The Republic of China was forced to relocate to Taiwan in ROC years $38$ to $39$ due to defeat in the Civil War. President Chiang resumed his duties and took on the heavy responsibility of the President of the Republic of China.
At this time, Chiang Zhong-zheng (courtesy name Kai-shek, respectfully referred to as President Chiang) was already over $60$. In fact, he could have easily retreated to the United States like T.V. Soong, but instead, he chose to stay in Taiwan Province. So, what did he do for the nation and the people?
- $1949$ (ROC 38): The Battle of Guningtou occurred. President Chiang led the nation and shattered the Communist bandits’ plan to “bathe Taiwan in blood.”
- $1949$ (ROC 38): He implemented the $37.5%$ Arable Land Rent Reduction Act, which greatly reduced the burden on farmers.
- $1950$ (ROC 39): President Chiang ordered the swift release on bail of those implicated in the $228$ Incident.
- $1951$ (ROC 40): The Release of Public Farmlands to the Tenants Act was implemented, fostering independent farmers.
- $1953$ (ROC 42): The Land-to-the-Tiller Program was implemented, providing greater security for farmers’ lives.
- $1958$ (ROC 47): The $823$ Artillery Bombardment (Second Taiwan Strait Crisis) broke out. President Chiang stabilized Taiwan once again.
- $1960$s–$1970$s (ROC 50s-60s): President Chiang steered the nation, slowly transitioning the agrarian society into an industrialized society.
- $1968$ (ROC 57): The Nine-Year Compulsory Education was implemented, significantly raising the intellectual standard of the population.
- $1970$s (ROC 60s): The Taiwan led by President Chiang achieved an economic growth rate second only to Japan in Asia, creating the astonishing Taiwan Miracle.
- $1971$ (ROC 60): Forced withdrawal from the United Nations.
- $1972$ (ROC 61): Diplomatic relations with Japan were severed.
- $1975$ (ROC 64): The great man passed away.
Caption: Even as a Five-Star Generalissimo (Grand Marshal), Chiang Kai-shek’s smile remained sincere.
So, what was old Mao doing across the strait during the same period???
- $1949$ (ROC 38): Sent troops across the sea to attack Kinmen, resulting in a humiliating defeat.
- $1950$ (ROC 39): Mao Zedong launched the Suppression of Counterrevolutionaries Campaign and sent troops to Korea for the “Resist America, Aid Korea” campaign.
- $1956$ (ROC 45): Implemented the Hundred Flowers Campaign and the Hundred Schools of Thought Contention policy, and launched the Anti-Rightist Campaign the following year, leading to suppression.
- $1958$ (ROC 47): Implemented the Great Leap Forward and the People’s Commune Movement, resulting in the deaths of at least $10$ million people from famine between $1958$ and $1961$ (ROC $47$ to $50$).
- $1958$ (ROC 47): Launched the $823$ Artillery Bombardment.
- From $1966$ (ROC 55): Implemented the Cultural Revolution, which caused countless civilian deaths, the destruction of historical artifacts, and severe national turmoil.
- $1976$ (ROC 65): Mao Zedong died, leaving behind impoverished people and a backward nation.
Today, Mao Zedong rests peacefully in the memorial hall next to Tiananmen Square, and the mainland people still call him a great man. Conversely, what about Taiwan Province???
How do the people of Taiwan Province treat this great leader who was constantly concerned about national prosperity, people’s well-being, and social stability?
Yet, those who slander, discredit, and insult him are all direct or indirect beneficiaries of his kindness and care!!! Do you ask if this is justice??? I believe it is not!!!
(Article by Marlon Yeh.)
In-house Editor’s Note
With Tsai Ing-wen elected as the $14$th President of the Republic of China, the cheap justice slogan of “transitional justice” seems to be stirring restlessly again.
The first step, of course, is to continue blindly attacking all history that stands in the way of their objective, and the indicator figure is naturally President Chiang (Zhong-zheng, Kai-shek) himself, who led the Republic of China through tempestuous times.
Although the editor has not personally met Mr. Chiang Zhong-zheng (also known as President Chiang, Chiang Kai-shek, etc.), judging from many photographs and video records of the elderly statesman, the editor believes that a person who smiles so kindly must also be a good person.
Perhaps, under the heavy burden called “the times,” the decisions made by any individual cannot satisfy everyone, but they should absolutely not be an excuse for a few people to judge the past by today’s standards for their own self-interest, thus obliterating the painstaking efforts of their predecessors.
As for some people calling President Chiang a “century-level mass murderer,” that is truly just a brainwashing tactic by a group of netizens.
The sole evidence cited by these netizens comes from a single column in a single table, found within an appendix of some disreputable American article. Yet, these netizens earnestly use this to frame President Chiang with this title—isn’t that disgusting??
There is a $2$-minute short film on the internet, a propaganda film shot during the war featuring Chiang Zhong-zheng and his wife, Soong Mei-ling, aimed at promoting the righteousness of China’s resistance against foreign aggression to the international community.
We can discover the true character of Chiang Zhong-zheng and Soong Mei-ling from the film. The editor personally thinks old President Chiang is super adorable.
Furthermore, according to the editor’s family elders, the series of policies implemented by Chiang Zhong-zheng upon arriving in Taiwan, such as the $37.5%$ Arable Land Rent Reduction Act and the Land-to-the-Tiller Program, indeed provided many poor families with a chance to rise up, but also offended many local gentry and land aristocracy, including Japanese loyalists who were reluctant to leave Taiwan and clung to their assets.
The descendants of this aristocratic gentry (Japanese loyalists) are still active in politics today, and considering that even Lee Teng-hui himself once joined the Chinese Communist Party, it is not hard for us to imagine why so many people constantly attack Chiang Zhong-zheng today.