Register of the Chen Bulei diaries

Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff

Hoover Institution Library and Archives

434 Galvez Mall

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305-6003

hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu

URL: http://www.hoover.org/library-and-archives

Title: Chen Bulei diaries

Date (inclusive): 1931-1948

Collection Number: 2016C14

Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives

Language of Material: Chinese

Physical Description: 3 manuscript boxes, 1 microfilm box (1.3 Linear Feet)

Abstract: Relates to political and military conditions in China.

Creator: Chen, Bulei, 1890-1948

Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Access

Microfilm closed; access copies available. Materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Use

Use copies served one folder at a time. May not be photocopied or photographed.

Acquisition Information

Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2016.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Chen Bulei diaries, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of Original Materials

Originals in possession of Chen Di.

Biographical Note

Born in Zhejiang Province, Chen Bulei was best known as Chiang Kai-shek's confidential assistant, in which position he phrased the policies of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Nationalist government. In the spring of 1926, Chen joined the newly established Nationalist government in Nanjing under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek. Henceforth, he became Chiang's personal assistant, mainly responsible for drafting state papers and speeches for the Generalissimo. In 1930, Chen was appointed vice minister of education; in 1934 he served in Chiang's field headquarters in Nanchang, and then in 1935 he became director of the second department of the Generalissimo's attendance office, where he served as Chiang's confidential assistant for over a decade.

After China entered the war with Japan in 1937, Chen's responsibilities grew, and Chiang Kai-shek made increasing use of Chen's talent for phrasing the policies of the KMT and the Nationalist government and composing state papers. In 1939, Chen was appointed deputy secretary general of the Supreme National Defense Council, the top organ of wartime China. The demands of the Japanese war period, combined with the deterioration of the Nationalist political position after 1945, drained Chen's resources. He was greatly concerned by the expansion of Communist power and by the rising tide of criticism of Chiang Kai-shek, and he increasingly felt that his usefulness was spent.

On November 13, 1948, he took his own life with an overdose of sleeping drugs, leaving letters of explanation to his family, to Chiang Kai-shek, and to several close friends.

Scope and Content of Collection

The personal diaries of Chen Bulei cover the period from March 5, 1931 to November 11, 1948. These diaries provide witness to one of the most turbulent periods in modern Chinese history. As Chiang Kai-shek's confidential assistant throughout the Nationalist era on the Chinese mainland, these daily records provide crucial insider's views on Nationalist China's politics, party affairs, external relations, and war with Japan.

Related Collection

Chiang Kai-Shek diaries, Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Subjects and Indexing Terms

