111 replies to this topic

[ROC_Citizen]

Is Chiang Kai Shek really such a villain? The Chen Shui Bian administration recently decide to remove all bronze statues of the Chiang father and son from all military camps and schools in Taiwan. Annually, during elections or 228 incident anniversary, hardcore independence supporters would protest and vandalise Chiang's statues. And needless to say, in mainland china, he is portrayed as a traitor and villian in history textbooks. But is he really such a villian?

In my opinion, he should be the national hero of all Chinese because without his persistence and leadership during the war against the Japanese, our race and country would really be wiped out. The communist may claimed that they are the real force behind the war against the Japanese but statistics and facts showed that they did not really fight against the Japanese. It was the KMT under Chiang that really fought hard against the Japanese. Yet, he is being demonized in both the mainland and Taiwan. It is really sad to see a national hero end up in this state. History is really unfair to Chiang Kai Shek.

[ROC_Citizen]

Chiang was a corrupt despotic leader not a villain or traitor in my dictionary.He didn't/couldn't lived up to a giant figure China desperately needed at that time.

His greatest military accomplishment was the defeat of Bei-Yung ( Dong-Bei ) warlords and united China's forces and people under KMT government.

It remains to be seen,if future historians and scholars would put him in the ranks of past Chinese patriotic heros like CAOCAO,YU FEI,many others Chinese continue to revered.

Well, without his leadership during the war against the Japanese , who else is fit to fill his shoe during that time? The communist had wanted to exercute him during the Xian Incident but was stopped by Stalin as even Stalin believe that Chiang and the KMT government was the only political force in China capable of stopping the Japanese invaders. He definitely lived up to it as a giant figure which China needed during the war, the Chongqing Spirit was the main inspiration for the Chinese people during that time.

However, as a military man, I must admit that he is a dictator and not a supporter of democracy like Sun Yat Sen. I would compare him with Winston Churchill. Both are remarkable wartime leaders but failed as peactime leaders. Therefore, I would say his greatest accomplishment is the war against the Japanese, followed by the Northen Expedition against the warlords.

[ROC_Citizen]

A giant figure should be defined as someone can shake and shape the world in his or her terms not just rough up some armed bandits.

Chiang was a THIRD-RATE leader as was his only son who blindly hand-picked Lee-Teng-Hui as his successor.There is an old saying in Cantonese dialect .... a dog doesn't bark BITES DEADLY.

My next door neighbor is a lifetime KMT member and fled mainland in 1947 as a youngster,his old man was a sheriff at a police station in Tainan/Taiwan.He personally vented to me,Chiang's bad reputation stemmed from his personal interests came first then good for the country and people and played favoratism.He and I both agreed,China would have been better if Dr Sun Yat Sen had lived 10-20 years longer.Dr Sun Yat Sen truly loved his country and his people,that's why Chinese revere him as an inspiring Chinese patriot like YU FEI.

Except for a few remnant die-hard Chiang or old KMT supporters who continue to worship him which is beyond me,Chiang obviously doesn't have many fans among Chinese.IMO

Wow! The Japanese Imperial Army was not just some armed bandits, mind you. Tell me which other leader could have done better than him at that time?

As for picking Lee Teng Hui, it's his son's mistake. Why blame it on him?

But I agree with you that the history of China would be totally different had Dr Sun Yat Sen lived longer. He truely love the country and the people.

[naruwan]

even if Chiang wasn't a villian (which Chen is not painting him as a villian, rather simply removing the taboos around bashing Chiang), he still doesn't deserved to have statues all over the island. Only 1 kind of people will have their statues all over their country, mad dictators.

[bhchao]

Chiang Kai-shek definitely had his flaws. He placed a much higher emphasis on loyalty from his subordinates, than on a government based on talent and meritocracy.

Chiang had a vindictive personality who wasted men of talent like George Yeh and Sun Li-jen.

His son Chiang Ching-kuo was a much better politician who knew that KMT eventually had to grant more participation in government to Taiwanese.

[ROC_Citizen]

even if Chiang wasn't a villian (which Chen is not painting him as a villian, rather simply removing the taboos around bashing Chiang), he still doesn't deserved to have statues all over the island. Only 1 kind of people will have their statues all over their country, mad dictators.

I agree that his statues should not be placed all over the country. However, as the 1st head of Whoampoa Military School, his statue definitely deserve a place in the military camps.

[ROC_Citizen]

I agree that Chiang is a dictator, practising cronyism and not meritocracy. However, I would like to know about opinions with regards to his contribution and acoomplishment during the war against the Japanese. Could china had survived without him?

[Yasis]

Chiang is no villian, he is just a loser. If he had won, he could have employed pro-Chiang historians to write about his achievements and omit out his failures and actrocities. Also, he could have built a cult of personality. Dissidents, as usual, will be killed. A bit like North Korea actually.

Winners write history and winners usually write that they are right and losers are wrong.

[ROC_Citizen]

Chiang is no villian, he is just a loser. If he had won, he could have employed pro-Chiang historians to write about his achievements and omit out his failures and actrocities. Also, he could have built a cult of personality. Dissidents, as usual, will be killed. A bit like North Korea actually.

Winners write history and winners usually write that they are right and losers are wrong.

Precisely, I'm wondering whether the bad history about Chiang is due to the fact that this history is written by his rival which defeated him. If you compare Mao and Chiang, who do you think contribute more to China?

[ROC_Citizen]

I was wondering why Mao is still revered in China after causing so much harm and suffering to China while Chiang being a the wartime leader of China ,whose wrong doings were nothing compared to mao, does not have a similar place in history.

[yehzhaofeng]

Because Mao eventually led China to unity having using an iron fist on all ethnicities/ranks. Chiang couldn't do that because his pro modernization policies have left out other groups and you know, not stable.

Chiang isn't so inoocent. My grandparents, whoa re very pro-KMT and democracy in China thinks Chiang is a loser. Take note, many Chinese felt betrayed and abandoned when Chiang retreated to Taiwan.

[naruwan]

I agree that his statues should not be placed all over the country. However, as the 1st head of Whoampoa Military School, his statue definitely deserve a place in the military camps.

so? just have his head place in the HuangPu military school. There is one in Taiwan isn't there? Why does it have to be in VERY military base?

[Sephodwyrm]

Well, he's a villain that lost, and Mao's the villain that won. The villain that won made a few mistakes, but the chances are that the CCP wouldn't have people messing up as badly as Mao did.

On the other hand, we of the ROC are still very capable of allowing Chiang-wannabes to become presidents. So...yeah...

[Yasis]

Mao dislike by victimized BLACK 5 KINDS,I've personally met a few mercilessly mouthed down Mao as evil dude.

Must be our good friends from the epochtimes. I wonder whether they are funded by USA...

[ROC_Citizen]

so? just have his head place in the HuangPu military school. There is one in Taiwan isn't there? Why does it have to be in VERY military base?

HuangPu is the 1st military school of the ROC armed forces that create the core of the current ROC military. As the founder and pioneer of the ROC armed forces, it is justifiable to have his statue in every military bases.