Chiang Kai-shek

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 32. Chapters: Family of Chiang Kai-shek, Soong May-ling, Chiang Ching-kuo, World League for Freedom and Democracy, Chiang Kai Shek College, Cihu Mausoleum, Chiang Wei-kuo, Chiang Fang-liang, John Chiang, Chiang Kai-shek statues, Tai Chi-tao, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Song, Demos Chiang, Winston Chang, Chiang Hsiao-yung, Chiang Hsiao-wu, Chiang Hsiao-chang, Mao Fumei, Chiang Hsiao-wen, Chiang Si-qian, Chen Jieru, Chang Ya-juo. Excerpt: Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 - April 5, 1975) was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiang Jièshí or Jiang Zhongzhèng in Mandarin. Chiang was an influential member of the Nationalist Party, the Kuomintang (KMT), and was a close ally of Sun Yat-sen. He became the Commandant of the Kuomintang's Whampoa Military Academy, and took Sun's place as leader of the KMT when Sun died in 1925. In 1926, Chiang led the Northern Expedition to unify the country, becoming China's nominal leader. He served as Chairman of the National Military Council of the Nationalist government of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 to 1948. Chiang led China in the Second Sino-Japanese War, during which the Nationalist government's power severely weakened, but his prominence grew. Chiang Kai-shek was socially conservative, promoting traditional Chinese culture in the New Life Movement, and economically, he used heavy government control and intervention, at times against private enterprises. Chiang's Nationalists engaged in a long standing civil war with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). After the Japanese surrender in 1945, Chiang once again became embroiled in a bloody civil war with the Communist Party of China. Ultimately, with support from the Soviet Union, the CCP defeated the Nationalists, forcing the Nationalist government to retreat to Taiwan, where martial law was imposed, and from where the government continued to declare its intention to take back mainland China. Chiang ruled the island securely as the President of the Republic of China and Director-General of the Kuomintang until his death in 1975. General Joseph Stilwell, an American military adviser to Chiang during World War II, strongly criticized Chiang and his generals for what he saw as their incompetence and corruption. Feelings towards Chiang are mixed in Taiwan. While some still view him as a hero, others consider him with disdain. During the 2000-2008 presidency of Chen Shuibian, hun