Chiang Kai-shek is one of the prominent politicians and military leaders in China. His whole life was connected with military affairs. For the sake of a military leader's career, he refused to continue his father's work: Chiang Kai-shek did not want to be a businessman. However, fate did not always favor the military leader, who was promoted to generalissimo: he repeatedly suffered defeats in battles with foreign invaders and political opponents.
Chiang Kai-shek: facts from the biography
The future famous military and political leader of China was born near Shanghai on October 31, 1887. According to family tradition, Chiang Kai-shek had to go into farming or small business. However, he chose a military career.
The family chronicle said that the family of the future military leader originated in ancient times. The ancestors of Chiang Kai-shek were allegedly admired by Confucius himself. However, the father of the future Generalissimo was only the owner of the shop. Family members considered him strict, sedate and very thrifty. The father had a sharp and resourceful mind.
At the age of six, Chiang Kai-shek went to school. Classmates later recalled what kind of child he was. In the character of the future strategist, somehow incompatible qualities coexisted: concentration, attention to detail, liveliness and agility, a desire to be the first in games with peers.
Following his inclinations, Chiang Kai-shek chose the path of life for himself: he decided to devote himself to the struggle for the unity of the nation. The young man's thoughts were dominated by the idea of the greatness of the Chinese people.
Chiang Kai-shek began his education. He first studied at the National Military Academy located in Boading. Then he continued his studies in Tokyo. To study in Japan, the future officer successfully passed the Japanese language exam. The competition among those who applied for the officer rank was enormous.
Soon, Chiang Kai-shek met Sun Yat-sen and joined the Revolutionary Union. This was the name of the nationalist party of China, whose members intended to overthrow the emperor and proclaim a republic in the country.
Years of study
While studying in China and Japan, Chiang Kai-shek was imbued with new ideas, worked on himself, and intensively mastered military science. In 1911, during the civil war, he commanded a regiment.
In 1912, a republic was established in China. After that, for ten years, Chiang Kai-shek either fought or continued his studies in Japan.
Chiang Kai-shek supported Sun Yat-sen's idea of liberating China and uniting all the country's lands. To do this, it was necessary to resolve the problem of confrontation between North and South China. The people did not support the expeditions to North China organized by Sun Yat-sen in 1921-1922, so the military campaigns ended in failure.
In 1923, Sun Yatsen sent his associate to the USSR. Here Chiang Kai-shek studied social sciences, the structure of the military system, the military doctrine of the USSR and political work. A year later, the Chinese commander returned to his homeland and headed the military academy. He actively trained future officers, laid the foundations of China's military system and political power in the country.
At the head of the Kuomintang
In 1929, after the death of Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek headed the Kuomintang Conservative Party. The military leader first of all decided to get rid of the military elite, which resisted the new government. For this purpose, Chiang Kai-shek created several divisions, and before that he cleared the ranks of his troops from the communists. In the fall of 1928, Chiang Kai-shek headed the government of a united China. He held the leading position in the country until 1931.
Since the early 1930s, Chiang Kai-shek faced the opposition communist movement led by Mao Zedong. Initially, the operations against the communists were quite successful: the opposition troops suffered defeat after defeat.
Success and failure
In the spring of 1932, Japanese troops captured Manchuria and created a puppet government here. However, the aggressors met with serious resistance from the masses. He began military operations against the Japanese and Chiang Kai-shek. However, his army was eventually defeated. Chiang Kai-shek was forced to sign a peace treaty with the Japanese military command.
In 1938, the Kuomintang Congress proclaimed Chiang Kai-shek the "leader" of the nation. Previously, he was awarded the honorary title of Generalissimo. At the same time, in battles with the Japanese, the military leader suffered one defeat after another.
With the outbreak of World War II, China once again had to deal with the Japanese army. The communists intended to create a united front to fight the invaders. Yet Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek refrained from conducting major operations against the Japanese. The United States provided active assistance to the Chinese nationalists: the Americans believed that China could become their foothold in the Far East.
Japan's surrender did not bring peace to China. Hostilities between communists and nationalists broke out again. Luck was with Mao Zedong. After the defeat of Japan in Manchuria, Soviet troops still remained for some time. The USSR supported Mao Zedong. Therefore, Chiang Kai-shek entered into negotiations with his opponent.
But the agreements reached were soon broken. In 1946, the Kuomintang army, with the assistance of the United States, attempted to defeat the Chinese Red Army. As a result, Chiang Kai-shek was completely defeated.
In 1949, Chiang Kai-shek moved to Taiwan with a group of like-minded people. From a huge country he got only a small piece. On this island, Chiang Kai-shek established a dictatorship regime.
The head of the Kuomintang passed away on April 25, 1975. On this day, Taipei, the main city of Taiwan, plunged into deep mourning. The body of the generalissimo was placed in the funeral hall.
