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Chinese Leaders of the 20th Century

Black and white photographs of pivotal Chinese historical figures, highlighting their roles in revolutionary politics and governance.

Mao Tze-Tung In Moscow -- Mao Tze-Tung, President of the Central People's Government of the Chinese People's republid, wears a broad smile in this picture received in London from Moscow today Feb 15. It was announced early today that Russia and China have signed a 30-years alliance. March 8, 1950. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

Kim Il-sung. leader of North Korea from 1948 until his death in 1994. Ca. 1960. (BSLOC_2014_11_250)

Zhang Xiaolin was one of the 'Three Shanghai Godfathers' and, along with Du Yuesheng, was a leader of the Shanghai Green Gang. In 1939, with the Japanese capture of Shanghai, he was appointed puppet governor of Zhejiang. He was assassinated in 1940.

Zhang Tailei (1898 - 1927) was the leader of the Guangzhou Uprising, during which he was killed. The Guangzhou Uprising (Canton Uprising or Canton Riots) of 1927 was a failed communist uprising in the city of Guangzhou in southern China.

Zhou Enlai (1898 - 1976), first Premier of the People's Republic of China. From October 1949 until his death in January 1976, Zhou was China's head of government. Zhou served under Chairman Mao Zedong and helped the Communist Party rise to power.

Masao Wada. Photograph.

Liu Shaoqui (1898 - 1969), Chinese revolutionary, politician, and theorist. Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee from 1954 to 1959, First Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of China from 1956 to 1966 and Chairman (President) of the People's Republic of China, China's de jure head of state, from 1959 to 1968, during which he implemented policies of economic reconstruction in China. from 1966 onward was criticized, then purged, by Mao. Liu disappeared from public life in 1968as China's foremost "capitalist-roader", and a traitor to the revolution. He died under harsh treatment and torture during the Cultural Revolution

China's greatest writer. Portrait of Lu Hsun (1881-1936), Shanghai, 1930.

Mao Tze-Tung In Moscow -- Mao Tze-Tung, President of the Central People's Government of the Chinese People's republid, wears a broad smile in this picture received in London from Moscow today Feb 15. It was announced early today that Russia and China have signed a 30-years alliance. March 8, 1950. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

Ho Chi Minh (1890 - 1969), Vietnamese revolutionary and politician. He served as Prime Minister of Vietnam from 1945 to 1955 and President from 1945 to 1969.

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC Republican authorities. Sukarno, president of the Republik Indonesia. 1947. Indonesia, Dutch East Indies

Hakaru Hashimoto. Photograph.

Trường Chinh (pseudonym meaning 'Long March', born Đặng Xun Khu (1907-1988) was a Vietnamese communist political leader and theoretician. From 1941 to 1957, he was Vietnam's second-ranked communist leader (after Hồ Chí Minh). Following the death of Lê Duẩn in 1986, he was briefly Vietnam's top leader. He is remembered as a communist hard liner with strong Maoist tendencies.

H Chí Minh (1890 1969), was a Vietnamese Communist revolutionary leader who was prime minister (194555) and president (194569) of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). He was a key figure in the foundation of Vietnam in 1945, as well as during the Vietnam War. 1946

Liu Shaoqi (Liu Shao-ch'i, 24 November 1898 - 12 November 1969) was a Chinese revolutionary, statesman, and theorist. He was Chairman of the People's Republic of China, China's head of state, from 27 April 1959 to 31 October 1968, during which he implemented policies of economic reconstruction in China. He fell out of favour in the later 1960s during the Cultural Revolution because of his perceived 'right-wing' viewpoints and, it is theorised, because Mao viewed Liu as a threat to his power. He disappeared from public life in 1968 and was labelled China's premier 'Capitalist-roader' and a traitor. He died under harsh treatment in late 1969, but he was posthumously rehabilitated by Deng Xiaoping's government in 1980 and given a state funeral.

Japan's Prime Minister -- Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni (above), is Japan's new Prime Minister. This picture was made in Tokyo September 18 by AP Photographer Max Desfor on assignment with the Wartime still picture pool. September 24, 1945. (Photo by AP Wirephoto).

Yan Xishan (1883 - 1960) Chinese warlord who served in the government of the Republic of China. He effectively controlled the province of Shanxi from the 1911 Xinhai Revolution to the 1949 Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War.

