World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseHu Su was born in Qingjiang, Jiangxi Province, Qing Dynasty China in 1899. He attended Wenhu Elementary School and Xianli Middle School in his home county before studying economics and then military science (at the Japanese Army Academy) in Japan. After returning to China, he served as an instructor in the provincial army of Jiangxi Province and then was assigned to the headquarters of Jiangxi 1st Division. In the spring of 1924, he enrolled in the Whampoa Military Academy, graduating in Nov 1924 and was made a platoon leader. In Apr 1925, he was promoted to the rank of captain an was made a company commander. In Oct 1925, he was promoted to the rank of sub-colonel. In Nov 1925, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1926, he participated in the Northern Expedition. In the fall of 1926, he was assigned to the Chinese 21st Division. In Nov 1927, he was sent to Japan to study economics and military science. In Oct 1928, he was promoted to the rank of colonel and was placed in command of the training of the men of 21st Division. In Sep 1929, he was transferred to the 3rd Division to take command of the 14th Regiment. In May 1932, he was made the commanding officer of 18th Regiment of 3rd Division. In May 1933, he served as the chief of staff of the Nanchang Garrison. In Oct 1933, he was made the chief of staff of 93rd Division under General Tang Yunshan. In Apr 1935, he entered Army War College for two years of advanced studies. In Dec 1937, after the outbreak of war, he was assigned to the infantry section of the instructional staff of the Central Military Academy. In Jun 1938, he was promoted to the rank of major general and was given command of the 25th Training Unit. In Sep 1938, he was transferred to the Education Department of the Chinese Army as its deputy chief, while concurrently holding command of the 25th Training Unit. In Sep 1939, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. In May 1943, his 25th Training Unit was reorganized as the 30th Division, and he retained the command. In Aug 1944, he was made the deputy commanding officer of the New 1st Army which his division was a part of; in this role, at Myitkyina and Bhamo in Burma, he made a name as daring commander who impressed Joseph Stilwell so much that, in a rare feat, he was allowed to replace a more timid American general in directing battlefield maneuvers. In Feb 1946, he was made the deputy commanding officer of 205th Division of 9th Army of the US-trained Chinese Youth Army Group. In Sep 1946, he was made an inspector. In Jun 1947, he was given charge of a group of inspectors that reported directly to the office of the Chairman of the Nationalist Government, ie. Chiang Kaishek. In Nov 1947, he was elected Jiangxi Province's representative to the National Assembly. In Aug 1948, he was made the deputy commander of all defensive forces of Jiangxi, with concurrent role as the Nanchang garrison commander. In May 1949, he was made the deputy commander of 12th Group Army consisted of various rear garrison and reserve forces. In Oct 1949, he was assigned to the Department of Defense. After migrating to Taiwan, he effectively retired from service. His name was officially removed from the inactive list in Jan 1960. After devoting the remainder of his life to Buddhism, he passed away in Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China in Jun 1978.

Photographs

Hu Su Timeline