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'''Chiang Kai-shek''' (or '''Jiang Jieshi''' in the [[pinyin]] version)<ref> His last name is Chiang, his first name is Kai-shek.  When the Communists came to power they changed the system of translation and made his name Jiang Jieshi in English. Most English language books call him Chiang Kai-shek.  ([[Traditional Chinese]]: 蔣介石; [[Simplified Chinese]]: 蒋介石; [[Hanyu Pinyin]]: Jiǎng Jièshí; [[Jyutping]]: Zoeng² Gaai³ Sek⁶)</ref> (1887-1975) was the leader of the the [[Chinese Nationalists]], controlling the [[Kuomintang]] or '''"KMT"''' party from 1925 following the death of [[Sun Yat-sen]]. In command of the KMT armies, he unified all of China (except Manchuria) in 1927-29. From 1928 until his death in 1975 was a tyrannical and incompetent dictator of the [[Republic of China]]. CHiang allowed landlords to overwork peasants like slaves, killed millions of innocent people, and plunged his country into hyper-inflation. Chiang converted to Christianity when he married [[Soong May-ling]], a [[Methodist]] educated in the U.S. The husband and wife became widely popular in the U.S., and under Chiang's leadership China received very strong U.S. support during World War II and a lot of money was given to him in order to fight the Japanese who took over most of China in 1937. However, most of the money went into the pockets of corrupt officials as Chiang was planning to save his energy to fight Mao Zedong. Although Chiang was nominally in charge of the "China-Burma-India" theater, actual command was held by American and British generals, especially [[Joseph Stilwell]]. Relatively little fighting took place in Kuomintag China. The Red Army led by Mao had done most of the fighting. Nevertheless, Chiang gained world stature, and China was given a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 1945. Chiang became an ardent opponent of Communism in the late 1920s, but lost to [[Mao Zedong]], who was more popular with people, in the Chinese civil war, fleeing with his government and army to Taiwan in 1949.   

'''Chiang Kai-shek''' (or '''Jiang Jieshi''' in the [[pinyin]] version)<ref> His last name is Chiang, his first name is Kai-shek.  When the Communists came to power they changed the system of translation and made his name Jiang Jieshi in English. Most English language books call him Chiang Kai-shek.  ([[Traditional Chinese]]: 蔣介石; [[Simplified Chinese]]: 蒋介石; [[Hanyu Pinyin]]: Jiǎng Jièshí; [[Jyutping]]: Zoeng² Gaai³ Sek⁶)</ref> (1887-1975) was the leader of the the [[Chinese Nationalists]], controlling the [[Kuomintang]] or '''"KMT"''' party from 1925 following the death of [[Sun Yat-sen]]. In command of the KMT armies, he unified all of China (except Manchuria) in 1927-29. From 1928 until his death in 1975 was the paramount leader and (with brief interruptions) president of the [[Republic of China]]. Chiang converted to Christianity when he married [[Soong May-ling]], a [[Methodist]] educated in the U.S. The husband and wife became widely popular in the U.S., and under Chiang's leadership China received very strong U.S. support during World War II in order to fight the Japanese who took over most of China in 1937. Although Chiang was nominally in charge of the "China-Burma-India" theater, actual command was held by American and British generals, especially [[Joseph Stilwell]]. Relatively little fighting took place in China. Nevertheless, Chiang gained world stature, and China was given a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 1945. Chiang became an ardent opponent of Communism in the late 1920s, but lost to [[Mao Zedong]] in the Chinese civil war, fleeing with his government and army to Taiwan in 1949.   

American conservatives greatly admired and supported Chiang and his wife. Long derided by liberals, his reputation has been improving among scholars. Taylor (2009) argues that, far from being incompetent, Chiang was a farsighted, disciplined and canny strategist who repeatedly predicted major geopolitical events and worked effectively for China, given its poverty. Chiang laid the foundation not only for Taiwan's prosperity, but also for its transformation into the only democracy in the Chinese-speaking world, and one of the few in Asia.  Even the mainland, where he was the great enemy for a half century, Chiang is now widely regarded as a national patriot who made valuable contributions to the modernization of China. The Communist leaders in Beijing have looked to Taiwan as a model for what a prosperous and free Chinese society might be like. Mainstream Chinese scholars are suggesting that the country might have been better off had Chiang triumphed in 1949 instead of Mao.