M. Ooi, President, Osaka Chamber of Commerce, Osaka

Sisavang Phoulivong (Sisavangvong) (1885 ñ 1959) king of the Kingdom of Luang Phrabang and later the Kingdom of Laos. Reigned from 28 April 1904 until his death on 29 October 1959.

Masanao Hanihara

Risaburo Tsukaguchi. Photograph by S. Tamura.

Mao Zedong leader of China 1956. Mao Zedong (1893 1976) Chinese communist revolutionary and founding father of the People's Republic of China

Property of Albert Kahn, Boulogne, France Mr. Ito , (French - Propriété d' Albert Kahn , Boulogne , France Monsieur Ito). shipwrecked image, portrait, man, Human being, illisible France , Boulogne , Portraits , Mr Ito

Marshal Kim Il Sung, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Nodong Dang and Prime Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. 1953.

Chen Yi (1901 - 1972), Chinese communist military commander and politician. He served as Mayor of Shanghai from 1949 to 1958 and as Foreign Minister of China from 1958 to 1972

Channel Girl Margaret Feature is Wife No. 2. - Abdel Moneim Abdou in Folkestone ***** night as he tells his story.Miss Margaret Feater, the 22-year-old channel swimmer, revealed yesterday that she was secretly married in 1953 and that she has a 17-month-old daughter. Her husband is Abdel Moneim Abdou, the Egyptian channel swimmer, who is 30. In Folkestone last night he admitted that he had another wife in Cairo.At her home in Scarborough, Margaret said that she knew Abdel was already married. August 26, 1955.

Gojong (1852 - 1919), last King of Joseon and the first Emperor of Korea.

Cai Yuanpei (Chinese: 元培; pinyin: Cài Yuánpéi; Wade-Giles: Ts'ai Yüan-p'ei) (January 11, 1868 - March 5, 1940) was a Chinese educator, Esperantist and the president of Peking University. He was known for his critical evaluation of the Chinese culture that led to the influential May Fourth Movement. In his thinking, Cai was heavily influenced by Anarchism.

Minoru Oka ca. between 1918 and 1920.

Liang Renda (1916-1947), from Zhongshan, Guangdong Province. He was a staff at Yong'an Company and participated in the "Save domestic products, boycott American products" meeting. He was beaten to death during the fight with a spy that was trying to sabotage the meeting.

Anefo photo collection. Arrival Chinese minister of metallurgical industry, tang ke; Minister Tang Ke (head). July 2, 1978

Zhou Enlai (1898 - 1976), Premier of the People's Republic of China. Zhou was China's head of government, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976. Zhou served under Chairman Mao Zedong and was instrumental in the Communist Party's rise to power, and later in consolidating its control, forming foreign policy, and developing the Chinese economy.

'A Big Stride' -- Chairman of Red China's Sports Commission, Ho Lung..... "A big stride forward in the development of sport." November 8, 1955.

Man, circa 1930s, Wellington, by Cuba Photographic Studio.

Chairman Mao in Yenan. (1944) Mao Zedong (1893 - September 9, 1976), was a Chinese communist revolutionary who became the founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC), which he ruled as the Chairman of the Communist Party of China from its establishment in 1949 until his death

Anefo photo collection. Arrival at Schiphol from Minister of Foreign Affairs Tram van Lam van. Arrivals, airports, ministers, portraits, tram from Lam. April 29, 1971. Noord-Holland, Schiphol

Gojong the Emperor Gwangmu 1852 21 January 1919) was the twenty-sixth king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty and the first emperor of the Korean Empire.

Prince Imperial Ui, the Prince Imperial of Korea, (1877 1955) fifth son of Emperor Gwangmu of Korea. He could not become the Crown Prince, even though he was older than his brother Prince Imperial Yeong, because the Japanese government disliked his rebellious nature. He was appointed special ambassador to Japan.

President Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam. In office between 26th October 1955-2nd November 1963, and led the effort to create the Republic of Vietnam. Diem was anti-communist, and a devout Roman Catholic, and used religiously led policies to oppress the Buddhist majority amongst the Montagnard Natives. Lived between 1901-1963.

Marquess Okuma Shigenobu (1838-1922) who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1914 to 1916

Liu Shaoqi, Chinese communist leader. 1960s.

