Xiang Shouzhi
Xiang Shouzhi | |
---|---|
向守志 | |
PLA Rocket Force University of Engineering | |
In office 1960–1965 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Xiang Shouzhi (向守芝) November 28, 1917 China |
Died | September 2, 2017 Nanjing, Jiangsu, China | (aged 99)
Political party | Chinese Communist Party |
Spouse |
Zhang Ling (m. 1945) |
Children | 4 |
Order of Bayi (Third Class; 1955) (Second Class Medal; 1963)Order of Liberation (Second Class Medal; 1955) Order of Independence and Freedom Order of the Red Star (First Class Medal; 1988) | |
Xiang Shouzhi (
Xiang began to take part in the revolution at the age of 15, and successively participated in the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chinese Civil War and Korean War. He was eventually purged during the Cultural Revolution but later reinstated. He is hailed as founding father of the Chinese ballistic missile forces. Later in his life, he served as commander of the Nanjing Military Region until his retirement in 1990.[4]
Biography
Xiang was born Xiang Shouzhi (向守芝) in Xuanhan County, Sichuan,[5] with his ancestral home in Macheng, Hubei.
In 1933 he joined the Young Pioneers in the Shuanghechang area and served as its captain. In 1934 he enlisted in the
After the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, he assumed various posts in the 129th Infantry Division, including company commander, battalion commander, and regimental commander. He was present at the Battle of Linnan in 1943 and the Battle of Taihang Mountains.
During the Chinese Civil War, he was deputy division leader of the First Squad of the Taihang Military Region. He took part in the Battle of Handan. Then he participated in many campaigns, such as the Battle of North Henan, Battle of East Henan, Battle of Zhengzhou, Crossing River Campaigns, and Southwest Campaign.
In the winter of 1951, he was chief of staff of the Fifteenth Army and participated in the fifth campaign of the Korean War to counter the fall of tactical combat; he suffered head injuries. After the war in 1955 he was awarded the military rank of major general (shao jiang) by Mao Zedong.
In 1958 he was accepted to the
He returned to work in 1972 and then was appointed commander and CCP first secretary of the
Work
- Xiang Shouzhi (2006-05-01). 向守志回忆录 [Memoirs of Xiang Shouzhi] (in Chinese). Beijing: Chinese People's Liberation Army Publishing House. ISBN 9787506551328.
Personal life
Xiang married Zhang Ling (张玲, born in 1919 in Kaifeng, Henan) in Pingdong County of Shandong Province on May 25, 1945. They had four children.[6]
Military awards
- Order of Bayi(Third Class; 1955)
- Order of Liberation (Second Class Medal; 1955)
- Order of Independence and Freedom (Second Class Medal; 1963)
- Order of the Red Star (First Class Medal; 1988)
References
- ^ "Annual Meeting of the Seminar of China's history on world war two held in Shangyu". Shaoxing China. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
- ^ "Chinese find different ways to celebrate 60th National Day". sina. 2009-09-28.
- ^ Zhang De; Chen Songhe (2007). 共和国老将军的情怀——访南京军区原司令员向守志上将. people.com.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2019-02-02. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
- ^ 开国将军向守志迎百岁华诞 张阳上将发贺电. Sohu (in Chinese). 2016-11-29.
- ^ 痛批徐才厚的百岁上将有多硬气?曾遭林彪撤职. Sohu (in Chinese). 2016-11-30.
- ^ a b c 向守志:中國戰略導彈部隊第一任司令員. Xinhua News (in Chinese).