Chiang Kai-shek (HM6)

Chiang Kai-shek (* October 31st 1887 in Hsi-kou, county of Fenghua, Province of Chekiang), since 1925 leader of the Party, is the leading Politician of in 1940, and Marshal/Generalissimo to boot. Formally, he is allied with the Communists against the Japanese, although he'd rather get rid of the former than the latter. "The Japanese are like a disease of the skin, the Communists like a condition of the heart." He's said to be very corrupt and a Speculant, although he has a very frugal Lifestyle.
At the Age of 18, he cut off his queue and decided to go to . He stayed there for several Months, paying from his own funds, but without being able to join the Japanese Military as planned. During the rule of Yuan Shikai, he also fled to Japan several times.
In 1923, he went to the for several months, to campaign for Military support, but failed with this. Later, he also sent his sons to the Soviet Union (where they stayed for years, essentially political hostages of ), and the younger one to Nazi Germany, to go to the Military school there.
It was his suggestion to call the new Army . In January 1926, he was elected into the Executive committee of the Kuomintang.
On the 12th/13th of April 1927, the Shanghai Massacre happened, during which Thousands of Communists and bystanders were killed. On April 18th, he proclaimed the Nanking government. In Summer 1929, he had formally united China, although many warlords and the Communists under still controlled wide parts of the country.
After having all the power, he tried to rebuild the country, which had suffered from the mismanagement of the Ch'ing Dynasty and the Civil War, and rebuild Democracy as well.
Until this time, he had been known in the West and in the Soviet Union as the "Red General", whose picture even was carried during Soviet Parades along the side of famous Communist leaders. But now he turned against the Communists and had many ten thousands of them killed.
After Japan invaded and cut it off from China, he accepted Help from , to build up his Armed forces, which made Hans von Seeckt and Alexander von Falkenhausen his leading advisors. This situation ended when Germany and Japan made their pact. Even so, many called his rule fascist, Mao even called him the "Chinese Hitler".
He ordered to breach the dikes in the Province Henan at the Yellow River on June 9th 1938, which was based on the Idea of stopping the Japanese Army by Flooding whole Provinces, but cost the lives of at least a Million people. At the very least, the Floodings caused a month-long break of the Japanese campaign. The survivors were forced by the Japanese with force of arms to rebuild the dams; the Dikes haven't all been rebuilt yet.
1930/31, 1935-38 and since November 1939, he was/is the Chinese Prime minister.
== Family and Private Life ==
At the Age of 14, he married then 19-year-old Mao Fu-mei, since this was his Mother's Wish. Mao became the Mother of his only Son Chiang Ching-kuo. In 1921, he got divorced from her. Besides to her, he was also married to Yao Ye-cheng, Ch'en "Jennie" Chi'eh-yu (1921-27) and Soong May-ling (seit 1927). He also has an Adoptive son, the Half-Japanese Chiang Wei-kuo.
Being influenced by his wife, Chiang had become a Methodist Christian, after reading the bible twice. Later, he himself copy-edited a Chinese Bible translation, and wrote a foreword for a Psalm's translation.
In 1937, he and his wife were declared "Man of the Year" by Time Magazine.
He can trace his ancestry back to the duke of Chou in the 12th century BC.
Category:Chiang Kai-shek
Category:Military (HM6)
Category:Rulers (HM6)
Category:China (HM6)
de:Tschiang Kai-schek (W6)