Sun Li-jen

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Sun Li-jen bigraphy, stories - Chinese general and politician

Sun Li-jen : biography

December 8, 1900 – November 19, 1990

Sun Li-jen () (December 8, 1900–November 19, 1990) was a Kuomintang (KMT) General, best known for his leadership in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. His achievements earned him the laudatory nickname "Rommel of the East". His New 1st Army was reputed as the "1st [Best] Army under heaven" and credited with defeating the most Japanese troops. He was also known as Sun Chung-neng (孫仲能, Sūn Zhòngnéng) and had the courtesy name Sun Fu-min (孫撫民, Sūn Fǔmín).

Second Sino-Japanese War

Sun was a colonel and led his troops, a Tax Police Regiment, fighting Japanese during the Battle of Shanghai in 1937. He was badly wounded by mine fragments. After recovery from his injury, Sun led his troops back to the front line. Later, the Nationalist government formed National Salt Gabelle Brigade with 8 regiments. These were the KMT’s best trained and equipped troops. Four of the regiments later became the New 38th Division, with Sun as the Commanding General. His training center was located in Duyun, in Guizhou province.

After two years training, Sun’s New 38th Division was part of the forces Chiang Kai-shek sent into Burma to protect the Burma Road under General Du Yuming. Sun led Chinese forces to the relief of 7,000 British forces trapped by the Japanese in the Battle of Yenangyaung. Although unable to stop the Japanese from cutting the Burma Road, Sun gained the respect of General William Slim, the Commander of the British 14th Army, for his competence. Sun and his division retreated into India, while those of Du, against Sun’s advice, retreated back into China and were badly mauled both by nature and by the Japanese.

Sun’s troops ultimately became a part of ‘X Force’, the Chinese forces under the command of Joseph Stilwell, the American commander of all American and Chinese forces deployed in the "China Burma India Theater". Sun’s division, retrained and reequipped in India, solidified Stillwell’s respect for the Chinese soldier, and ultimately spearheaded Stilwell’s 1943 drive to reconquer North Burma and re-establish the land route to China by the Ledo Road.

In Taiwan

As the commander of the Army Training Command and deputy commander of the Republic of China Army in 1947, Sun moved one training facility to Taiwan, independent from the on-going civil war. Sun trained new officers and troops for the Nationalist government, hoping to change the tide of the civil war. The effort was too little, too late in comparison with the massive numbers of troops defeated, but one of the divisions he trained (201 Division of the 80th Army) was sent to Quemoy to help fend off the communist invasion in 1949. It was the front line defense force.

Later in 1950, Sun was named the Commander in Chief of the Republic of China Army, while also serving as commander of the Taiwan Defense Command and the Army Training Command. Because Sun was well respected by the Americans and rumors had it that the Americans would like to help him into power to replace Chiang Kai-Shek, Chiang and his son Chiang Ching-kuo were eager to remove him from power.

First, Sun was reassigned as the ceremonial chief military adviser to Chiang Kai-Shek in June 1954, preventing him from directly controlling any troops. In 1950, Chiang’s son became director of his father’s secret police, a position he held until 1965. The son, educated in the Soviet Union, initiated Soviet style military organization in the Republic of China military, reorganizing and Sovietizing the officer corps, instituting surveillance. Opposed to this was Sun Li-jen, who was educated at the American Virginia Military Institute. Chiang’s son orchestrated the controversial arrest and court-martial of Sun in August 1955, allegedly for plotting a coup d’état with the American CIA against his father. The CIA allegedly wanted to help Sun take control of Taiwan and declare its independence. Sun remained under house arrest until much later he was released on March 20, 1988, shortly after the death of Chiang Ching-kuo.