Chou En-Lai Biography

Birth of Chou En-Lai

Appointed Editor of the "Tianjin Student" which sells 20,000 copies every 3rd day

Organizes Students Union "to struggle against the warlords & against imperialism"

Leads a student protest against the Versailles Peace Conference

Arrives in Nankai University to organize student rebellion against western imperialism

En-Lai organizes a demonstration in Beijing

The magazine "Tianjin Student" is closed down by the police

The magazine "Tianjin Student" is closed down by the police

Founds the "hard core" Awareness Society due to "demonstration fatigue"

Appointed Head of the Poltical Department at the Whampoa Military Academy

Divides the 28,000 communist soldiers into 2 army corps, they only have 9,000 rifles

Appointed Head of the Military Affairs Commission

Helps found the Peoples Liberation Army

Calls off the strike in Shanghai

Proclaims a "provisional peoples Government" of Shanghai. Leads a rebellion in Shanghai

Proclaims a "provisional peoples Government" of Shanghai. Leads a rebellion in Shanghai

Chou En-Lai & the workers refuse to be placed under Chiang Kai-sheks control. Chiang Kaishek asks the Shanghai Government to be placed under his control

Holds a meeting of the Workers Committee & refuses to surrender to Chiang Kai-shek

Holds a meeting of the Workers Committee & refuses to surrender to Chiang Kai-shek

Chiang Kai-sheks & warlord armies enter Shanghai & begin shooting rebellious workers

Chiang Kai-sheks & warlord armies enter Shanghai & begin shooting rebellious workers

Arrested by the forces under Chiang Kai-Shek in Shanghai

Drafts a telegram to the Politburo in Wuhan to denounce Chian Kai-shek after his death

Drafts a telegram to the Politburo in Wuhan to denounce Chian Kai-shek after his death

Escapes from his captors

Formulates a plan to capture of Nanchang which is accepted by the Politburo

Appointed Member of Politburo

Nanchang is captured by Chou En-Lai. Forms a committee of the Revolutionary Guomindang Party after capturing Nanchang

Forms a committee of the Revolutionary Guomindang Party after capturing Nanchang

Forms a committee of the Revolutionary Guomindang Party after capturing Nanchang

Forms a committee of the Revolutionary Guomindang Party after capturing Nanchang

Forms a committee of the Revolutionary Guomindang Party after capturing Nanchang

The Guomindang Government recapture Nanchang & Chou En-Lai moves South toward Shantou

Leads Communist forces which capture the port of Shantou

Attends the 6th Party Congress in Moscow

Founds the Te Ke, "special department", to control the Communist Party

Claims the Chinese Revolution will go through many stages & introduces gradualism

The "Internationalists" forbid any comprimise with Kai-Shek. Seeks an armistice after the Japanese invasion

Appointed Head of the Military Dept

Appointed Party Secretary of the Communist Party

Expelled for backing Mao in the Long March by the rival faction led by Zhang Guotao

Proclaims a Communist offensive against the Japanese. Makes a peace offer to create national unity

Reinstated into the Communist Party after Zhang Guotao is defeated & joins Mao

Founds the Xinhua or the New China News Agency

Chang Hsueh-Liang signs a secret non-aggression pact with Chou En-Lai

Reaches Xian where Chiang Kaiseks forces are defeated

Organizes a demonstration of 15,000 students in Xian demanding to fight Japan

Chiang Kaishek is captured in Xian & detained in the HQ of General Yang

Appointed CP Liaison Officer

Promises Chiang Kaishek will join a Government of national defense against Japan

Issues "Directive no 1" to march the PLA into former Japanese territory

Appointed Foreign Minister

Appointed Prime Minister of the Peoples Republic of China

Chou En-Lai says China will not countenance an imperialist invasion of north Korea

The US Senate rejects China PR membership to UN

Present at the Geneva Conference which partitions Vietnam

Attends the conference of Afro-Asian states at Bandung

Negotiates peace with the USA, the Quemoy & Matsu islands remain Nationalist

Negotiates peace with the USA, the Quemoy & Matsu islands remain Nationalist

Negotiates peace with the USA, the Quemoy & Matsu islands remain Nationalist

Negotiates peace with the USA, the Quemoy & Matsu islands remain Nationalist

Says Asia will never forget the 1st atom bomb dropped by the USA. Resolutions passed include arms reduction & abolition of nuclear weapons

Demands that the Friendship Highway be used to supply Vietcong bases. Demands Kampuchea let Vietcong supplies land in Sihanoukville

Says China will not be invaded by Russia which is "saber rattling"

Presides over a trial which finds Shaoqi guilty & expels him from the Party

The World Congress of Communist Parties rejects a proposal to expel China

Reintroduces the Peoples Political Consultative Conference for a common united front. Allows 8 small non-communist parties to be re-instated to keep a "united front"

Informed Washington will open talks with China & support its admittance to the UN. The USA begins to relax its embargo of China

Appointed Foreign Minister

Allows 8 small non-communist parties to be re-instated to keep a "united front"

Assumes total control of the Foreign Affairs Ministry

Reccomends circulating military commands to prevent local power bases

Reccomends circulating military commands to prevent local power bases

Romania & Yugoslavia are Chinas biggest supporters at the World Communist Congress

A world congess of Communist parties rejects a proposal from Russia to expel China

A world congess of Communist parties rejects a proposal from Russia to expel China

Attends Ho Chi Minhs funeral & assures Van Dong China will provide weapons

Reassures Van Dong China will continue to provide weapons. Attends Ho Chi Minhs funeral

Informed Washington will open talks with China & support its admittance to the UN

Informed Washington will open talks with China & support its admittance to the UN

"he was my fiend, my teacher...I knew him since 1922 when we were together in Paris"

En-Lai & Kosygin meet at Beijing airport to agree to discussions on border disputes

Talks begin between Russia & China at Beijing to resolve border disputes

Richard Nixon announces his intention to visit China. Chous policy of reconcilliation with the USA is rewarded

A rapproachment with the USA is concluded in the Shanghai Communique

Welcomes President Nixon to Peking

Chou En-Lai, at the fourth Congress, outlines a program of Four Modernizations (agriculture, industry, army, science)

Chou En-Lai, at the fourth Congress, outlines a program of Four Modernizations (agriculture, industry, army, science)

Chou En-Lai, at the fourth Congress, outlines a program of Four Modernizations (agriculture, industry, army, science)

Delivers his last speech at the 4th National Peoples Congress

Speaks of his "Grand Design" to modernize China

Tells Sihanouk, China must build up a "neutral, independent Kampuchea"

Visited by Sihanouk, Chou asserts China must build a "neutral, independent Kampuchea"

Visited by Sihanouk, Chou asserts China must build a "neutral, independent Kampuchea"

Visited by Sihanouk, Chou asserts China must build a "neutral, independent Kampuchea". Tells Sihanouk, China must build up a "neutral, independent Kampuchea"

Visited by Sihanouk, Chou asserts China must build a "neutral, independent Kampuchea"

Forbidden to lay wreaths on the Martyrs Memorial in honour of Chou, causes disorder

Death of En-Lai, age 78