Chiang Kai-shek

National Government of the Republic of China

31 October 1887 Xikou, Fenghua, Ningbo, Zhejiang , Qing Empire

5 April 1975(1975-04-05) (87) Shilin Official Residence, Shihlin District, or Taipei Central Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)

10 October 1943 – 20 May 1948 Acting: 1 August 1943 – 10 October 1943

Chinese politician and military leader (1887–1975) In this Chinese name, the family name is Chiang. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 蔣介石 Chiang Kai-shek in 1943Chairman of the National Government of the Republic of ChinaIn office 10 October 1943 – 20 May 1948 Acting: 1 August 1943 – 10 October 1943PremierT. V. Soong Vice ChairmanSun Fo Preceded by Lin Sen Succeeded by Yen Chia-kan In office 10 October 1928 – 15 December 1931PremierTan Yankai T. V. Soong Preceded by Tan Yankai Succeeded by Lin Sen Chairman of the Military Affairs CommissionIn office 15 December 1931 – 31 May 1946Preceded by Position establishedSucceeded by Position abolishedPresident of the Republic of ChinaIn office 1 March 1950 – 5 April 1975PremierYan Xishan Chen Cheng Yu Hung-Chun Yen Chia-kan Chiang Ching-kuo Vice President Li Zongren Chen Cheng Yen Chia-kan Preceded by Li Zongren (Acting)Succeeded by Yen Chia-kan In office 20 May 1948 – 21 January 1949PremierChang Chun Wong Wen-hao Sun Fo Vice President Li Zongren Preceded by Position established (himself as Chairman of the Kuomintang )Succeeded by Li Zongren (Acting)Premier of the Republic of ChinaIn office 1 March 1947 – 18 April 1947Preceded by T. V. Soong Succeeded by Chang Chun In office 20 November 1939 – 31 May 1945PresidentLin Sen Preceded by H. H. Kung Succeeded by T. V. Soong In office 9 December 1935 – 1 January 1938PresidentLin Sen Preceded by Wang Jingwei Succeeded by H. H. Kung In office 4 December 1930 – 15 December 1931Preceded by T. V. Soong Succeeded by Chen Mingshu Chairman of the KuomintangIn office 12 May 1936 – 1 April 1938Preceded by Hu Hanmin Succeeded by Himself as Director-General of the KuomintangIn office 6 July 1926 – 11 March 1927Preceded by Zhang Renjie Succeeded by Woo Tsin-hang and Li Yuying Director-General of the Kuomintang In office 1 April 1938 – 5 April 1975DeputyWang Jingwei Chen Cheng Preceded by Position establishedSucceeded by Chiang Ching-kuo (as Chairman of the Kuomintang ) Personal detailsBorn(1887-10-31 ) 31 October 1887 Xikou, Fenghua, Ningbo, Zhejiang , Qing EmpireDied5 April 1975(1975-04-05) (aged 87) Shilin Official Residence, Shihlin District, or Taipei Central Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)Resting placeCihu Mausoleum, Taoyuan, TaiwanNationalityRepublic of ChinaPolitical partyKuomintangSpouse(s)Mao Fumei Yao Yecheng Chen Jieru Soong Mei-lingChildrenChiang Ching-kuo Chiang Wei-kuo (adopted)Alma materBaoding Military Academy, Tokyo Shinbu GakkoAwardsOrder of National Glory, Order of Blue Sky and White Sun, Order of the Sacred Tripod, Legion of MeritSignatureMilitary serviceNickname(s)"Generalissimo" "Red General"Allegiance  Empire of Japan (1909–1911)   Republic of China (1911–1975)Branch/service  Imperial Japanese Army (1909–1911)   Republic of China Army (1911–1975)Years of service1909–1975Rank Generalissimo (特級上將 )Battles/warsXinhai Revolution, Northern Expedition, Sino-Tibetan War, Kumul Rebellion, Soviet invasion of Xinjiang, Chinese Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Kuomintang Islamic Insurgency in China (1950–1958)Chinese nameTraditional Chinese蔣介石 Simplified Chinese蒋介石 TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinJiǎng Jièshí Gwoyeu RomatzyhJeang Jiehshyr Wade–GilesChiang³ Chieh⁴-shih² Tongyong PinyinJiǎng Jièshíh IPA ( listen ) WuShanghainese Romanizationtɕiã˧˥ ka˧˥ zàʔ˨˧ Yue: CantoneseYale RomanizationJéung Gaai-sehk JyutpingZoeng2 Gaai3-sek6 Hong Kong RomanisationCheung Kai Shek IPA Southern MinHokkien POJChiúⁿ Kài-se̍k register nameTraditional Chinese蔣周泰 Simplified Chinese蒋周泰 TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinJiǎng Zhōutài Gwoyeu RomatzyhJeang Joutay Wade–GilesChiang³ Chou¹-tʻai⁴ IPA WuShanghainese Romanizationtɕiã˧˥ tsɤ˥˨ tʰa˧˥ Yue: CantoneseJyutpingZoeng2 Zau1-taai3 Southern MinHokkien POJChiúⁿ Chiu-thài milk nameTraditional Chinese蔣瑞元 Simplified Chinese蒋瑞元 TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinJiǎng Ruìyuán Gwoyeu RomatzyhJeang Ruey'yuan Wade–GilesChiang³ Jui⁴-yüan² IPA WuShanghainese Romanizationtɕiã˧˥ zø˩˧ɲyø˩˧ Yue: CantoneseJyutpingZoeng2 Seoi6-jyun4 Southern MinHokkien POJChiúⁿ Sūi-gôan school nameTraditional Chinese蔣志清 Simplified Chinese蒋志清 TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinJiǎng Zhìqīng Gwoyeu RomatzyhJeang Jyhching Wade–GilesChiang³ Chih⁴-chʻing¹ IPA WuShanghainese Romanizationtɕiã˧˥ tsɨ˧˥ tɕʰiɲ˥˨ Yue: CantoneseJyutpingZoeng2 Zi3-cing1 Southern MinHokkien POJChiúⁿ Chì-chheng adopted nameTraditional Chinese蔣中正 Simplified Chinese蒋中正 TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinJiǎng Zhōngzhèng Gwoyeu RomatzyhJeang Jongjenq Wade–GilesChiang³ Chung¹-cheng⁴ IPA WuShanghainese Romanizationtɕiã˧˥ tsoŋ˥˨ tsəɲ˧˥ Yue: CantoneseYale RomanizationJeung2 Jung1-Jeng3 JyutpingZoeng2 Zung1-zing3 Southern MinHokkien POJChiúⁿ Tiong-chèng Chiang Kai-shek (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng and romanized via Mandarin as Chiang Chieh-shih and Jiang Jieshi, was a Chinese Nationalist politician, revolutionary and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic of China between 1928 and 1975, first in mainland China until 1949 and then in Taiwan until his death. Born in Chekiang (Zhejiang) Province, Chiang was a member of the Kuomintang (KMT) and a lieutenant of Sun Yat-sen in the revolution to overthrow the Beiyang government and reunify China. With help from the Soviets and the Communist Party of China (CPC, commonly known as the Chinese Communist Party or CCP), Chiang organized the military for Sun's Canton Nationalist Government and headed the Whampoa Military Academy. Commander in chief of the National Revolutionary Army (from which he came to be known as Generalissimo), he led the Northern Expedition from 1926 to 1928, before defeating a coalition of warlords and nominally reunifying China under a new Nationalist government. Midway through the Northern Expedition, the KMT–CPC alliance broke down and Chiang purged the communists inside the party, triggering a civil war with the CPC, which he eventually lost in 1949. As leader of the Republic of China in the Nanjing decade, Chiang sought to strike a difficult balance between modernizing China while also devoting resources to defending the nation against the CPC, warlords, and the impending Japanese threat. Trying to avoid a war with Japan while hostilities with the CPC continued, he was kidnapped in the Xi'an Incident and obliged to form an Anti-Japanese United Front with the CPC. Following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937, he mobilized 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 Chongqing. As the leader of a major Allied power, Chiang met with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Cairo Conference to discuss terms for Japanese surrender. No sooner had the Second World War ended than the Civil War with the communists, by then led by Mao Zedong, resumed. Chiang's nationalists were mostly defeated in a few decisive battles in 1948. In 1949 Chiang's government and army retreated to 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 and was Director-General of the Kuomintang until his death in 1975, three years into his fifth term as President and just one year before Mao's death. One of the longest-serving non-royal heads of state in the 20th century, Chiang was the longest-serving non-royal ruler of China, having held the post for 46 years. Like Mao, he is regarded as a controversial figure. Supporters credit him with playing a major part in unifying the nation and leading the Chinese resistance against Japan, as well as with countering Soviet-communist encroachment. Detractors and critics denounce him as a dictator at the front of a corrupt authoritarian regime who suppressed opponents.