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Chiang Kai-Shek: An Unauthorized Biography
by
Emily Hahn
3.19 · Rating details · 21 ratings · 4 reviews
An in-depth biography of the towering 20th-century Chinese military and political figure who led the government, first on the mainland and then in exile in Taiwan, from the acclaimed New Yorker correspondent who lived in China when he was head of state
In 1911, 24-year-old Chiang Kai-shek was an obscure Chinese student completing his military training in Japan, the only country in the Far East with a modern army. By 1928, the soldier who no one believed would ever amount to anything had achieved world fame as the leader who broke with Russia and released the newly formed Republic of China from Communist control.
Emily Hahn’s eye-opening book examines Chiang’s friendship with revolutionary Sun Yat-sen and chronicles his marriage to the glamorous, American-educated Soong May-ling, who converted him to Christianity and helped him enact social reforms. As the leader of the Nationalist Party, Chiang led China for over two decades: from 1927 through the Japanese invasion, World War II, and the civil war that ended with a Communist victory in 1949. After defeat, he retreated with his government to Taiwan where he continued to lead as president of the exiled Republic of China until his death in 1975. Famous for forging a new nation out of the chaos of warlordism, he was an Allied leader during the Second World War, only to end up scorned as an unenlightened dictator at the end of his life. Casting a critical eye on Sino-American relations, Hahn sheds new light on this complex leader who was one of the most important global political figures of the last century.
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ebook, 364 pages
Published October 13th 2015 by Open Road Media (first published January 1st 1955)
ISBN
1504016270 (ISBN13: 9781504016278)
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Jun 30, 2015Cold War Conversations Podcast rated it liked it
Shelves: world-war-2-pacific
Unauthorised account of the Nationalist leader of China from his early days to his retreat to Taiwan.
A fascinating account by someone who lived in China during part of this period. Emily Hahn, a correspondent for the New Yorker, arrived in Shanghai in 1935 and wound up staying in China until 1943 and is a fascinating character herself.
She broke all of the rules of the time by traveling the country dressed as a boy, working for the Red Cross in Belgium, being the concubine to a Shanghai poet, using opium, and having a child out of wedlock.
The book itself is written in a very readable style , but it will help if you know some of the historical background. It comprehensively covers his life to the retreat to Taiwan and covers his formative years as well as personal life. My worry is how accurate these accounts are.
All in all a useful addition to the paucity of books on this major World War 2 leader who was fighting the Japanese 4 years before the Western allies.
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May 09, 2017Joe Carpenter rated it liked it
A very biased accounting of the Generalissimo's life. It goes against the common feelings had in Taiwan today, as this book humanizes him and gives him many positive traits while downplaying his failures, or blaming them on outside forces.
Things to like:
-Many primary sources, journals/diaries, official correspondence, period newspapers.
-It was written shortly after (1954) the content all took place so we can see what some of the feelings were towards those events
Things not to like:
-Because of the age of the book many of the heinous things the Chiang did in Taiwan (The white terror) aren't mentioned in the book. I am a student of Taiwanese history and I was disappointed that his time in Taiwan only got a few pages at the end of the book. Though I shouldn't have been surprised at this considering what year the book was written.
- The author was either heavily self censoring herself or felt personal reasons to spin Chiang's story into something a little different than most contemporary sources say. She is apologetic for him and finds excuses for his failings and always takes a few lines periodically to explain why "from a western perspective" what he did might seem bad but....
Would I recommend this book?
It depends why you are reading it. It definitely provides a much more personal history of Chiang than you will find in most history books, taking personal correspondence and interviews from family friends. If your interest in Chiang then I say this might be a decent place to start, provided you collaborate it with other, more objective sources.
As a source of general history I don't think so. Although there is a great deal of information provided within the book, it doesn't read exactly like a history book in my opinion. Too much speculation and explanation by the author as to why decisions were made.
Overall?
It wasn't a bad book on the subject, but it wasn't particularly good either. (less)
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Aug 20, 2015Mandy rated it it was ok
Well researched and thorough, but also a very personal account of Chiang Kai-Shek, I found this biography ultimately unconvincing, not least because it was written in the 1950s and I imagine much more has been discovered about him since then and new light will have been shed on his life and career. Still worth reading, however , not least as an introduction to New Yorker writer Emily Hahn.
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