Chiang Kai-Shek's Visit to India and the Indian Independence

Abstract

During World War II, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, as the Allies' supreme commander in the China Theater,1 and accompanied by Madame Chiang, paid an official visit to India from February 5 to 21, 1942, with the consent of the British Government. According to the available historical study, this trip of Generalissimo Chiang was very closely related to the final independence and liberty of India four years later, which had already been under almost one century of colonial rule of Britain. First, during his India visit, Generalissimo Chiang, being in the position of a friendly expostulator, openly appealed to the British ally to grant the Indian people their real political authority: Great Britain should give real political authority to the Indian people as soon as possible without waiting for a demand from the people. Of course, India's participation in this war is striving for the victory of the democratic camp against aggression, but it also is vitally related to the liberty of India herself. Obje...