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He Long

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He Long was a famous leader in China.

He was born in 1896 in Hunan. His family was quite poor. He was part of the Tujia ethnic group. He worked as a cowherd when he was a boy. Because his family had little money, he did not go to school. This means he did not have a formal education. He became an outlaw when he was 20 years old. People sometimes called him a "Robin Hood" figure. He even used a butcher knife as his main weapon.

He Long joined many different groups over time. First, he joined the National Revolutionary Army. In 1925, he even ran a school for soldiers.

He Long1
He Long1

Later, he joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1926. He and Zhu De led the Nanchang Uprising in 1927. This was a big fight to take control of a city. The fight was very hard for his men. Many soldiers did not survive the battle. After this, He Long had to move to many different places to stay safe. He eventually built new bases in rural areas.

He Long was part of the Long March in 1935.

He Long in NRA uniform
He Long in NRA uniform

This was a very long journey for the Communist forces. During the march, he met other leaders. He disagreed with a leader named Zhang Guotao. He decided to join the forces led by Mao Zedong instead. He moved his troops to Shaanxi in 1936. There, he helped protect the new headquarters in Yan'an. He led the 120th Division during the war with Japan. He was very good at growing his influence in Northwest China.

By the end of World War II, He Long was very powerful.

Deng Xiaoping, He Long and Zhu De
Deng Xiaoping, He Long and Zhu De

He commanded about 175,000 troops. After the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949, he held many jobs. He worked in both the military and for the government. In 1955, he was named one of the Ten Marshals. This was a very high honor for a military leader. He also served as a Vice Premier. He even helped lead sports groups in China. He traveled to many other countries to meet world leaders.

Later in his life, He Long faced very difficult times.

Nie Rongzhen, He Long, Luo Ronghuan on Tian'anmen
Nie Rongzhen, He Long, Luo Ronghuan on Tian'anmen

During the Cultural Revolution in 1966, he was treated unfairly. Leaders called him a "rightist." He was put under house arrest for over two years. This meant he was not allowed to leave his home. His health became very poor during this time. He had diabetes and did not get the medicine he needed. He died in 1969. Many years later, other leaders helped fix his reputation. A stadium in Changsha is named after him today.

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🖼️ Images & Media (10)
File:Republic of China Army Flag.svg
Republic of China Army Flag.svg
File:Flag of the Chinese Communist Party (Pre-1996).svg
Flag of the Chinese Communist Party (Pre-1996).svg
File:Order of Bayi 1st Class.svg
Order of Bayi 1st Class.svg
File:Order of Independence and Freedom 1st Class.svg
Order of Independence and Freedom 1st Class.svg
File:Order of Liberation 1st Class.svg
Order of Liberation 1st Class.svg
File:He Long in traditional Tujia attire.jpg
He Long in traditional Tujia attire.jpg
File:He Long1.jpg
He Long1.jpg
File:He Long in NRA uniform.jpg
He Long in NRA uniform.jpg
File:Deng Xiaoping, He Long and Zhu De.jpg
Deng Xiaoping, He Long and Zhu De.jpg
File:Nie Rongzhen, He Long, Luo Ronghuan on Tian'anmen.jpg
Nie Rongzhen, He Long, Luo Ronghuan on...
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