Chiang Kai-shek

Also Chiang Chieh-shih

[chang kahy-shek, jyahng]

noun

1. Chiang Chung-cheng, 1886?–1975, Chinese army officer and political leader: president of the Republic of China 1950–75.

Chiang Kai-shek

/ ˈtʃæŋ kaɪˈʃɛk /

noun

1. original name Chiang Chung-cheng, 1887–1975, Chinese general: president of China (1928–31; 1943–49) and of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (1950–75). As chairman of the Kuomintang, he allied with the Communists against the Japanese (1937–45), but in the Civil War that followed was forced to withdraw to Taiwan after his defeat by the Communists (1949)

Chiang Kai-shek

1. A Chinese general and political leader of the twentieth century. He was president of China until he was overthrown in 1949 by Chinese communist forces under Mao Zedong, who established the People's Republic of China. Chiang fled to Taiwan, where he established the government of the Republic of China, or Nationalist China (see also Nationalist China), recognized by the United States until 1979 as the only legitimate government of China.