Chiang Kai-shek

**Chiang Kai-shek** was a Chinese nationalist politician and military leader who was  President of the Republic of China, born in Xikou on October 31, 1887.  His father was a merchant who died when Chiang was eight years old.  Chiang became an officer in the army of the Manchu empire, but supported the Chinese Xinhai Revolution of 1911 that converted China into a republic.

He led the Republic of China from 1930 to 1949 on mainland China until he was overthrown by Mao Zedong in the Chinese Civil War. He fled to Taiwan where he ruled from 1950 until his death in 1975.

## Biography

Chiang Kai-Shek was born on October 31, 1887, in Zhejiang province, China. He received a military education at the Baoding Military Academy and later studied in Japan at the Tokyo Shinbu Gakko. These formative years laid the groundwork for his future role as a military and political leader. Chiang's exposure to different ideologies and military strategies influenced his approach during pivotal moments in Chinese history. After his father died, Chiang joined the army. At first, he went to Baoding in northern China to study military science.  Later, he went to Japan to learn more about the military.

In 1918, he joined the Nationalist Party of Sun Yat-sen.  Sun Yat-sen helped Jiang Kai-Shek make a military academic school called Huangpu Military School. In 1926 and 1927 he led the Northern Expedition to conquer local warlord<nowiki/>s and unify China.  After Sun Yat-sen died, he pushed out the Communists in 1927. In 1928, he made a new government in Nanjing, and became head of the state. He focused on fighting the Communists and the Empire of Japan. In 1937, Japan began to invade China, and Chiang was in charge of the Nationalist Chinese Army, until the war ended in 1945. Chiang ruled China until 1949, when Mao Zedong, who led the Communist Party of China, attacked Chiang and his officials, and they were forced to flee to Taiwan. Chiang established the Republic of China on the Island of Taiwan in 1949. He governed Taiwan until his death in 1975, leaving a complex legacy of authoritarian rule and anti-communism.

## Related pages

- National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

## Other websites

- Chiang Kai-shek, Citizendium

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Chiang Kai-shek
- **native name**:

- **native name lang**: zh-hant
- **image**: 蔣中正總統玉照.png
- **caption**: Official portrait, 1955
- **office**: President of the Republic of China, Chairman of the National Government of China
- **premier**: T. V. Soong, Soong Tse-ven
- **term start**: October 10, 1943
- **term end**: May 20, 1948
Acting from August 1 to October 10, 1943
- **1blankname**: Vice Chairman
- **1namedata**: Sun Fo
- **predecessor**: Lin Sen
- **successor**: Himself (as President of the Republic of China)
- **premier1**: Tan Yankai
Soong Tse-ven
- **term start1**: October 10, 1928
- **term end1**: December 15, 1931
- **predecessor1**: Tan Yankai
- **successor1**: Lin Sen
- **order2**: Chairman of the Military Affairs Commission
- **term start2**: December 15, 1931
- **term end2**: May 31, 1946
- **predecessor2**: Position established
- **successor2**: Position abolished
- **order3**: President of the Republic of China
- **premier3**: Yen Hsi-shan
Chen Cheng
Yu Hung-Chun
Chen Cheng
Yen Chia-kan
Chiang Ching-kuo
- **vicepresident3**: Li Zongren
Chen Cheng
Yen Chia-kan
- **term start3**: March 1, 1950
- **term end3**: April 5, 1975
- **predecessor3**: Li Zongren (Acting)
- **successor3**: Yen Chia-kan
- **premier4**: Chang Ch'ün, Chang Chun
Wong Wen-hao
Sun Fo
- **vicepresident4**: Li Zongren
- **term start4**: May 20, 1948
- **term end4**: January 21, 1949
- **predecessor4**: Himself (as Chairman of the Nationalist Government)
- **successor4**: Li Zongren (Acting)
- **order5**: Premier of the Republic of China
- **term start5**: March 1, 1947
- **term end5**: April 18, 1947
- **predecessor5**: Soong Tse-ven
- **successor5**: Chang Ch'ün, Chang Chun
- **president6**: Lin Sen
- **term start6**: November 20, 1939
- **term end6**: May 31, 1945
- **predecessor6**: Hsiang-hsi Kung
- **successor6**: Soong Tse-ven
- **president7**: Lin Sen
- **term start7**: December 9, 1935
- **term end7**: January 1, 1938
- **predecessor7**: Wang Jingwei
- **successor7**: H. H. Kung, Hsiang-hsi Kung
- **term start8**: December 4, 1930
- **term end8**: December 15, 1931
- **predecessor8**: Soong Tse-ven
- **successor8**: Chen Mingshu
- **order9**: List of leaders of the Kuomintang, Chairman of the Kuomintang
- **term start9**: May 12, 1936
- **term end9**: April 1, 1938
- **predecessor9**: Hu Hanmin
- **successor9**: Himself as List of leaders of the Kuomintang, Director-General of the Kuomintang
- **term start10**: July 6, 1926
- **term end10**: March 11, 1927
- **predecessor10**: Zhang Renjie
- **successor10**: Woo Tsin-hang and Li Yuying
- **order11**: List of leaders of the Kuomintang, Director-General of the Kuomintang
- **predecessor11**: Himself as List of leaders of the Kuomintang, Chairman of the Kuomintang
- **successor11**: Chiang Ching-kuo (as List of leaders of the Kuomintang, Chairman of the Kuomintang)
- **term start11**: April 1, 1938
- **term end11**: April 5, 1975
- **deputy11**: Wang Jingwei
Chen Cheng
- **birth place**: Fenghua, Zhejiang, Qing dynasty, China
- **death place**: Taipei, Taiwan
- **restingplace**: Cihu Mausoleum, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- **spouse**: Mao Fumei
Yao Yecheng
Chen Jieru
Soong Mei-ling
- **party**: Kuomintang (KMT)
- **alma mater**: Baoding Military Academy, Imperial Japanese Army Academy Preparatory School
- **children**: Chiang Ching-kuo
Chiang Wei-kuo (adopted)
- **signature**: Chiang Kaishek Signature.svg
- **nickname**: "Generalissimo" or "Red General"
- **allegiance**: Kuomintang
- **branch**: Republic of China Army
- **serviceyears**: 1911–1975
- **rank**: Generalissimo, General Special Class ()
- **battles**: Xinhai 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)
- **awards**: Order of National Glory, Order of Blue Sky and White Sun, 1st class Order of the Sacred Tripod, Legion of Merit


