Tao Zhiyue (Chinese:陶峙岳;pinyin:Táo Zhìyuè;Wade–Giles:T'ao Chih-yüeh; 1892 – 26 December 1988) was a Chinese military officer and politician, lieutenant general of theNational Revolutionary Army of theRepublic of China, and a full general of thePeople's Liberation Army of thePeople's Republic of China.[1]
Born to a wealthy land-owning family, he graduated from theBaoding Military Academy, rose to high military positions in theNationalist Government ofChiang Kai-shek and was closely associated withZhang Zhizhong. In 1949, he defected to theChinese Communist Party, playing a key role in theincorporation of Xinjiang into the People's Republic of China and then went on to hold high office underMao Zedong, most notably serving as the first commander of theXinjiang Production and Construction Corps from 1954 to 1968.
Tao was born inXianfeng Township,Ningxiang County,Hunan in 1892,[2] to a wealthy land-owning family and received a classicalConfucian education.[1]
He entered theQing Army Preparatory School in 1907. After graduating in 1911, he went toWuhan and participated in theWuchang Uprising. He joined theTongmenghui in 1912, and then studied at theBaoding Military Academy. After graduating as aninfantry officer in the autumn of 1916, he returned toChangsha and served as the staff officer at the Provincial Governor's Office ofHunan.[citation needed]
In 1926, he joined theKuomintang, subsequently participating in theNorthern Expedition, and was named commander of the 3rd Brigade of the Independent 2nd Division of theNational Revolutionary Army. In April 1927, he was appointed commander of the Nanjing Garrison, and later fought in the victoriousCentral Plains War. In July 1931, Tao Zhiyue participated in thethird encirclement campaign against the Jiangxi Soviet.[citation needed]
During theSecond Sino–Japanese War, Tao held many important commands, including over the elite 1st Army. In August 1942, he served as the commander of the 37th Army, and in 1943 he was transferred to command theHexi Corridor Garrison.[citation needed]
During theChinese Civil War, Tao Zhiyue became military governor ofXinjiang, serving underZhang Zhizhong, who was the overall military-political official in charge of theNorthwest. In the summer of 1946, Tao assisted Zhang Zhizhong in releasing a large number ofChinese Communist Party members detained in Xinjiang prisons, and personally sent people to escort them toYan'an. On September 25, 1949, he defected to the Communists, recognizing the authority ofMao Zedong and inviting thePeople's Liberation Army (who had reached theYumen Pass) to take control of Xinjiang.[1] More than 70,000 Nationalist soldiers in Xinjiang joined Tao in switching allegiance to the Communists, and PLA forces enteredÜrümqi with no resistance on October 17.[citation needed]
From 1949 to 1954, Tao served as deputy commander of the Xinjiang Military Region (underWang Zhen), member of theNorthwest China Military and Political Committee, and commander of the 22nd Corps of the PLA, largely made up of former Nationalist officers and soldiers. He was active in crushing local resistance to the new Communist rule byUyghurs andKazakhs.[citation needed]
In 1954, he became the first commander of theXinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a position he held until 1968. During theCultural Revolution he was criticized byRed Guard groups, but generally managed to avoid harm.[citation needed]
In 1979, he served as the deputy director of the Standing Committee of theHunan Provincial People's Congress, and from 1983 to 1988 he was Vice Chairman of National Committee of theChinese People's Political Consultative Conference.[citation needed]
He died inChangsha on December 26, 1988, at the age of 96.[citation needed]
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