Thread by @CarlZha

16yr old Deng Xiaoping (right) with his 19yr old uncle Dèng Shàoshèng鄧紹聖(left) in Paris 1921. They became Communists in France and went to Soviet Union in 1926. Uncle Deng stayed in USSR and died in the Great Patriotic War.

21 yr old Deng Xiaoping became friend with Chiang Kai-Shek’s 16 yr old son Chiang Ching-Kuo in Moscow. Soon Deng was ordered to accompany “Christian General” Feng Yuxiang back to China in late 1926

Chinese Warlord Feng Yuxiang converted to Christianity in 1914. He reputed baptized his soldiers with fire hose. He ordered destruction of Buddhist temples and statues throughout North China, even famous 1500 yr old Daxiangguo Temple 大相國寺 in Kaifeng.

Warlord Feng Yuxiang was born under Qing Empire into a poor Chinese family. Both parents were Opium addicts. His only option was joining the army which he did at age 11 in 1892 just before 1st Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) Family friend made up name Feng Yuxiang on Army registry

Feng adopted his made up Army name Yuxiang and quickly rose thru ranks. He took part in 1911 Chinese Revolution to overthrow Qing Imperial government and made himself a major Warlord of North China

China in July, 1927. Feng Yuxiang controlled the Northwest. Chiang Kai-Shek/KMT controlled Southeast (Orange). Manchurian Warlord Zhang Zuolin controlled NE(Dark brown) Yan Xishan controlled Shanxi in the middle (light Brown)

Feng Yuxiang was in trouble by 1925. Initially took bribe of Manchurian Warlord Zhang Zuolin to switch side then he invited Sun Yat-sen to come to Beijing from Canton to form new government. He was outmaneuver by rivals and had to seek help from Soviet Union

Soviet Union was happy to help! USSR was already bankrolling Sun Yat-sen’s KMT Canton government in coalition with Chinese Communist in Northern Expedition to unite China

Feng Yuxiang met with Soviet representatives in Mongolia, then made trip to Moscow. Soviet provided him 10 planes, 60 artillery, 58,000 shells, 8 armored cars, 227 machine guns, 35,000 rifles, 5.1 million bullets. Feng declared joining KMT Revolutionary government.

21 yr old Deng Xiaoping, who was already in Moscow in 1926, was ordered to escort Warlord Feng Yuxiang back to China to assist the Northern expedition to unite China under KMT. Below is 16 yr Deng Xiaoping in Paris, 1921

Deng Xiaoping said goodbye to his uncle (pic 1), his friend Chiang Ching-Kuo (pic 2) who was then married to Feng Yuxiang’s daughter (pic 3 2nd right backrow) in Moscow; and return to China with Feng Yuxiang. Deng Xiaoping will never see any of them again...

With massive Soviet funding and arms, Northern Expedition was initially a great success. KMT forces quickly marched out of Canton and took over Yangtze River Valley.

Under pressure from Soviet backed Northern Expedition, Manchurian Warlord Zhang Zuolin who controlled Beijing ordered arrest and execution of the founder of Chinese Communist Party, mentor of Mao, Li Dazhao

Ahead of Northern Expedition forces, Zhou En-Lai launched a success armed uprising in Shanghai to expel Warlord forces. Union workers occupied Shanghai except Internal Settlement prior to KMT forces arrival. This greatly alarmed right wing elements of KMT and Western Powers

Nanjing incident 1927 further alarmed Western Powers when KMT forces with large Communist elements took over Nanjing from Warlords, they started to attack foreign interests in the city. British and US send gunboats to Nanjing to bombard KMT forces. American destroyer USS Noa

Anti-foreign Nanjing incident by KMT forces in 1927 was dramatized by 1966 American Movie The Sand Pebbles which used 1927 China as parable for Vietnam. Amazingly it was filmed in Taiwan under Chiang Kai-Shek! You gotta love all the Orientalism in the movie poster!

KMT left wing government secretly plan to arrest Chiang Kai-shek, but Chiang struck 1st by purging Communists in Shanghai massacre of 1927. He worked with Shanghai Gangs to round up suspected Communists and Union members for execution...

Soon other KMT factions followed suit in purging Communists. Feng Yuxiang (left) choose to side with Chiang Kai-Shek (right). Instead of killing them, Feng ordered Communists on his staff including Deng Xiaoping to leave...

Ironically temporary Feng Yuxiang (right) Chiang Kai-shek (left) Alliance broke up the marriage of their children in USSR. Chiang Ching-Kuo denounced his father in Moscow while Feng Funeng refused to condemn her dad and returned to China...

Alliance between Chiang Kai-shek(Center), Feng Yuxiang(left) and Yan Xishan(right) didn’t last. Because Chiang wants to centralize power and make other Warlords reduce size of their armies, Feng and Yan formed anti-Chiang alliance. Result is Central Plain War with 1.3 million men

Meanwhile Deng Xiaoping was sent to Baise, Guangxi province near Vietnamese to organize armed uprising. But his role was exaggerated and distorted in his biography by his daughter Deng Rong “Deng Xiaoping: My Father”

In official Chinese Propaganda post Deng retirement, Deng Xiaoping was depicted as central figure leading Baise Uprising, even with heroic oil paintings and Movie/Dramas. This is simply false! Deng was sent as the top Communist commissar to lead the uprising but he didn’t!!!

