Chiang Kai-shek | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
蔣介石 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Official portrait, 1955 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman of the National Government of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 10 October 1943 – 20 May 1948 Acting: 1 August 1943 – 10 October 1943 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Premier | T. V. Soong | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice Chairman | Sun Fo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Lin Sen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Position abolished | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 10 October 1928 – 15 December 1931 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Premier |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Tan Yankai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Lin Sen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Head of the Military Affairs Commission | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 15 December 1931 – 31 May 1946 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Position abolished | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st President of the Republic of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1 March 1950 – 5 April 1975 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Premier | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice President |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Li Zongren (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Yen Chia-kan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 20 May 1948 – 21 January 1949 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Premier |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice President | Li Zongren | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Li Zongren (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Premier of the Republic of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 20 November 1939 – 31 May 1945 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President | Lin Sen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice Premier | H. H. Kung | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | H. H. Kung | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | T. V. Soong | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 9 December 1935 – 1 January 1938 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President | Lin Sen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice Premier | H. H. Kung | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Wang Jingwei | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | H. H. Kung | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 4 December 1930 – 15 December 1931 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President | Himself | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice Premier | T. V. Soong | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | T. V. Soong | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Chen Mingshu (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Acting Premier of the Republic of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1 March 1947 – 18 April 1947 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President | Himself | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice Premier | Weng Wenhao | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | T. V. Soong | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Chang Chun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman of the Kuomintang | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 12 May 1936 – 1 April 1938 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Hu Hanmin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Himself | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 6 July 1926 – 11 March 1927 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Zhang Renjie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Woo Tsin-hang and Li Yuying | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Director-General of the Kuomintang | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1 April 1938 – 5 April 1975 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Chiang Ching-kuo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Chiang Jui-yüan 31 October 1887 Xikou, Zhejiang, Qing dynasty | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 5 April 1975 Taipei, Taiwan | (aged 87)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Resting place | Cihu Mausoleum, Taoyuan, Taiwan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Citizenship | Great Ch’ing|Republic of China | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Chinese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Kuomintang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Awards | ONG OBSWS OST OBJ OPC OCB OBS HSAL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nicknames | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Allegiance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Branch/service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years of service | 1909–1975 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rank | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Battles/wars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 蒋介石 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 蒋介石 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Register name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 蔣周泰 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 蒋周泰 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Milk name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 蔣瑞元 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 蒋瑞元 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 蔣志清 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 蒋志清 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adopted name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 蔣中正 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 蒋中正 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chiang Kai-shek[a] (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975) was a Chinese statesman, revolutionary, and military commander. He was the head of the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) party, General of the National Revolutionary Army, known as Generalissimo, and the leader of the Republic of China (ROC) in mainland China from 1928 until 1949. After being defeated in the Chinese Civil War by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1949, he led the Republic of China on the island of Taiwan until his death in 1975.
Born in Chekiang, Chiang was a member of the Kuomintang, and a lieutenant of Sun Yat-sen in the revolution to overthrow the Peiyang government and reunify China. After the Soviet-led Comintern re-organized the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party, he headed the Whampoa Military Academy. As commander-in-chief of the National Revolutionary Army, he led the Northern Expedition from 1926 to 1928, nominally reunifying China under a Nationalist government in Nanking. Midway through the Northern Expedition, the KMT–CCP alliance broke down and Chiang massacred communists and KMT leftists inside the party, triggering a civil war with the CCP, which he eventually lost in 1949.
As the leader of the Republic of China during the Nanking decade, Chiang sought to modernise and unify the nation, although hostilities with the CCP continued. His government presided over economic and social reconstruction while trying to avoid a debilitating war with Japan. In December 1936 he was kidnapped in the Sian Incident, and obliged to form an Anti-Japanese United Front with the CCP. Following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937, he mobilised China for the Second Sino-Japanese War. For eight years, he led the war of resistance against a vastly superior enemy, mostly from the wartime capital Chungking. As the leader of a major Allied power, Chiang met with British prime minister Winston Churchill and American president Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Cairo Conference to discuss terms for the Japanese surrender. When the Second World War ended, the civil war with the Communists (by then led by Mao Tse-tung) resumed. Chiang's nationalists were mostly defeated in a few decisive battles in 1948. In 1949, Chiang's government and army retreated to the island of Taiwan, where Chiang imposed martial law and persecuted critics during the White Terror. Presiding over a period of social reforms and economic prosperity, Chiang won five elections to six-year terms as President of the Republic of China in which he faced minimal opposition or was elected unopposed. Three years into his fifth term as president, and one year before the death of Mao, he died in 1975. He also held the position of Director-General of the Kuomintang until his death. Chiang was one of the longest-serving non-royal heads of state in the 20th century and the longest-serving non-royal ruler of China, having held the post for 46 years.
Like Mao, Chiang is a controversial figure. Supporters credit him with a major role in unifying the nation and ending the Century of Humiliation, leading the Chinese resistance against Japan, countering communist influence, and economic development in both mainland China and Taiwan. Critics portray him as a brutal dictator, head of a corrupt authoritarian regime, who massacred civilians and suppressed political dissent, and often accuse him of being a fascist. He is also criticized for flooding the Yellow River and allowing the Honan Famine during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Other historians argue that Chiang's ideology differed from right-wing dictators of the 20th century and that he did not espouse the ideology of fascism. They argue that Chiang made genuine efforts to improve mainland China and Taiwan's economic and social conditions, such as land reform. Chiang is also credited with transforming China from a semi-colony of various imperialist powers to an independent country by amending the unequal treaties signed by previous governments, as well as moving various Chinese national treasures and traditional Chinese artworks to the National Palace Museum in Taipei during the 1949 retreat.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha>
tags or {{efn}}
templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
template or {{notelist}}
template (see the help page).
© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search