Chiang Kai-shek’s personal finances
How much money did Chiang Kai-shek have in his personal bank accounts by 1949? How did his personal finances work? There is no definitive, publicly verified figure for Chiang Kai-shek’s…
Did the Xi’an Incident in 1936 prevent Chiang Kai-shek from annihilating his Communist opponents?
The Xi’an Incident in 1936 significantly disrupted Chiang Kai-shek’s campaign to defeat the Chinese Communists. As the leader of the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT), Chiang had prioritized eliminating the Communist forces…
Alternative History: Commodore Matthew C. Perry occupies Formosa in the 1850s
On his way back to Japan in 1854, U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry anchored off Keelung in Formosa, modern-day Taiwan, for ten days. In his official reports, Perry highlighted the…
How did Ngô Đình Diệm defeat the Bình Xuyên and Hòa Hảo rebels?
In the chaotic aftermath of the First Indochina War and the 1954 Geneva Accords, South Vietnam teetered on the edge of fragmentation. The newly appointed Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm…
Ngô Đình Diệm brought order to South Vietnam in the 1950s – but at what cost?
In the wake of the 1954 Geneva Accords, South Vietnam stood on the edge of disintegration. The country was not yet a coherent state but a patchwork of rival factions,…
Why did the U.S. State Department not push for independence for former Japanese colony Taiwan between 1945 and 1949?
Between 1945 and 1949, the U.S. State Department's stance on Taiwan’s status was shaped by a mix of strategic, geopolitical, and practical considerations in the complex post-World War II landscape.…
Could Chiang Kai-shek be held personally responsible for losing China?
Whether Chiang Kai-shek bears personal responsibility for “losing” China to the Communists during the Chinese Civil War is a debated topic among historians. Arguments on both sides hinge on his…
What were the reactions of the government and people of Japan to Commodore Perry’s arrival in 1854?
Landing of Commodore Perry at Yokohama, Japan, March 8th 1854 The Japanese Government’s Reaction to Commodore Perry’s Arrival The arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States Navy in…