Mao Anying

Mao Anying (Chinese: 毛岸英, Pinyin: Máo Ànyīng) (October 24, 1922 – November 25, 1950) was the eldest son of Mao Zedong and Yang Kaihui. Educated in Moscow, he was killed in action by an air strike during the Korean War.

Early life

Mao Anying was born in an American Christian hospital in Changsha, Hunan Province. His mother, Yang Kaihui was executed by the Kuomintang in 1930. He and his younger brother, Mao Anqing, escaped to Shanghai, where they attended a kindergarten run by the Communist underground. In Shanghai, they lived with Pastor Dong Jianwu (董健吾), who was an Communist party member.

In 1933, the Communists moved their headquarter to Jiangxi, care for the brothers was temporarily cut off and they lived on the streets as orphans. Their father, Mao Zedong was in Jiangxi province at the time.

In 1936 Anying was brought to Paris by Li Du, from Paris, he was then sent to Moscow where he studied under the pseudonym Xie Liaosha (謝廖沙). He joined the Soviet Army during the Second World War and saw combat in the Eastern European theater. After the war, he returned to China in January 1946, and married Liu Songlin in October 1949.

Korean War

At the outbreak of hostilities in 1950, Mao Anying volunteered for the Chinese People's Volunteer Army. Because Mao Anying was the first son of Mao Zedong, Peng and other senior Chinese leaders were at first unwilling to allow him to fight in Korea. When Mao...
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