Whampoa_Military_Academy

Republic of China Military Academy

Republic of China Military Academy

Military academy of the Republic of China

22°37′09.0″N 120°21′56.2″E

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The Republic of China Military Academy (Chinese: 中華民國陸軍軍官學校; pinyin: Zhōnghúa Mīngúo Lùjūn Jūnguān Xúexiào; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tiong-hôa Bîn-kok Lio̍k-kun Kun-koaⁿ Ha̍k-hāu), also known as the Chinese Military Academy(CMA) or Taiwan Military Academy, is the service academy for the army of the Republic of China in Taiwan. Previously known as the Whampoa Military Academy, the military academy produced commanders who fought in many of China's conflicts in the 20th century, notably the Northern Expedition, the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War.

The military academy was officially opened on May 1, 1924, but the first lessons began on June 16, 1924. The inauguration was on Changzhou Island offshore from the Whampoa (Huangpu) dock in Guangzhou, thus earning its name. During the inaugural ceremonies, Sun Yat-sen delivered a speech that was later to become the lyrics of the national anthem of the Republic of China. It has been considered one of the most important institutions of the Republic of China together with the National Chengchi University, which is a prestigious incubator for senior civil service. After the Republic of China government retreated from China to Taiwan in 1950, the academy was re-established as the Republic of China Military Academy.

Establishment

Sun Yat-sen [middle behind the table] and Chiang Kai-shek [on stage in uniform] at the founding of the Whampoa Military Academy in 1924.
Flag of the ROCMA

After the death of Yuan Shikai, China fragmented into numerous fiefdoms ruled by regional warlords. Sun Yat-sen attempted in 1917 and 1920 to set up a base in his native Guangdong to launch a Northern Expedition to unite China under his Three Principles of the People. However, his government remained militarily weaker than the local warlords' armies. Calls by Sun for arms and money were ignored by the Western powers.[who?][citation needed] Then, in 1921, the representative of Comintern, Henk Sneevliet (using the name Maring), met with Sun in Guangxi. He proposed setting up a military academy to train officers for the revolutionary army, which confirmed Sun's ideas. The Chinese Communist Party sent Li Dazhao and Lin Boqu to discuss with Sun and his party on how to set up the academy.

In 1924, in the 1st National Congress of the Kuomintang, the policy of alliance with the Soviet Union and CCP was passed as guidance for KMT. As a result, the final decision of the establishment of a military academy was made, and a preparatory committee was set up accordingly. Sun Yat-sen's Soviet advisor Mikhail Borodin and his aides started Whampoa in May 1924.[1]: 55  The money necessary for the construction and support of the Academy in 1924-1925 was provided by the Soviets.

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Organization, training, and students

Flag of the National Revolutionary Army (now as the Republic of China Army

As Whampoa, the academy remained in operation for only two years.[1]: 55  It provided six to twelve months of training to each recruit, which was substantially less training than other professional armies of the time period.[1]: 55 

While the main Academy goal was preparation of infantry units, it also provided special classes for artillery, engineering, communication, logistical and machine gun units. A special department for preparation of political agitators was established later.

Zhou Enlai as Director of the political department, Whampoa Military Academy.

The academy concentrated the revolutionary military talents at the time. Sun took the job of Premier of this academy in person although it was just an honorary title. Chiang Kai-shek became the head of the academy.[1]: 55  Liao Zhongkai, the famous leftist in the Kuomintang and Sun's treasury secretary, was appointed as representative of KMT to the academy. Zhou Enlai was Whampoa's chief political officer[1]: 55  and Hu Hanmin and Wang Jingwei were instructors in the political department. He Yingqin and Ye Jianying were once military instructors.

Soviet advisors were the academy's primary instructors.[2]: 26  A.S. Bubnov, G.I. Gilev, M.I. Dratvin, S.N. Naumov prepared lectures which explained the development of military thought throughout human history and the division between western and Soviet schools of military thought.

Alumni record of the first group students of Republic of China Military Academy.

Soviet officers taught different military subjects in the Academy using their broad experience gained during the Russian Civil War. Among them were I. Vasilevich (Janovsky), N. Korneev, M. Nefedov, F. Kotov (Katyushin), P. Lunev, V. Akimov Galina Kolchugina (wife of Vasily Blyukher who was commander-in-chief of all Soviet volunteer forces sent to China) read a course of lectures on political agitation.

The first two groups of students prepared by the Academy became the core for the formation of the first two National Revolutionary Army regiments (V.A. Stepanov was an advisor provided by the Soviet Union to help in this matter). The first two prepared groups of students included 500 officers, the third one had 800 officers and the fourth group had 2000.

