Wang Jiadao
Wang Jiadao (1916–1992) was a major general in the People’s Liberation Army and a Chinese politician. He came from Huoqiu County in Anhui Province.
In 1930, during the Liuhuo Uprising, Wang joined the Red Army and also became a member of the Communist Youth League. He worked as a correspondent, a guard, and a squad leader early in his career. In 1932, he was named the commander of the communication unit of the 75th Division. That year he officially joined the Chinese Communist Party and stayed in Anhui to fight the enemy and help move the Red Army’s main forces.
In 1934, Wang left Hejiachong with the Red Army as part of a plan to resist the Japanese. During the Long March era, he held various political and military roles and joined the 115th Division’s 344th Brigade as a deputy battalion commander. He fought in the early anti-Japanese battles, including Pingxingguan, and then operated in the Taihang Mountains and northern Shanxi to oppose the Japanese.
With the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Wang’s units were reorganized several times. He served as a deputy regimental commander and then a brigade commander, taking part in major anti-Japanese actions in northeastern Shanxi and surrounding areas. He also took part in operations around the Taiyuan and Shijiazhuang railways and supported allied troops fighting in the region.
During 1944–1945, Wang led forces in northern Henan and along major rail lines. He helped cut rail routes and linked different Red Army forces. In 1945 his units crossed the Yellow River and captured key counties, connecting the Eighth Route Army with other Allied forces. He then held commands in the Jiluyu area and participated in actions around Pinghan and other fronts.
After World War II, Wang continued to fight in the civil war. He led the Independent Brigade in several campaigns, including the battles near Huaxian, Jujinyu, and North Henan. In 1947 he helped cross rivers secretly and break Kuomintang lines, gaining control of parts of the Yellow River region. He later commanded units in the Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu area and played a role in the Longhai Road, East Henan, and Huaihai campaigns.
In 1949, as the Central Plains Field Army became the Second Field Army, Wang commanded the 49th Division and helped plan and execute the Yangtze River crossing. He crossed the Yangtze west of Anqing and moved into Zhejiang and Jiangxi regions, then went on to campaign in Fujian and Guangdong. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949, his forces moved into Guizhou, Anshun, Xingren, and Yunnan to secure frontier regions.
From 1950 onward, Wang held high-level military and political roles. He attended a rapid cadre training program at Nanjing Military Academy and returned to command the 49th Division. In 1955 he was promoted to major general and received several military honors. He later served as deputy commander of the 16th Army and then as commander of the Heilongjiang Province Military District.
In 1968 he became commander of the Heilongjiang Production and Construction Corps and helped lead border defense during the Zhenbao Island incident with the Soviet Union. In 1971 he was appointed the first secretary of the Chinese Communist Party’s Heilongjiang Provincial Committee. He later served as deputy commander of the Shenyang Military Region, and in 1976 he became an advisor there. He retired in 1982 and was awarded the First Class Red Star Medal in 1988.
Wang Jiadao held political roles as well: he was a delegate to the National People’s Congress, a member of the CPPCC National Committee, and an alternate member of the CCP Central Committee. He died on March 27, 1992, in Shenyang.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 19:24 (CET).