Inexplicably, Deng left Baise one month before uprising! Baise Uprising happened without him, top rank guy send to lead it! This is matter of record but Deng’s daughter Deng Rong’s Deng Xiaoping biography simply lied about it!

Before Baise Uprising could happen, Deng Xiaoping decide to return to Shanghai where his 1st wife Zhang Xiyuan, his old classmate in Moscow, “a rare beauty” in his words, was giving birth to their 1st child. He already left before HQ sent message to tell him to stay put!

But Deng’s wife died of Postpartum infections and the baby girl also died soon after. Meanwhile successful Baise uprising happened without him! Communist HQ ordered Deng to return to Baise immediately to lead the troops!

Shanghai HQ ordered Deng march troops to join up with Mao in Communist main base in Jiangxi. But they were trapped by river in Guangdong’s Shaoguan area. Deng abandoned troops and went back to Shanghai to report to HQ. Mao made Deng do self-criticism during Cultural Revolution

During Cultural Revolution in letter to Mao dated Aug 3rd 1972, Deng wrote: “One of my biggest mistake is leaving 7th Red Army (in the field) in 1931. Although procedurely correct but politically big mistake!”

After Deng returned to Shanghai in 1931, he met Jin Weiying, a fellow Communist from Zhejiang. They took a boat together travel to Shantou, Guangdong to go to main Communist base in Jiangxi. They soon fall in love and married. But it would not last...

Deng Xiaoping served as Communist Party Secretary of Ruijin, capital of main Communist Base (Jiangxi Soviet) founded by Mao. Deng soon became a Mao supporter. This led to his 1st downfall...

Because of Mao’s Jiangxi Soviet success, Chinese Communist Party leaders decide to move HQ there because Shanghai became increasingly dangerous to operate in. Inevitably power struggle ensued. Mao loyalists are removed from power. Among them Deng Xiaoping...

The Communist leader Li Weihan (left) ordered Deng Xiaoping’s arrest and interrogation. To add insult to injury, Deng’s wife Jin Weiying divorced him to marry Li Weihan!!!

Deng Xiaoping’s former wife Jin Weiying is a Revolutionary in her own right, joined CCP in 1926. 1 of 30 Communist women to complete Long March. She went to USSR in 1938, died of German bombing of Moscow in 1941 while serving as a volunteer nurse. Survived by her son by Li Weihan

Deng Xiaoping and his old nemesis Li Weihan shaking hands in 1981 after Cultural Revolution. Deng after assuming power rehabilitate Li who was also persecuted during Cultural Revolution. You gotta give it to Deng to be so magnanimous with old rival in politics and love!

Deng’s 2nd Wife Jin Weiying used to be close to Li Weihan working together in Communist underground but Li had a wife from arranged marriage. She and Deng played couple as cover to travel to Communist base but role play turn reality. Love triangle exploded when Li arrested Deng..

Deng Xiaoping kept memories of former wife when traveling to Jiangxi in 1972 after Mao rehabilitated him. He told people receiving him, the Party Secretary here was A Jin (Weiying). He also took extra care of Jin Weiying’s son by Li Weihan,helping his career along the way

Chinese Communist Party at the time was controlled by 28 Bolsheviks, a group of returning students from Moscow who had backing of Comintern. 1 of 28 Wáng Jiàxiáng liked Deng Xiaoping’s talent, rehabilitated him, made him a secretary and put in charge of Red Star Newspaper

Zunyi conference during Long March was a big turning point in Deng Xiaoping’s life. Mao took power from 28 Bolsheviks, allowing Mao loyalists like Deng return to center of power. But Deng’s role in Zunyi is a source of controversy that haunted him during Cultural Revolution...

Today Zunyi conference painting/sculpture always put Deng Xiaoping near center of action (the short guy in the middle). But he was not included when the Museum 1st opened in the 1950s!!! This led to charges that he falsified history during Cultural Revolution...

Deng touring Zunyi Museum as Vice Premier in 1958 pointed out he was sitting in a corner. This made Museum staff hurriedly add his name as participant in Zunyi conference. modern painting always insert Deng Xiaoping (short guy standing). This became politically issue later...

During Cultural Revolution, Red Guards accused Deng Xiaoping falsifying history by inserting himself into Zunyi Conference! To which Deng replied: there’s already enough glory in my life, I don’t need to make up things to make it more so!

The truth was the central figures of Zunyi Conference was Zhou En-lai, Mao and Wang Jiàxiáng. Deng attended as Wang’s secretary and chief editor of Red Star News. So Deng did not speak during the conference...

Regardless, Deng Xiaoping returned to CCP center of power by the end of Long March. Deng Xiaoping in NW Communist base in 1937 as Commissar of the Communist 8th Route Army after CCP formed United Front with KMT to fight Japanese invasion

After Deng return to power, the Party started to look for him a new wife. Enters Zuolin, Peking University Physics student who came to Communist base in Yan’an to work in the public security. Party told her to date Deng. She dutifully complied and two were married within a month!

Deng Xiaoping’s last marriage to 卓琳 Zuo Lin is a fruitful one. She stuck by him thru thick and thin including Purges and turmoils in Cultural Revolution. She died in 2009, aged 93, outlived Deng by 12 years (Deng died in 1997, age 92)

Deng Xiaoping rise to prominence began with his appointment as the Commissar of 129th division of the 8th Route Army, Commanded by Liu Bocheng. This later became PLA 2nd Field Army, also known as Liu and Deng’s Great Army. His PLA connection and prestige gave Deng real power