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Zhou Enlai

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Politician

The Resume

    (March 5, 1898-January 8, 1976)
    Born in Huai'an, China
    Long-term top aide to Mao ZeDong
    Premier of China (1949-76)
    Foreign Minister (1949-58)
    Name also spelled Chou En-Lai

Why he might be annoying:

    He helped fund the Chinese Communists by establishing opium plantations on the land they controlled.
    His arm remained bent the rest of his life after he fell off his horse (1939).
    Allegedly, after he found out about a plot by Taiwanese intelligence to plant a bomb on a plane taking him from Hong Kong to Indonesia, he changed his flight plans, but declined to warn the airline, since he hoped the incident would embarrass the government of Chaing Kai-shek. Eleven people died when the plane exploded. (April 11, 1955).
    He was described as the 'midwife' of Mao's 'Great Leap Forward' which killed 15-30 million people.
    During the Cultural Revolution, he went along with the persecution of political allies and friends to save his own skin.
    He said, 'One's personal opinions should advance or beat a retreat according to the direction of the majority.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was married to Deng Yingchao for 50 years until his death.
    According to the Chinese government's official story, he had no foreknowledge of the bomb plot and missed the original flight because had to undergo an emergency appendectomy.
    One of his adopted daughters died after being imprisoned and tortured by the Red Guards (1968).
    It was rumored that Mao deliberately prevented him from getting treatment for the cancer that killed him.
    He was largely responsible for arranging Richard Nixon's visit to China (1972).
    Henry Kissinger called him 'one of the two or three most impressive men I have ever met.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 182 Votes: 67.58% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 26 Votes: 34.62% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 52 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 138 Votes: 62.32% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 26 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 44 Votes: 77.27% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 33 Votes: 93.94% Annoying