Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai (1898–1976) was a leading communist in China who served as premier from 1949 until his death. He also served as China's foreign minister from 1949 to 1958. He was noted for his charm. Many admirers imagined that Zhou had a moderating influence on party politics. However, historians who have examined the archival record say that Zhou rarely if ever challenged Mao Zedong at internal meetings.
| Zhou Enlai | |||||||||
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| Chinese | 周恩来 | ||||||||
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Zhou was portrayed as a selfless hero to the Chinese people. During the Cultural Revolution, Zhou used his influence to try to shield innocents from the increasingly violent Red Guard. He was unable to protect director Sun Weishi, his adopted daughter, who was imprisoned and killed by Red Guards on the orders of Jiang Qing in 1968. He began to end China's isolation from the world when he invited an American table tennis team to tour China in 1971.
Zhou's subservience did not save him in the end. Mao refused to allow Zhou to received treatment for cancer, thus ensuring that Zhou died before Mao. Zhou died in January 1976, Mao in October.
Further reading
- Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 66, Edited by William Burr, September 1970-July 1971; includes private conversations between Henry Kissinger and Zhou Enlai and other important memoranda.