Military History and Gender: The Case of Chiang Soong Mayling, China, and World War II

While operations, strategy, alliances, and the gains and losses of key players and battles in the Second Sino-Japanese War have been analyzed at length, Chiang Soong Mayling (1897-2003)’s military role in assisting China’s resistance and ultimate victory against the invaders has not received sustained critical attention. By examining a selection of Chiang Soong’s speeches, letters, and publications, observing common thematic elements and ideological commitments, and by triangulating them with the archival materials from historical figures and records of the same period, one arrives at a deeper understanding of Chiang Soong’s military contributions to China’s role in the Second World War in the Pacific Theater, especially in the early war years when China fought alone.

Through archival images, text, and a short video clip, this poster explores several historical themes, beginning with the critical role Madame Chiang Kai-shek played in the reform and nurturing of the Chinese Air Force in the 1930s. Why do Chinese historical sources call her “Mother of the Chinese Air Force” (中國空軍之母), and what was the extent of her involvement in important military decisions during the Second Sino-Japanese War, especially when China fought alone? In addition, it is well known that in a country ravaged by war, Chiang Soong created alternative family institutions by founding orphanages and assisting widows. What were her main contributions to national reconstruction that affected the livelihood and welfare of Chinese “warphans,” wounded soldiers, and women? Lastly, how did her international partnerships with other powerful women contribute to her cause, and what is her historical relevance today in the teaching and research of World War Two history as inflected through gender?