–1972	Succeeded by Liu Xingyuan
Preceded by none	Secretary of the CCP Tibet Committee 1950–1952	Succeeded by Fan Ming
Preceded by Zhang Jingwu	Secretary of the CCP Tibet Committee 1965–1967	Succeeded by Ren Rong
Government offices
Preceded by Li Dazhang	Governor of Sichuan 1968–1972	Succeeded by Liu Xingyuan