Graduates included Nationalist commanders Chen Cheng, Du Yuming, Xue Yue, Hu Zongnan, Hu Lien and Guan Linzheng. Communist graduates Lin Biao,[1]: 55  Xu Xiangqian, Zuo Quan, Liu Zhidan and Chen Geng. The young cadets first showed their training and courage in the war against local warlord and dissident of Sun, Chen Jiongming in the Eastern Expedition for unifying Guangdong province. Then they made greater contributions in the Northern Expedition.

Whampoa Military Academy students training

The Muslim Ma clique General Ma Zhongying, who commanded the 36th Division (National Revolutionary Army), attended the Whampoa military academy in Nanjing in 1929.[3][4][5]

Influence

Modern picture of the former Whampoa Military Academy in Guangzhou

The Whampoa Military Academy plays an important role in Chinese history. It not only supplied many military commanders for both the KMT and CCP, but also its graduates went on to wield significant influence on both parties' policies and governance. Especially for Chiang and KMT, the Whampoa Clique was pivotal for his governance. It competed with other cliques of KMT such as the New Guangxi Clique led by Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi, CC Clique led by Chen Lifu and Chen Guofu, Politics Research Group led by Yang Yongtai (楊永泰) and Zhang Qun. At the same time, when the CCP built its first Red Army after the Nanchang Uprising in 1927, most of its commanders were from Whampoa. In the following two decades, the CCP trained its army in the Whampoa way.

Although the training available at Whampoa was short of the standard of other professional armies of the period, it provided a significant military advantage over the less professional armies of the warlords.[1]: 55 

When full-scale war with Japan began in 1937, a majority of Chinese divisions were commanded by Whampoa graduates.[1]: 55 

The motto of the academy "Camaraderie" (Chinese: 親愛精誠; lit. 'Fraternity', 'Sincerity', 'Expertise', 'Integrity') was proclaimed by Sun Yat-sen at the opening ceremonies. Ironically, during the Chinese Civil War, several commanders in both the KMT and the CCP were trained and educated in Whampoa. They fought for different beliefs and ideals although they used to live and study together like brothers in arms.

The academy also had significant influence over the 20th century history of other Asian countries. The fourth term of the Academy saw students not only from all parts of China, but also from different parts of Asia enroll. For example, there were 30 Koreans among them. Some were brought up in China while others were active participants during the national liberation movement of Korea in 1917-1926 and emigrated to China later only to take up arms for struggle for freedom of their country upon finishing their education.

Additionally, a large number of students were originally from Vietnam. This group was led by the exiled leader to-be of the Communist Party of Vietnam and future leader of the Vietnamese struggle for independence, Ho Chi Minh.

Relocations

The original Whampoa Military Academy existed from 1924 to 1926. Over 6 terms it enrolled more than 7000. However, after Chiang Kai-shek purged the Chinese Communist Party during the Northern Expedition, the academy was moved (and renamed as Central Military Academy - CMA 中央陸軍軍官學校 and later as Chinese Workers and Peasants Military Academy) to the newly established capital in Nanjing after the defeat of the warlords in 1928. The academy moved again in 1938 to Chengdu during the Japanese invasion.

Relocation to Taiwan

In 1950, after the Communist victory in mainland China and the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the academy was re-established in Fengshan, Kaohsiung as the Republic of China Military Academy (陸軍官校). The original site of the academy in Guangzhou is now a museum.

List of superintendents

Note: "class year" refers to the alumnus's class year, which usually is the same year they graduated. However, in times of war, classes often graduate early.
A "—" in the class year column indicates a superintendent who is not an alumnus of the Academy.
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Faculties

  • Center for General Education
  • Department of Civil Engineering
  • Department of Physics
  • Department of Foreign Languages
  • Department of Political Science
  • Department of Management Science
  • Department of Chemistry
  • Department of Electrical Engineering
  • Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • Department of Information Management[6]

Notable alumni

Main category: Whampoa Military Academy alumni

Transportation

The academy is within walking distance south of Dadong Station of the Kaohsiung MRT.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Crean, Jeffrey (2024). The Fear of Chinese Power: an International History. New Approaches to International History series. London, UK: Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-1-350-23394-2.
  2. [2]
    Hammond, Ken (2023). China's Revolution and the Quest for a Socialist Future. New York, NY: 1804 Books. ISBN 9781736850084.
  3. [3]
    James A. Millward (2007). Eurasian crossroads: a history of Xinjiang. Columbia University Press. p. 193. ISBN 978-0-231-13924-3.
  4. [4]
    Michael Dillon (1999). China's Muslim Hui community: migration, settlement and sects. Richmond: Curzon Press. p. 89. ISBN 0-7007-1026-4.
  5. [5]
    Christian Tyler (2004). Wild West China: the taming of Xinjiang. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. p. 98. ISBN 0-8135-3533-6.
  6. [6]
    "Academic Units". R.O.C. Military Academy.

Further reading

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