Fu Zuoyi 傅作义 | |
|---|---|
 General Fu Zuoyi | |
| Born | June 27, 1895 |
| Died | April 19, 1974(1974-04-19) (aged 78) |
| Allegiance |  Republic of China People's Republic of China |
| Service years | 1911–1949 |
| Rank |  General |
| Unit |  National Revolutionary Army |
| Commands | 59th corps, 12th war zone, North China Pacification Command |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards | Order of Blue Sky and White Sun Order of National Glory Order of Liberation |
| Other work | Politician |
Fu Zuoyi (simplified Chinese:傅作义;traditional Chinese:傅作義;pinyin:Fù Zuòyì;Wade–Giles:Fu Tso-i) (June 2, 1895 − April 19, 1974) was aChinese military leader. He began his military career in the service ofYan Xishan, and he was widely praised for hisdefense ofSuiyuan from the Japanese. During the final stages of theChinese Civil War, Fu surrendered the large and strategic garrison aroundBeiping to Communist forces. He later served in the government of thePeople's Republic of China as Minister of the Hydraulic Ministry.
Fu began his career as an officer inYan Xishan'sShanxi army. He served with distinction during the 1927–1928Northern Expedition, after Yan declared his allegiance to theKuomintang. Fu fought for Yan in the 1929–1930Central Plains War, when Yan attempted to form a central government with himself as president. Yan's forces were easily routed by the forces ofChiang Kai-shek, and Yan was forced to live for a short period in exile.
After Yan returned to Shanxi in 1931, Fu led Yan Xishan's efforts to "colonize" and take control over theInner Mongolian province ofSuiyuan. Most of the work and settlement of Suiyuan at this time was done by Shanxi farmer-soldiers under Fu's direction. The activities of Fu's farmer-soldiers included mining Suiyuan's iron deposits (24% of all in China) and bringing over 4,000 acres (16 km2) of farmland under cultivation for the first time.[1] Fu cultivated a close relationship withZhang Xueliang in order to increase the legitimacy of Yan's control over Suiyuan.[citation needed]
In March 1936,Manchukuo troops occupyingChahar invaded northeastern Suiyuan, contesting Fu's control. These Japanese-aligned troops seized the city ofBailingmiao in northern Suiyuan, where the pro-JapaneseInner Mongolian Autonomous Political Council maintained its headquarters. Three months later, the head of the Political Council,Demchugdongrub declared that he was the ruler of an independent Mongolia (Mengguguo), and organized an army with the aid of Japanese equipment and training. In August 1936 Demchugdongrub's army attempted to invade eastern Suiyuan, but it was defeated by Yan's forces under the command of Fu Zuoyi. Following this defeat, Demchugdongrub planned another invasion while Japanese agents carefully sketched and photographed Suiyuan's defenses.[2]
In November 1936 the army of Demchugdongrub presented Fu Zuoyi with an ultimatum to surrender. When Fu responded that Demchugdongrub was merely a puppet of "certain quarters" and requested that Demchugdongrub submit to the authority of the central government, Demchugdongrub's armies launched another, more ambitious attack. Demchugdongrub's 15,000 soldiers were armed with Japanese weapons, supported by Japanese aircraft, and often led by Japanese officers. (Japanese soldiers fighting for Mengguguo were often executed by Fu after their capture as illegal combatants, since Mengguguo was not recognized as being part of Japan).[3]
In anticipation of theSecond Sino-Japanese War, Japanese spies destroyed a large supply depot inDatong and carried out other acts of sabotage. In order to defend Suiyuan, Yan placed his best troops and most able generals, includingZhao Chengshou and Yan's son-in-law,Wang Jingguo, under Fu's command. During the month of fighting that ensued, the army of Mengguguo suffered severe casualties. Fu's forces succeeded in occupying Bailingmiao on November 24, 1936, and was considering invading Chahar before he was warned by theKwantung Army that doing so would provoke an attack by the Japanese Army. Demchugdongrub's forces repeatedly attempted to retake Bailingmiao, but this only provoked Fu into sending troops north, where he successfully seized the last of Demchugdongrub's bases in Suiyuan and virtually annihilated his army. After Japanese were found to be aiding Demchugdongrub, Yan publicly accused Japan of aiding the invaders. Fu's victories in Suiyuan over Japanese-backed forces were praised by Chinese newspapers and magazines, other warlords and political leaders, and many students and members of the Chinese public. Fu's victories in Suiyuan greatly increased his prestige, and the prestige of Yan Xishan.[4]
During theSecond Sino-Japanese War, Fu held numerous commands in North China. As Commander of 7th Army Group he fought inOperation Chahar, theBattle of Taiyuan and the1939–1940 Winter Offensive, in which he was responsible for winning theBattle of Wuyuan. Fu ended the war as Commander of the 12th War Area, comprisingRehe, Chahar, and Suiyuan.
During theChinese Civil War, Fu's forces (500,000 men) controlled the critically important Suiyuan-Beiping Corridor that separated Manchuria fromChina proper. After the Communists captured the Manchurian provinces in late 1948, Communists infiltrated Fu's inner circle and pressured Fu to negotiate a peaceful solution for the inevitable Communist take over. At the same time, Fu became increasingly disillusioned with Chiang. Fu's personal estrangement from Chiang reaching a climax in October 1948, when Chiang suddenly withdrew from a critical meeting on the defense of territory under Fu's command without giving any immediate explanation. Sometime earlier Chiang's son,Chiang Ching-kuo, had arrested and refused to release his cousin,Kung Ling-kan, as part of a broader effort to punish economic and financial criminals. Realizing that her nephew could be executed for his crimes, and that Chiang Ching-kuo was highly likely to execute Kong to set an example,Soong Mei-ling begged her husbandChiang Kai-shek to fly immediately to Shanghai to rescue Kung. Chiang left in the middle of the most important stage of defensive planning, a great blow to Nationalist morale and left an impression on Fu and many other Nationalist commanders. Fu remarked that this proved Chiang "loved the beauty more than the throne," that is, he had placed the welfare of his family above the welfare of the nation.[5]
Communist agents active within Fu's inner circle included Fu's own daughter,Fu Dongju, and Fu's most trusted personal secretary, Major GeneralYan Youwen [zh] (閻又文), who was from the same hometown as Fu (Ronghe, inYuncheng). Fu Dongju, Yan Youwen, and other agents pressured Fu to surrender and repeatedly passed vital intelligence to the Communists. Fu began secret negotiations withLin Biao, in which he arranged the surrender of theBeiping garrison, totaling a quarter of a million men, on January 31, 1949. Yan Youwen acted as Fu's representative during Fu's communication with Lin, but Fu did not know the true allegiance of Yan until after the establishment of thePeople's Republic of China.[citation needed]
Fu’s contributions to theChinese Communist Party's success were rewarded with high posts, including the Minister of Hydraulics, which he kept until 1972, as well as posts in theChinese People's Political Consultative Conference. During theCultural Revolution (1966–1975) Fu was part of a list of people drafted byZhou Enlai and approved by Mao to be protected and was moved toJingxi Hotel for safeguarding. Fu's daughter, Fu Dongju was not impacted by the upheaval either.[6]
Media related toFu Zuoyi at Wikimedia Commons| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by none | Minister of Water Resources 1949–1958 | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
| People | |
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