I worked for Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek for forty years. Huang Jin-lin's Memoirs

Author: Huang Renlin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Huang Renlin (1901—1983) held a relatively low military and political position in the Kuomintang (his highest military rank before retirement was that of a major general), but his unique identity and experiences made his memoirs highly valuable as historical sources, filling certain gaps in the records of modern Chinese history. For example:
After the September 18th Incident, he accompanied the League of Nations Secretary-General, disguised as church personnel, and secretly entered Shenyang City at great risk to investigate the Japanese invasion. Based on their investigation report, the League of Nations dispatched the "Liiton Commission" to China.
The day after the Xi'an Incident, he was commissioned by Soong Mei-ling to fly to Xi'an with General Endicott, the advisor to the family. After meeting, he was also detained by Zhang Xueliang. After 12 days, he flew out of Xi'an with and Soong Mei-ling (the photo on the cover is a group photo of Huang Renlin, Endicott, and after the Xi'an Incident). Upon arriving in Nanjing, he was responsible for guarding the young marshal. Years later, he officiated at the wedding of Zhao Siqing to Zhang Xueliang.
In 1943, he flew to Cairo as a personal aide to and Soong Mei-ling to attend the meeting of the "Big Three," attending to their daily needs throughout the conference. He was also tasked by to directly negotiate arrangements with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, though he did not participate in the formal meetings, he was the most active behind the scenes (the photo on the back cover shows Huang Renlin translating for Roosevelt and during the preparation for the Big Three's group photo in Cairo).
Around the time of the victory in the War of Resistance, he had direct contact with senior Allied commanders such as Stilwell, Chennault, Wedemeyer, Mountbatten, and Eisenhower. He was also the person in charge of receiving the Marshall Mission, which came to China to mediate the conflict between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party.
For his effective work in welcoming U.S. military personnel to China, he was personally commended by U.S. President Harry S. Truman (the commendation letter praised him as "exhibiting outstanding performance and meriting commendation").
After the Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan, he was appointed as the "Commander of the Combined Logistics Department," overseeing the logistical supply of the Kuomintang army. During the Battle of Jinmen, he nearly drowned to death. His involvement in these critical historical moments was due to and Soong Mei-ling's trust and reliance on him.
Huang Renlin studied in the United States, graduating from a church-affiliated school. Upon returning to China, he worked as an executive at the Christian Youth Association in Shanghai. In 1929, introduced by Kong Xiangxi, he was appointed as the head of the "Motivation Society" of the Whampoa Alumni Association by, becoming a key organizer of the "Motivation Society Movement" in the Kuomintang army in the 1930s and 1940s and the "New Life Movement" nationwide.
After the outbreak of the War of Resistance, he served as the commander of the "Battlefield Service Corps," responsible for welcoming foreign military personnel who came to China to aid in the war, such as the Flying Tigers from the United States and the Soviet Air Force.
After the war, he was sent to the United States to study military logistics, and then appointed as the commander of the Kuomintang army's "Combined Logistics Headquarters," responsible for receiving U.S. aid supplies.
After leaving the military, he was appointed as the chairman of the China Merchants' Bank and the "ambassador" of Taiwan to Panama.
Additionally, the Motivation Society, under his leadership as the executive, began providing special services to and Soong Mei-ling upon its establishment. Every trip and residence of the family was arranged and cared for by him, and he also worked alongside Dai Li's military intelligence system to ensure their security. In this way, the Motivation Society became, in a sense, an auxiliary organization for handling's household affairs, making Huang Renlin a "member of their family" and deeply trusted and relied upon by them.
He called himself's "loyal servant," and personally wrote a scroll with the words "Loyal and Diligent" to gift him.
After's death in 1975, Huang Renlin was neglected by's successor and fully retired. In the early 1980s, he wrote this memoir in English.
This memoir holds certain historical reference value for the study of 20th-century Chinese politics, military, and diplomacy.
It should be noted that during the editing of this book, due to the inability to verify the English manuscript (which is preserved in the library of Columbia University and the Hoover Institution), the names of people, places, and some historical terms were retained in traditional Chinese characters, with only a few exceptions annotated. The inconvenience caused by this reading habit is kindly acknowledged by the readers.
Additionally, regarding the anti-communist stance and the pro- remarks expressed by the author in the text, readers are expected to discern them on their own. Therefore, apart from a few brief explanations in the form of "editor's notes," no additional annotations are provided.
To help readers better understand the historical facts described in this memoir, the book "Behind the Scenes of the Motivation Society,'s Inner Court Attendants" by Hou Minggao is appended for reference.