Peng Dehuai

Peng Dehuai or P'eng Teh-huai (both: pŭngˈ dŭˈhwĪˈ) [key], 1898–1974, Communist Chinese general and political leader. He held various command positions in the Red Army, and in 1934–35 he joined with Mao Zedong and Zhu De in the long march. He became well known as the originator, with Mao, of the tactics of guerrilla warfare. In the Korean War Peng commanded the Chinese Communist troops. He was minister of defense from 1954 to 1959, when, after criticizing the Great Leap Forward, he was replaced by Lin Biao. He served (1959–65) as vice premier. Peng's rivalry with Mao made him an early target of the cultural revolution, and in 1967 he disappeared from public view after being arrested and losing his governmental posts.

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