Chen Cheng Chen Cheng ( ; January 4 , 1897 – March 5 , 1965 ) , was a Chinese political and military leader , and one of the main National Revolutionary Army commanders during the Second Sino - Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War . After moving to Taiwan at the end of the civil war , he served as the Governor of Taiwan Province , Vice President and Premier of the Republic of China ( ROC ) . He represented the ROC in visits to the United States . He also helped to initiate land reforms and tax reduction programs that caused Communism to become unattractive in Taiwan , where peasants were able to own land . However , his good reputation endures even to today . His alias was Chen Tsyr - shiou ( ) . Early life . Born in Qingtian County , Zhejiang , he graduated from Baoding Military Academy ( 保定軍校 ) in 1922 , and entered Whampoa Academy two years later . It is here where he met Chiang Kai - shek for the first time , Then Commandant of the Academy . Chen later joined National Revolutionary Army to participate in the Northern Expedition . Rise in the military . During the Northern Expedition , Chen displayed his excellent leadership ability . Within a year of conquest , he was promoted from commanding battalions to divisions already . Later after the expedition , Chen became active in the wars against warlords . His successes in these battles allowed him to be promoted again , this time to the commander of the 18th Army . Anti - Communist campaigns . Beginning in 1931 , Chen was assigned the task of suppressing the Red Army . In various campaigns searching for the main force of Red Army , Chen ' s units experienced heavy casualties . In the fifth campaign against the Communists , he finally managed to defeat them , forcing the Red Army to launch their epic Long March . Campaigns against the Red Army came to an end after the Xi ' an Incident , which Chiang and his staffs were forced to agree in cooperation with the Communists against the invading Japanese Army . War against Japan . During the Battle of Shanghai he was one of the top military assistant of Chiang Kai Shek , it was his idea to seek a decisive action in the south rather than confront the Japanese in Northern China where nationalist troops were in poor condition and lacking transporting vehicles . After the fall of Shanghai and Nanjing Chen moved to Hubei to command the Battle of Wuhan during the year of 1938 . Wuhan was the provisional headquarters of the Chinese Army . The Japanese however , managed to defeat the Chinese albeit suffering heavy losses and captured Wuhan on October 25 , 1938 . In latter years of the war , Chen went on to command the Battle of Changsha , Battle of Yichang and Battle of West Hubei . In 1943 , he was appointed the commander of the Chinese Expeditionary Force in Burma theatre until he was replaced by Wei Li - huang due to illness . Chinese Civil War . After the Second Sino - Japanese War , Chen became the Chief of the General Staff and commander - in - chief of the navy . He followed Chiang ' s orders and began to raid the " liberated " areas by Red Army which launched the Chinese Civil War . In 1947 , Chen moved to Manchuria to command the Nationalist force against the Communists in that area . He made the crucial mistake to dissolve the local security regiments , because they served in the Manchukuo Imperial Army , as result the total nationalist strength in Manchuria fell from 1 . 3 million to less than 480 , 000 . He also dismissed some of the most capable nationalist commanders , such as Du Yuming , Sun Li - jen , Zheng Dongguo and Chen Mingren . As a result he suffered a series of major defeats and Chiang Kai - shek replaced him with Wei Lihuang as commander - in - chief of Manchuria and Fan Hanjie as deputy commander - in - chief and director of Jinzhou forward command center . Chen took a sick leave in Taiwan to treat his chronic stomach ailment . In Taiwan . Chiang appointed Chen as the Governor of Taiwan Province in 1949 to plan that Taiwan will be one of the strongholds of the Kuomintang . After the Nationalist force retreats to Taiwan , Chen went on to hold key civilian government positions such as Vice - Executive of the Kuomintang , Vice President and Premier of the Republic of China . In his years at Taiwan , he introduced various land , economic reforms and developed the reconstruction of Taiwan . He kept Taiwan off communists where farmers actually owned land they tilled . The original landlords were issued stocks from enterprises which belonged to the government . He was also credit to launch several earlier construction projects . One was the Shimen Reservoir which reduced the flooding while increased rice crop production . On May 19 , 1949 , Chen promulgated the “ Order of Martial Law ” to announce the imposition of martial law throughout Taiwan . He was the instigator of " White Terror " in Taiwan , responsible for the execution of educators who tried to protect their students from forced military duty . Dozens of educators and students were executed as the result , and the victims families were black - listed for - life . Chen died of hepatic tumors in 1965 . His cremated remains were moved to Fo Guang Shan , Kaohsiung County ( now part of Kaohsiung City ) in August 1995 . His son who tried to run for Taiwan President hopeful was in education and politics . Family . He married Tan Xiang , the daughter of Tan Yankai , daughter of former Chinese Premier . Chen and Tan ' s eldest son , Chen Li - an , also became a politician and ran unsuccessfully at Presidential elections .