World War II Database

Chen Cheng, courtesy name Chen Cixiu, was born in Qingtian, Zhejiang. He graduated from Baoding Military Academy in 1922 and joined the Whampoa Academy in 1924. He joined the Chinese National Revolutionary Army (sometimes the Nationalist Army) at Whampoa and participated in the Northern Expedition against Chinese warlords as a junior officer, but was soon promoted to battalion and then divisional level commander during the campaign. By the end of the Northern Expedition, he was the commander of the 18th Army. In 1931, a general, he led Nationalist forces in suppressing Communist forces. He was one of the leaders credited with defeating the Communist Army and forcing it to withdraw into the Long March, though through the defeat of the Communists he also suffered heavy casualties.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chen was charged with the defense of Wuhan, China's second largest city and an important political, industrial, and transportation center. He later commanded troops in the battles at Changsha, Yichang, and finally the overall Chinese commander in Burma in 1943.

After WW2, the Nationalist forces resumed the Civil War that had officially been put on hold during the war with the Japanese. In 1947, Chen led troops in Manchuria against Communist positions, but by then the Communists had already strengthened their positions, especially with Russian assistance. Chen suffered a series of defeats that cost the Nationalist Army 1.5 million casualties, thus relieved of his position in 1948. In 1949, Chen was appointed the governor of Taiwan Province in preparation for the Nationalist government's withdraw to the island. It began his political career that eventually led him to become the Vice Executive of the Nationalist Party and then the Premier of the Republic of China. Economic reforms that he and officials under him launched brought him a great deal of popular support.

Chen passed away in 1965 to hepatic tumors. He now rests at Fo Guang Shan, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

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