## Infobox (chinese)

- **pic**: Chiang Kai-shek (Chinese characters).svg
- **piccap**: "Chiang Kai-shek" in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters
- **picupright**: 0.475
- **s**: 蒋介石
- **p**: Jiǎng Jièshí
- **gr**: Jeang Jiehshyr
- **w**: Chiang<sup>3</sup> Chieh<sup>4</sup>-shih<sup>2</sup>
- **poj**: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k
- **y**: Jéung Gaai-sehk
- **j**: Zoeng<sup>2</sup> Gaai<sup>3</sup>-sek<sup>6</sup>
- **altname**: register name
- **t2**: 蔣
- **s2**: 蒋周泰
- **p2**: Jiǎng Zhōutài
- **gr2**: Jeang Joutay
- **j2**: Zoeng<sup>2</sup> Zau<sup>1</sup>-taai<sup>3</sup>
- **poj2**: Chiúⁿ Chiu-thài
- **altname3**: milk name
- **t3**: 蔣
- **s3**: 蒋瑞元
- **p3**: Jiǎng Ruìyuán
- **gr3**: Jeang Ruey'yuan
- **j3**: Zoeng<sup>2</sup> Seoi<sup>6</sup>-jyun<sup>4</sup>
- **poj3**: Chiúⁿ Sūi-gôan
- **altname4**: school name
- **t4**: 蔣
- **s4**: 蒋志清
- **p4**: Jiǎng Zhìqīng
- **gr4**: Jeang Jyhching
- **j4**: Zoeng<sup>2</sup> Zi<sup>3</sup>-cing<sup>1</sup>
- **poj4**: Chiúⁿ Chì-chheng
- **altname5**: adopted name
- **t5**: 蔣
- **s5**: 蒋中正
- **p5**: Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng
- **gr5**: Jeang Jongjenq
- **w5**: Chiang Chung-cheng
- **y5**: Jeung<sup>2</sup> Jung<sup>1</sup>-Jeng<sup>3</sup>
- **j5**: Zoeng<sup>2</sup> Zung<sup>1</sup>-zing<sup>3</sup>
- **poj5**: Chiúⁿ Tiong-chèng