Kim Jong-suk was born December 24, 1917 to Kim Chun San and Oh Ssi, who were poor farmers in Osan-dong, Hoeryong County, in the North Hamgyong Province of Japanese-occupied Korea. In 1922 her family abandoned Korea to live in China. Kim Jong-suk joined the Young Communist League of Korea, led by Kim Il-sung, on July 10, 1932. Later, on April 25, 1936, she was assigned to the KPRA main unit directly under the command of Kim Il-sung. Kim Jong-suk was formally admitted into the Communist Party on January 25, 1937. Kim Jong-suk gave birth to Kim Jong-il on February 16, 1941 in the Soviet village of Vyatskoye, near Khabarovsk. On September 22, 1949, Kim Jong-suk died at the age of 31 while giving birth to a stillborn baby girl. Known in North Korea as 'The Heroine of the Anti-Japanese Revolution', the North Korean government conferred the title of Hero of the DPRK on her on September 21, 1972; her image is used as part of the propaganda apparatus of the Workers Party of Korea (WPK), in whic

Mao Zedong December 26, 1893 September 9, 1976) Chinese revolutionary, political theorist and communist leader. led the Peoples Republic of China from 949 until his death in 1976

Chairman Mao in Beijing, in 1967. Mao Zedong (1893 - September 9, 1976), was a Chinese communist revolutionary who became the founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC), which he ruled as the Chairman of the Communist Party of China from its establishment in 1949 until his death

Masanao Hannihara, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan since the illness of Baron Shidehara, head of the Japanese delegation at the arms conference 30/11/1921

Thailand: Prince Narisara Nuvadtivongs (1863-1947), c. 1890

Chen Yi (1901 - 1972), Chinese communist military commander and politician. He served as Mayor of Shanghai from 1949 to 1958 and as Foreign Minister of China from 1958 to 1972

Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hu, King Rama VI of Siam (1881 - 1925) pictured against a photograph of the throne room of the Palace at Bangkok. Date: 1911

Kim Il Sung . 1945. Kim Il-sung or Kim Il Sung (1912 - 8 July 1994) founder of North Korea, which he ruled from the country's establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994.

Marquis Saionji

Mao Zedong, referred to as Chairman Mao (December 26, 1893 - September 9, 1976), Chinese communist revolutionary and a founding father of the People's Republic of China, which he governed as Chairman of the Communist Party of China from its establishment in 1949 until his death.

Shunroku Hata (1879 - 1962) was a Field Marshal (Gensui) in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. He was the last surviving Japanese military officer with a marshal's rank. Hata was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1948, but was paroled in 1954

Zhou Enlai (5 March 1898 8 January 1976) first Prime Minister of the Peoples Republic of China, from October 1949 until his death in January 1976. Zhou was instrumental in the Communist Partys rise to power and the development of the Chinese economy

Propriété d' Albert Kahn , Boulogne , France Satoo Akitzuki , (French - Propriété d' Albert Kahn , Boulogne , France Satoo Akitzuki). Costume, portrait, diplomacy, peace, conference , congress, treaties, society of nations, man, Clothing, human beings, international relations, First World War, France , Boulogne , Portraits , Mr Akidzuki

Norodom Sihanouk (born 31 October 1922) was the King of Cambodia from 1941 to 1955 and again from 1993 until his semi-retirement and voluntary abdication on 7 October 2004 in favour of his son, the current King Norodom Sihamoni. Since his abdication he has been known as The King-Father of Cambodia, a position in which he retains many of his former responsibilities as constitutional monarch.

Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos (September 11, 1917 - September 28, 1989) was 10th President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives (1949-1959) and a member of the Philippine Senate (1959-1965). He was Senate President from 1963-1965. In 1983, his government was implicated in the assassination of his primary political opponent, Benigno Aquino, Jr. The implication caused a chain of events, including a tainted presidential election that served as the catalyst for the People Power Revolution in February 1986 that led to his removal from power and eventual exile in Hawaii.

General Chiang Kai-shek

Field Marshal Count Terauchi Masatake (5 February 1852 - 3 November 1919) was a Field Marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and the 18th Prime Minister of Japan from 9 October 1916 to 29 September 1918.

