Mao Successor Hua Dies at 87

'Gang of Four' arrest credited with preventing civil war
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 20, 2008 1:00 PM CDT
Mao Successor Hua Dies at 87
In this October 15, 2007, file photo former Chinese Communist Party Chairman Hua Guofeng attends the opening ceremony of the 17th Communist Party Congress in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.   (AP Photo/Greg Baker, FILE)

Hua Guofeng, the man who succeeded Mao Zedong as China’s second Communist leader, died today at age 87, the Daily Telegraph reports. Guofeng was most noted for arresting the “Gang of Four,” a group of radicals, led by Mao’s widow, bent on miring China in isolated class-struggle. The decisive arrests may have staved off unrest and civil war, and paved the way for moderates like Deng Xiaoping.

Hua was otherwise an unremarkable figure, lacking vision and boldness. He ascended to China’s top job mostly through luck and loyalty to Mao, and was soon outwitted by opponents, particularly Deng, and reduced to a pitiful figure. He was eventually driven from office, though he retained his seat on the central committee until 2002. (More China stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X