Liu Bocheng
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Liu Bocheng (刘伯承, Wade-Giles: Liu Po-ch'eng; December 4, 1892 - October 7, 1986) was a Chinese Communist military commander.
Liu, nicknamed The One-eyed Dragon, was born in Kaixian, Sichuan, and began his career as a mercenary in the warlord armies of his native province. He supported the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 and lost an eye fighting against Yuan Shikai's forces in 1916. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1926. As head of the general staff corps under the CPC Frontline Committee, he was one of the leaders of the Nanchang Uprising on August 1, 1927. Towards the end of that year, he went to study in the Soviet Union and returned to China in 1930. During the Long March, Liu was Red Army Chief of Staff and supported Mao Zedong's position against the 28 Bolsheviks. He often openly disputed the advice and direction given by Otto Braun, a German Comintern agent sent by Moscow to direct the Chinese Red Army. During the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) he commanded the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army Soviet Base Area in Northeast China. In 1947, Liu spearheaded the Communist counter-offensive out of Shanxi Province and he and Chen Yi executed the devastating encirclement in the Huai-Hai offensive of 1948-49. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he held numerous posts in the government. He was made a marshal in 1955.
Reference
- US Naval War College (http://www.nwc.navy.mil/chinesecs/)de:Liu Bocheng