Young Chiang Kai-shek

Author: Cui Xiaozhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: This tells you about the young Chiang Kai-shek that you don't know. He participated in the Xinhai Revolution and made contributions to the liberation of Zhejiang; he followed Sun Yat-sen for many years and gained his deep trust; he led the Whampoa Military Academy, cultivating a large number of military and political talents; he led the Whampoa student army to suppress the Commercial Club Rebellion, launched the Eastern Expedition against Chen Jiongming, quelled the Liu-Yang Rebellion, and conducted the Southern Expedition against Deng Benyin, unifying the revolutionary base in Guangdong. He navigated between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, striking down both the Communist Party and the left-wing forces of the Kuomintang while also targeting the right-wing forces of the Kuomintang, yet his own status rose rapidly. He served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expedition Army and, within half a year, had conquered half of the country. On April 12th, he raised the axe against the revolutionaries, established the Nanjing National Government, and became the ruler of China. All of this happened in the span of over two years.
Postscript: After the April 12th Incident, Chiang Kai-shek intensified the establishment of the Kuomintang Central Committee and the National Government Reserve in Nanjing, and everything proceeded according to Chiang's wishes. On April 14th, Chiang Kai-shek convened a meeting of the Kuomintang Central Executive and Supervisory Committee in Nanjing, using the Shanghai talks between him and Wang Jingwei as a pretext, and scheduled the Fourth Plenary Session of the Kuomintang Second Congress for April 15th in Nanjing, urging Wang Jingwei and others to come to Nanjing. The establishment of the Nanjing National Government indeed marked the end of a historical period and the beginning of a new one. It signified the end of the second Kuomintang-Communist cooperation and the vibrant, imminent victory of the National Revolution, while also marking the beginning of the relentless, irreconcilable civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. For Chiang Kai-shek himself, it was a turning point where he finally escaped the dilemma of daring but not daring to act, of indecision, and it was the start of his unrestrained actions against the Communist Party. The establishment of the Nanjing National Government, though it allowed Chiang Kai-shek to escape the awkward situation of opposing the Communist Party and the Soviet Union, did not bring him peace or relief. In fact, Chiang Kai-shek had unknowingly fallen into another battle that would leave him overwhelmed and exhausted, fighting to maintain his power and status. As a result, history became even more complex and entangled.