Lin Biao

Lin Biao (Birth name: Lin Yurong: Chinese: 林育蓉) (Chinese: 林彪; December 5, 1907 – September 13, 1971) was a Chinese communist military leader. Lin was a general in the First Chinese Civil War (1927-1936),the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945),World War 2 (1939-1945) the Second Chinese Civil War (1945-1949),the Korean War (1950-1953),and the Cultural Revolution (1966) . He was general of the People's Liberation Army from 1927-1971 .

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Lin.

Marshal Lin Biao
林彪
Lin Biao in c.1953-1971 (possibly)
2nd First-ranked Vice-Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
In office August 1, 1966 – September 13, 1971
Chairman	Mao Zedong
Preceded by	Liu Shaoqi
Succeeded by	Zhou Enlai
Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
In office May 25, 1958 – September 13, 1971
Chairman	Mao Zedong
2nd First Vice-Premier of the People's Republic of China
In office December 21, 1964 – September 13, 1971
Premier	Zhou Enlai
Preceded by	Chen Yun
Succeeded by	Deng Xiaoping
Personal details
Born	(1907-12-05)December 5, 1907 Huanggang, Hubei, Qing Empire
Died	September 13, 1971(1971-09-13) (aged 63) Öndörkhaan, Mongolia
Political party	Communist Party of China
Spouse(s)	Zhang Mei (1937–42) Ye Qun (1942–71)
Children	Lin Xiaolin (daughter) Lin Liguo (son) Lin Liheng (daughter)
Alma mater	Whampoa Military Academy
Awards	Order of Bayi (First Class Medal) Order of Independence and Freedom (First Class Medal) Order of Liberation (First Class Medal)
Military service
Branch/service	People's Liberation Army
Years of service	1925–1971
Rank	Marshal of the People's Republic of China
Commands	1st Corps 1st Red Army Corps, Chinese Red Army 115 Division, 8th Route Army People's Liberation Army

Lin Biao
"Lin Biao" in regular Chinese characters
Chinese	林彪
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lín Biāo Wade–Giles Lin2 Piao1 IPA [lǐn pjáu] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Làhm Bīu Jyutping Lam4 Biu1 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Lîm Piu

After the war, Lin was key in creating Mao Zedong's personality cult. He wrote the introduction to The Little Red Book. Lin was rewarded for his service to Mao by being named Mao's successor in the Ninth Party Congress, 1966. This he remained until his death in 1971 and was considered a traitor just like Ernst Röhm during Night of the Long Knives (1934) in Nazi Germany as well as Genrikh Yagoda,Nikolai Yezhov in 1938 and 1940 and Lavrenty Beria in 1953 in the Soviet Union before and after Stalin’s death .

Lin died in September 1971 when his aeroplane crashed in Mongolia. He was attempting to flee China with his son after what appeared to be a failed military coup. After Lin Biao's death, he was branded a traitor by the Communist Party of China. He, along with Jiang Qing (Mao's forth wife) and the Shanghai Radicals are still officially blamed for the excesses of the Cultural Revolution (1966).

References

• Lin's introduction to the Little Red Book
• The Encyclopaedia Britannica's article on the man