Shigeru Yoshida (22 September 1878 - 20 October 1967) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1946 to 1947 and from 1948 to 1954. Yoshida was firmly against war with the United States and United Kingdom. Despite holding no official positions during World War II, he was active in trying to prevent war with the Allies, and then to try to bring about an early end of the war, allying himself with Prince Fumimaro Konoe. In April 1945, he was arrested and briefly imprisoned over his association with Prince Konoe

Damdin Sukhbaatar (1893 - 1923) founding member of the Mongolian People's Party and leader of the Mongolian partisan army that took Khuree during the Outer Mongolian Revolution of 1921. he was enshrined as the "Father of Mongolia's Revolution".

A young Mao Zedong 1893 1976), Chinese revolutionary, political theorist and communist leader. Led the Peoples Republic of China 1949-1976

Filed Marshal Yamagata Aritomo (1838-1922), twice Prime Minister of Japan 1889-1891 and 1898-1900, father of Japanese militarism. Portrait Order Decoration

Anefo photo collection. South Vietnamese ambassador in London, Lehok Tjan at Schiphol, head. February 4, 1969. Noord-Holland, Schiphol

Mao Tse Tung.

Mao Zedong (1893 - September 9, 1976), was a Chinese communist revolutionary who became the founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC), which he ruled as the Chairman of the Communist Party of China from its establishment in 1949 until his death

Elsevier photo collection. Hamengku Buwono IX G.R.M. Dorodjatung, Sultan of Djokjakarta, president of the Republican delegation in Sub-Commission I or A (in preparation for the return of the Republican government to Djokjakarta); From Aug. 1949 Defense Minister Also coordinator Domestic safety issues of the Republic of Indonesia. 1948. Indonesia, Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Dutch East Indies

Proporé d'am - Boulo gnn , French dinnakada , (French - Propriété d' Albert Kahn , Boulogne , France Monsieur Kanakada). Suit, shipwrecked image, portrait, man, Clothing, human beings, France , Boulogne , Portraits , Mr Canacada

Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Prajadhipok Phra Pok Klao Chao Yu Hua, or Rama VII (8 November 1893 - 30 May 1941) was the seventh monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was the last absolute monarch and the first constitutional monarch of the country. His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to huge political and social changes during the Revolution of 1932. Also he was the only Siamese monarch to abdicate.

Chairman Mao and his successor, Hua Guofeng. (1976). Hua Guofeng (1921 - 2008) served as Chairman of the Communist Party of China and Premier of the People's Republic of China. Hua held the top offices of the government, party, and the military after Premier Zhou and Chairman Mao's death, but was forced out of major political power by more influential party leaders by June 1981

Prince Saionji Kinmochi (7 December 1849 - 24 November 1940) was a Japanese politician, statesman and twice Prime Minister of Japan. He was elevated from marquis to prince in 1920. As the last surviving member of Japan's genrō, he was the nation's most influential statesman from the mid-1920s to the early 1930s

Hua Yu (1892 - 1972) mother of Hua Guofeng leader of China 1976 - 1981.

Deng Xiaoping (Teng Hsiao-p'ing; 22 August 1904 - 19 February 1997) was a Chinese politician, statesman, theorist, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy. While Deng never held office as the head of state, head of government or General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (historically the highest position in Communist China), he nonetheless served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China from 1978 to 1992.

Photographic portrait of Field Marshal Prince yama Iwao (1842-1916) one of the founders of the Imperial Japanese Army. Dated 19th Century

Ho Chi Minh, born Nguyen Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyen ii Quac (19 May 1890 - 3 September 1969) was a Vietnamese Communist revolutionary leader who was prime minister (1946-1955) and president (1945-1969) of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). He formed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and led the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War until his death. Ho led the Viet Minh independence movement from 1941 onward, establishing the communist-governed Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and defeating the French Union in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu. He lost political power inside North Vietnam in the late 1950s, but remained as the highly visible figurehead president until his death.

Prince Saionji Kinmochi (1849-1940) was a Japanese politician, statesman and twice Prime Minister of Japan. His title does not signify the son of an emperor, but the highest rank of Japanese hereditary nobility;he was elevated from marquis to prince in 1920. As the last surviving genro, he was Japan's most honoured statesman of the 1920s and 1930s.

Hua Guofeng (1921 - 2008), Chinese politician who served as Chairman of the Communist Party of China and Premier of the People's Republic of China. The designated successor of Mao Zedong, Hua held the top offices of the government, party, and the military after the deaths of Mao and Premier Zhou Enlai.

