Mao Anying - Korean War

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 Zedong was asked to intervene, he refused, saying "He is, after all, the son of Mao Zedong." Mao Anying met up with the army in Shenyang on 8 October and crossed the Yalu River with General Peng Dehuai on 25 October.

Anying was stationed in the army headquarter with Peng in caves near an old gold mining settlement, which offered excellent protection from American air attacks. The evening of 24 November 1950, two P-61 Black Widows were spotted on a photo reconnaissance mission by the Chinese on the ground near the location. The next day on 25 November at around noon, a South African Air Force A-26 bomber dropped four napalm bombs, one of which hit a makeshift house near the cave, killing Mao Anying and another officer who were cooking their lunch in violation of war-time regulations of Chinese Army.

Immediately after Anying's death, General Peng Dehuai was afraid to report the incident to Mao. It was not until January 1951 that Mao got word of his son's death through premier Zhou Enlai. According to Mao's private doctor Li Zhisui, when the news finally reached Mao, he fell into deep contemplation. Though visibly shaken, he finally said, "In war, there are sacrifices."

He was buried in Pyongyang, in the Cemetery for the Heroes of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army though some also claim that his body was later shipped to Beijing. It is believed that Peng Dehuai's fall from grace after the Great Leap Forward and further humuliation in the Cultural Revolution was due to Mao's hatred for Peng's carelessness in protecting the life of Mao Anying.