Chiang Kai-shek was born on 31 October 1887 in Fenghua, Zhejjang Province, China. He was educated in the military arts at the National Military Academy of Baoding. Married to a Chinese sociologist Mayling Soong, known since by Madame Chiang Kai-Shek.
In 1907 he was at the Military College in Tokyo, where he met Sun Yat-Sen, leader of the Revolutionary Alliance which was the source of the Kuomintang, opposition to the Qing Dynasty (Manchuria). In 1911, Chiang took part in the overthrow of the imperial Chinese government and the establishment of the Republic of China in 1912. He participated also in the Second Chinese Revolution in 1913.
In 1923, posted by Sun, Chiang was in the USSR to study the Soviet military and social system. In 1924 he became superintendent of the Whampoa Military Academy, which was the training center Kuomintan Army.
In 1925, with the death of Sun, the new commander in chief of the National Revolutionary Army Chiang was that eventually unify China. In 1930 launched a campaign against the communists led by Mao Tse Tung.
In 1931, the Japanese invaded Manchuria, and has started a great resistance. During the Second World War, Chiang mobilized resources to resist the Japanese invasion. Received help from the United States.
In 1942 he became the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in China. After World War II, faced Mao Tse-Tung which attempted to impose a communist regime, starting a civil war.The battle of Huaihai between 1948 and 1949 was a major disaster for Chiang, as well as the surrender of General Fu Tso-Yi, to the communists in 1949. This led to the collapse of the nationalist forces were forced to take refuge on the island of Taiwan.
In Taiwan, with U.S. support, Chiang was able to stabilize the situation, establishing a program of economic development, modernizing agriculture and industry. Chiang was one of the most important leaders of modern China, possibly not as important as Sun-Yat-Sen, but it is undeniable that its role in the development of Taiwan was important. The April 5, 1970 Chiang dies of long illness.
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