Chiang Kai-shek - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages Although many critics blame him for the atrocities committed during his regime, many people greatly appreciate his achievements with regard to the country’s economic development.  
The early years of Chiang Kai-shek were not very smooth but he managed to attend the Japanese Military Staff College. After completing his military education, he served in the Japanese Imperial Army for a number of years. A staunch supporter of Sun Yat-sen, Kai-shek returned to China in 1911 to help in the creation of the nationalists’ army. Sun Yat-sen chose Chiang Kai-shek as a leader of the Guomindang’s Military Academy which was situated in Whampoa2. In the course of time, the he was sent to Moscow to study about the organization of Red Army for a period of six months.
As a leader of Guomindang, Chiang favoured his former workmates at Whampoa and consequently appointed them in various ranks within the Guomindang. Sun Yat-sen died in 1925 and there arose a power struggle among his possible successors as noted by Guangdi3. At the death of Sun yat-sen, Chiang was a right wing while Wang Jingwei, Sun Yat-sen’s comrade-in-arms, was a left wing adherent. Wang succeeded Sun Yat-sen as the national government’s Chairman as noted by Shieh4. Chiang was in a better position to succeed him because he was the leader of the Guomindang army. He was seen as a more suitable leader for the position because his disciplined and loyal army was more likely to fight for him rather than fight for others. Politically, Chiang was in a central position in China which gave him the capacity to control a wide region. He organised a fierce campaign against Guomindang warlords and consolidated his leadership position in 19265. He went further to control Nanking, Canton, and Beijing which were the most important Chinese cities at the time. During his tenure as government chairman, he served as party ...Download file to see next pagesRead More