{"product_id":"the-generalissimo-chiang-kaishek-and-the-struggle-for-modern-china-9780674033382","title":"The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the Struggle for Modern China","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the most momentous stories of the last century is Chinas rise from a self-satisfied  anti-modern  decaying society into a global power that promises to one day rival the United States. Chiang Kai-shek  an autocratic  larger-than-life figure  dominates this story. A modernist as well as a neo-Confucianist  Chiang was a man of war who led the most ancient and populous country in the world through a quarter century of bloody revolutions  civil conflict  and wars of resistance against Japanese aggression. In 1949  when he was defeated by Mao Zedonghis archrival for leadership of Chinahe fled to Taiwan  where he ruled for another twenty-five years. Playing a key role in the cold war with China  Chiang suppressed opposition with his white terror  controlled inflation and corruption  carried out land reform  and raised personal income  health  and educational levels on the island. Consciously or not  he set the stage for Taiwans evolution of a Chinese model of democratic modernization. Drawing heavily on Chinese sources including Chiangs diaries  The Generalissimo provides the most lively  sweeping  and objective biography yet of a man whose length of uninterrupted  active engagement at the highest levels in the march of history is excelled by few  if any  in modern history. Jay Taylor shows a man who was exceedingly ruthless and temperamental but who was also courageous and conscientious in matters of state. Revealing fascinating aspects of Chiangs life  Taylor provides penetrating insight into the dynamics of the past that lie behind the struggle for modernity of mainland China and its relationship with Taiwan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45280124993589,"sku":"ByrdShop_0674033388","price":40.04,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780674033382.jpg?v=1780621830","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-generalissimo-chiang-kaishek-and-the-struggle-for-modern-china-9780674033382","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}