Editing Chiang Kai-shek (section)

==Chiang Kai-shek==
Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975) was a Chinese military leader and politician who played a central role in modern Chinese history. Born in Zhejiang, he rose through military ranks, training at the Imperial Japanese Army Academy. He joined the Kuomintang (KMT) under Sun Yat-sen and led the Northern Expedition (1926–1928) to unify China, establishing the Nationalist government in Nanjing with himself as leader.
As head of the KMT and the Republic of China (1928–1949), Chiang faced internal challenges (warlord rebellions, Communist insurgency) and external threats (Japanese invasion). His government prioritized anti-Communist campaigns, notably the Encirclement Campaigns, but was criticized for corruption and ineffectiveness. During World War II, Chiang allied with the U.S. and Britain against Japan, though tensions with Communist leader Mao Zedong persisted.
After Japan’s defeat in 1945, civil war resumed between the KMT and Communists. Chiang’s forces, weakened by economic issues and strategic missteps, lost the mainland to Mao’s People’s Republic of China in 1949. Chiang fled to Taiwan, where he ruled as president of the Republic of China until his death in 1975, maintaining authoritarian control and claiming legitimacy over all of China. His regime on Taiwan oversaw economic growth but suppressed dissent.
Chiang’s legacy is divisive: revered by some as a nationalist who resisted Communism and Japanese aggression, criticized by others for authoritarianism and failure to unify China. His rule shaped the political divide between Taiwan and mainland China, with lasting geopolitical impact.