Baron Hayashi. Photograph shows Baron Gonzuke Hayashi, the Japanese ambassador to China.

Chairman Mao. (1960). Mao Zedong (1893 - 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who became the founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC), which he ruled as the Chairman of the Communist Party of China from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976.

Up Goes The Rising X Sun.Mr. Koichiro Asakai, Graduate of Edinburgh University and Japanese charge D'Affaires in London until an ambassador is appointed.The rising sun flag of Japan flew over London yesterday for the first time since December 1941. The hoisting of the flag signaled the ratification of the Japanese peace treaty and the fact that Japan is now at peace with the world. April 29, 1952. (Photo by Paul Popper, Paul Popper Ltd.).

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese Prime Minister and President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Ca. 1960. (BSLOC_2015_14_2)

Chiang Ching-kuo (經國) (April 27,1 1910 - January 13, 1988), Kuomintang (KMT) politician and leader, was the son of Generalissimo and President Chiang Kai-shek and held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China (ROC). He succeeded his father to serve as Premier of the Republic of China between 1972 and 1978, and was the President of the Republic of China from 1978 until his death in 1988. Under his tenure, the government of the Republic of China, while authoritarian, became more open and tolerant of political dissent. Towards the end of his life, Chiang relaxed government controls on the media and speech and allowed native Taiwanese into positions of power, including his successor Lee Teng-hui.

Tsao Ju-Lin

Tokyo...Personality....Mrs. Sung Mei-ling, member of the regislation committee, Nanking Government, China, and Wife of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek. December 15, 1936. (Photo by The Domei News Photos Service)

Abai (Ibrahim) Qunanbaiuly (1845 - 1904); Kazakh poet, composer and philosopher. He was also a cultural reformer toward European and Russian cultures on the basis of enlightened Islam. His name is sometimes russified to 'Abay Kunanbayev'

Photographic portrait of Kang Youwei (1858-1927) a Chinese scholar, noted calligrapher and prominent political thinker and reformer of the late Qing dynasty

PROPRIété d' Albert Kahn , Boulogne , France Prince Natured Hisgashikununi , (French - Propriété d' Albert Kahn , Boulogne , France Prince Naruhito Higashikuni). Political figure, personality of nobility, military personality, costume, prince , princess, portrait, man, Personality, clothing, human beings, Prince of Kuni France, Boulogne s ., s, prince of Kuni

Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn 1911 June 16, 2004. military dictator of Thailand. A staunch anti-Communist, Thanom oversaw a decade of military rule in Thailand from 1963 to 1973

Kim Il-sung (1912 ñ 8 July 1994) leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly referred to as North Korea, for 46 years, from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994

Elsevier photo collection. Dr. R.V. Sudjito, chairman representative board Central Java; observer mid-Java b.f.o.; b.f.o. Delegation Ter R.t.c. social committee R.T.C. undated. Hague, Indonesia, Indonesia, Dutch East Indies

Vladmir Lenin

Bogyoke (General) Aung San (13 February 1915 - 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw. He was a founder of Communist Party of Burma and was instrumental in bringing about Burma's independence from British colonial rule, but was assassinated six months before its final achievement. He is recognized as the leading architect of independence, and the founder of the Union of Burma. Aung San was the father of Nobel Peace laureate and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Photographic portrait of Leonid Brezhnev (1906-1982) General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Dated 1964

Pricnce Tokugawa Iesato, Japanese poltiical figure ca. early 1900s.

Kim Il Sung leader of North Korea 1950

Mao Zedong (Chairman Mao). 1893 ñ September 9, 1976. Chinese Communist revolutionary and the founding father of the People's Republic of China, which he governed as Chairman of the Communist Party of China from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976

10/31/1908. Tsé-Hi, Empress of China who has just passed away.

Hua Guofeng (1921 - 2008), Chinese politician who served as Chairman of the Communist Party of China and Premier of the People's Republic of China, 1976 - 1981

Field Marshal Pibul Songgram - Prime Minister of Thailand -- Photographed at a press reception held at the Royal Thai Embassy in London during his recent visit to Great Britain. July 5, 1955. (Photo by Peter Abbey, Camera Press).

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