American conservatives greatly admired and supported Chiang and his wife. Long derided by liberals, his reputation has been improving among scholars. Taylor (2009) argues that, far from being incompetent, Chiang was a farsighted, disciplined and canny strategist who repeatedly predicted major geopolitical events and worked effectively for China, given its poverty. Chiang laid the foundation not only for Taiwan's prosperity, but also for its transformation into the only democracy in the Chinese-speaking world, and one of the few in Asia.  Even the mainland, where he was the great enemy for a half century, Chiang is now widely regarded as a national patriot who made valuable contributions to the modernization of China. The Communist leaders in Beijing have looked to Taiwan as a model for what a prosperous and free Chinese society might be like. Mainstream Chinese scholars are suggesting that the country might have been better off had Chiang triumphed in 1949 instead of Mao.

By September 1926 his KMT armies had captured [[Wuhan]] on the middle [[Yangtse]], and a KMT government was established there. Instead of continuing to press north, Chiang turned east and in March 1927 occupied [[Nanjing]], which was to become the Nationalist's capital city, and [[Shanghai]].  "Gui clique" (Guangxi warlords) in 1929 depended mainly on his successful military strategy. Before the war broke out he sought to settle the dispute peacefully, insisting on striking only after the enemy had struck first, leaving the impression that he was forced to accept a challenge. This bought him time to prepare for military action and won the support of the people. Just before the outbreak of hostilities he took well-thought-out steps to deploy troops, strengthen discipline, win over friendly forces, and split the enemy forces. After the war broke out he applied flexible strategy and tactics, effectively containing [[Feng Yuxiang]]'s intended attack on [[Wuhan]] and thereby safeguarding the security of the city. These steps created favorable conditions for the armies from [[Hunan]] and Canton to eventually occupy the Gui clique's base in [[Guangxi]].

By September 1926 his KMT armies had captured [[Wuhan]] on the middle [[Yangtse]], and a KMT government was established there. Instead of continuing to press north, Chiang turned east and in March 1927 occupied [[Nanjing]], which was to become the Nationalist's capital city, and [[Shanghai]].  "Gui clique" (Guangxi warlords) in 1929 depended mainly on his successful military strategy. Before the war broke out he sought to settle the dispute peacefully, insisting on striking only after the enemy had struck first, leaving the impression that he was forced to accept a challenge. This bought him time to prepare for military action and won the support of the people. Just before the outbreak of hostilities he took well-thought-out steps to deploy troops, strengthen discipline, win over friendly forces, and split the enemy forces. After the war broke out he applied flexible strategy and tactics, effectively containing [[Feng Yuxiang]]'s intended attack on [[Wuhan]] and thereby safeguarding the security of the city. These steps created favorable conditions for the armies from [[Hunan]] and Canton to eventually occupy the Gui clique's base in [[Guangxi]].

After destroying the Communists' main base of power in Shanghai in April 1927, Chiang was now the undisputed leader of the Kuomintang and the most powerful man in China. In 1928 two northern warlords, [[Yan Xishan]] and Feng Yuxiang, pledged their loyalty to him, and Yan's troops drove the last major warlord opponent, [[Zhang Zuolin]], out of [[Beijing]]. The Northern Expedition was over, and Chiang was master of China.

After destroying the Communists' main base of power in Shanghai in April 1927, Chiang was now the undisputed leader of the Kuomintang and the most powerful man in China. In 1928 two northern warlords, [[Yan Xishan]] and Feng Yuxiang, pledged their loyalty to him, and Yan's troops drove the last major warlord opponent, [[Zhang Zuolin]], out of [[Beijing]]. The Northern Expedition was over, and Chiang was master of China.

==1937-1948==

==1937-1948==

Chiang was in full charge of the KMT after 1927, with the title of "generalissimo"; he thus ruled that part of China controlled by the KMT. With the Japanese gaining more Chinese territory, the policy of "trading space for time" (Chinese: 以空間換取時間) was adopted. Chiang moved, not only his government, but much of China's industrial production, several hundred miles west to the interior city of Chunking, in the remote mountains of [[Sichuan]] province.  

Chiang was in full charge of the KMT after 1927, with the title of "generalissimo"; he thus ruled that part of China controlled by the KMT. With the Japanese gaining more Chinese territory, the policy of "trading space for time" (Chinese: 以空間換取時間) was adopted. Chiang moved, not only his government, but much of China's industrial production, several hundred miles west to the interior city of Chunking, in the remote mountains of [[Sichuan]] province.