China -- History -- Republic, 1912-1949

Chiang, Kai-shek, 1887-1975

box 1, folder 1

March 1931

box 1, folder 2

April 1931

box 1, folder 3

May 1931

box 1, folder 4

June 1931

box 1, folder 5

July 1931

box 1, folder 6

August 1931

box 1, folder 7

September 1931

box 1, folder 8

March 1936

box 1, folder 9

April 1936

box 1, folder 10

May 1936

box 1, folder 11

June 1936

box 1, folder 12

July 1936

box 1, folder 13

August 1936

box 1, folder 14

September 1936

box 1, folder 15

October 1936

box 1, folder 16

November 1936

box 1, folder 17

December 1936

box 1, folder 18

January 1937

box 1, folder 19

February 1937

box 1, folder 20

March 1937

box 1, folder 21

April 1937

box 1, folder 22

May 1937

box 1, folder 23

June 1937

box 1, folder 24

July 1937

box 1, folder 25

August 1937

box 1, folder 26

September 1937

box 1, folder 27

October 1937

box 1, folder 28

November 1937

box 1, folder 29

December 1937

box 1, folder 30

January 1938

box 1, folder 31

February 1938

box 1, folder 32

March 1938

box 1, folder 33

April 1938

box 1, folder 34

May 1938

box 1, folder 35

June 1938

box 1, folder 36

July 1938

box 1, folder 37

August 1938

box 1, folder 38

September 1938

box 1, folder 39

October 1938

box 1, folder 40

November 1938

box 1, folder 41

December 1938

box 1, folder 42

January 1939

box 1, folder 43

February 1939

box 1, folder 44

March 1939

box 1, folder 45

April 1939

box 1, folder 46

May 1939

box 1, folder 47

June 1939

box 1, folder 48

July 1939

box 1, folder 49

August 1939

box 1, folder 50

September 1939

box 1, folder 51

October 1939

box 1, folder 52

November 1939

box 1, folder 53

December 1939

box 2, folder 1

January 1940

box 2, folder 2

February 1940

box 2, folder 3

March 1940

box 2, folder 4

April 1940

box 2, folder 5

May 1940

box 2, folder 6

June 1940

box 2, folder 7

July 1940

box 2, folder 8

August 1940

box 2, folder 9

September 1940

box 2, folder 10

October 1940

box 2, folder 11

November 1940

box 2, folder 12

December 1940

box 2, folder 13

January 1941

box 2, folder 14

February 1941

box 2, folder 15

March 1941

box 2, folder 16

April 1941

box 2, folder 17

May 1941

box 2, folder 18

June 1941

box 2, folder 19

July 1941

box 2, folder 20

August 1941

box 2, folder 21

September 1941

box 2, folder 22

October 1941

box 2, folder 23

November 1941

box 2, folder 24

December 1941

box 2, folder 25

January 1942

box 2, folder 26

February 1942

box 2, folder 27

March 1942

box 2, folder 28

April 1942

box 2, folder 29

May 1942

box 2, folder 30

June 1942

box 2, folder 31

July 1942

box 2, folder 32

August 1942

box 2, folder 33

September 1942

box 2, folder 34

October 1942

box 2, folder 35

November 1942

box 2, folder 36

December 1942

box 2, folder 37

January 1943

box 2, folder 38

February 1943

box 2, folder 39

March 1943

box 2, folder 40

April 1943

box 2, folder 41

May 1943

box 2, folder 42

June 1943

box 2, folder 43

July 1943

box 2, folder 44

August 1943

box 2, folder 45

September 1943

box 2, folder 46

October 1943

box 2, folder 47

November 1943

box 2, folder 48

December 1943

box 2, folder 49

January 1944

box 2, folder 50

February 1944

box 2, folder 51

March 1944

box 2, folder 52

April 1944

box 2, folder 53

May 1944

box 2, folder 54

June 1944

box 2, folder 55

July 1944

box 2, folder 56

August 1944

box 2, folder 57

September 1944

box 2, folder 58

October 1944

box 2, folder 59

November 1944

box 2, folder 60

December 1944

box 3, folder 1

January 1945

box 3, folder 2

February 1945

box 3, folder 3

March 1945

box 3, folder 4

April 1945

box 3, folder 5

May 1945

box 3, folder 6

June 1945

box 3, folder 7

July 1945

box 3, folder 8

August 1945

box 3, folder 9

September 1945

box 3, folder 10

October 1945

box 3, folder 11

November 1945

box 3, folder 12

December 1945

box 3, folder 13

January 1946

box 3, folder 14

February 1946

box 3, folder 15

March 1946

box 3, folder 16

April 1946

box 3, folder 17

May 1946

box 3, folder 18

June 1946

box 3, folder 19

July 1946

box 3, folder 20

August 1946

box 3, folder 21

September 1946

box 3, folder 22

October 1946

box 3, folder 23

November 1946

box 3, folder 24

December 1946

box 3, folder 25

January 1947

box 3, folder 26

February 1947

box 3, folder 27

March 1947

box 3, folder 28

April 1947

box 3, folder 29

May 1947

box 3, folder 30

June 1947

box 3, folder 31

July 1947

box 3, folder 32

August 1947

box 3, folder 33

September 1947

box 3, folder 34

October 1947

box 3, folder 35

November 1947

box 3, folder 36

December 1947

box 3, folder 37

January 1948

box 3, folder 38

February 1948

box 3, folder 39

March 1948

box 3, folder 40

April 1948

box 3, folder 41

May 1948

box 3, folder 42

June 1948

box 3, folder 43

July 1948

box 3, folder 44

August 1948

box 3, folder 45

September 1948

box 3, folder 46

October 1948

box 3, folder 47

November 1948