Register of the Chiang Ching-kuo diaries

Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 2020
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu


Title: Chiang Ching-kuo diaries
Date (inclusive): 1937-1979
Collection Number: 2007C1
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: Chinese
Physical Description: 18 manuscript boxes, 1 cubic foot box (11.7 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Photocopies of edited (redacted) and unedited diaries relating to political conditions in China and Taiwan.
Creator: Chiang, Ching-kuo, 1910-1988
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Conditions of Use

Before examining the paper copies of the diaries, users must sign an agreement stating that (1) the content of the diaries may not be used, published, broadcast, or redistributed in any form without the written permission of the rights owners; (2) the diaries may not be photocopied nor photographed, so only handwritten notes may be taken; (3) cameras, cell phones, computers, scanners, and other image capture devices, as well as tape recorders and other recording devices, are not allowed while using the diaries; and (4) violations of the agreement may result in forfeiture of the privilege to access materials at the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Use

The content of the Chiang Ching-kuo diaries may be protected by copyright, privacy rights, or other rights and interests not owned by the Hoover Institution or Stanford University. The Hoover Institution cannot grant permission to use such content and is not responsible for any misuse by researchers of content from these diaries. Researchers are responsible for obtaining the necessary rights and permissions to use, publish, broadcast, or otherwise redistribute content in the Chiang Ching-kuo diaries.

Acquisition Information

Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2007.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Chiang Ching-kuo diaries, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Redactions

The original diaries contain sentences that were crossed out in ink. It is believed that these redactions were made years ago by Chiang Kai-shek, Chiang Ching-kuo, or another individual.
Since the diaries were deposited at Hoover, some passages have been redacted due to family privacy concerns; these will be made available after 2035. These will be redacted from the use copies with a "2020" annotation in the margin to distinguish them from the earlier redactions.

Custodial History

After Chiang's death on January 13, 1988, his personal diaries were obtained by his youngest son, Eddie Chiang Hsiao-yung, the late husband of the depositor, Elizabeth Chiang Fang Chih-yi.

Biographical Note

President of Taiwan, 1978-1988.

Scope and Content of Collection

The original personal diaries of Chiang Ching-kuo were deposited at the Hoover Institution in December 2004 by Elizabeth Chiang Fang Chih-yi. The collection of Chiang's diaries span from May 1937, when he returned to China following 12 years of schooling and work in the Soviet Union, to December 1979, a year after he became president of the Republic of China on Taiwan and the year when the United States severed diplomatic ties with Taipei. The original diaries are dated from 1941 to 1944 and 1950 to 1979. The transcribed versions are dated from 1937 to 1940 and 1945 to 1949. The Hoover Institution did not receive a diary for 1948.
Chiang Ching-kuo was the son of Chiang Kai-shek, who led China from 1928 until 1949 and then ruled Taiwan with an iron fist after his Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) lost China's civil war to the Chinese Communists in 1949 until his death in 1975. By virtue of his position, Chiang Ching-kuo was involved in affairs of state even before 1949. He began his political career in southern Jiangxi Province in Central China, where he served as a commissioner to launch a series of administrative and economic reforms. Chiang subsequently took part in Kuomintang party affairs and in arduous negotiations between China and Soviet Russia following the end of World War II. After the Chinese Nationalists retreated to Taiwan in late 1949, Chiang was in charge of the island's secret police, political commissar in the military, and the national security apparatus. From 1955 to 1960, he administered the construction and completion of Taiwan's highway system. Chiang Kai-shek elevated his son to high office when Ching-kuo was appointed Taiwan's defense minister from 1965 until 1969. He was the country's Vice Premier between 1969 and 1972, during which period he survived a 1970 assassination attempt while visiting the United States. Chiang was made the Premier between 1972 and 1978. As his frail, elderly father entered his final years, Chiang Ching-kuo became de facto ruler and decision maker of the country. When Chiang Kai-shek died in April 1975, Vice President Yen Chia-kan became president for the balance of Chiang Kai-shek's term. Chiang Ching-kuo was elected to the presidency in the spring of 1978 and would continue to hold the position until his death in January 1988.
Chiang Ching-kuo's diaries will shine a light on a critically important period in modern Chinese history. They offer a rare glimpse into the inner world of a man who, as leader of Taiwan, oversaw the island's transition to democracy and navigated it through an exceptionally challenging period of the Cold War. Under his leadership, Taiwan emerged as one of the more politically and economically vibrant entities in the region. Those diaries written before 1949 will be equally valuable to the study of various political events on the Chinese mainland, complementing the diaries left behind by his father Chiang Kai-shek, as well as many other personal papers related to the history of modern China which were made public by the Hoover Institution in the past decades.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Taiwan -- Politics and government -- 1945-1975
China -- History -- Republic, 1912-1949
Statesmen -- Taiwan
Taiwan -- Politics and government -- 1975-1988

 

Diaries [Use Copies] 1937-1979

box 1, folder 1

1937 May-August

box 1, folder 2

1937 September-December

box 1, folder 3

1938 January-March

box 1, folder 4

1938 April-June

box 1, folder 5

1938 July-September

box 1, folder 6

1938 October-December

box 1, folder 7

1939 January-February

box 1, folder 8

1939 March-April

box 1, folder 9

1939 May-June

box 1, folder 10

1939 July-August

Scope and Contents note

Due to an error by the original transcriber, this material is dated incorrectly. The correct date should be 1940 July-August.
box 1, folder 11

1939 September-October

Scope and Contents note

Due to an error by the original transcriber, this material is dated incorrectly. The correct date should be 1940 September-October.
box 2, folder 1

1939 November-December

Scope and Contents note

Due to an error by the original transcriber, this material is dated incorrectly. The correct date should be 1940 November-December.
box 2, folder 2

1940 January-February

box 2, folder 3

1940 March

box 2, folder 4

1940 April-June

box 2, folder 5

1940 July-August

Scope and Contents note

Due to an error by the original transcriber, this material is dated incorrectly. The correct date should be 1939 July-August.
box 2, folder 6

1940 September-October

Scope and Contents note

Due to an error by the original transcriber, this material is dated incorrectly. The correct date should be 1939 September-October.
box 2, folder 7

1940 November-December

Scope and Contents note

Due to an error by the original transcriber, this material is dated incorrectly. The correct date should be 1939 November-December.
box 2, folder 8

1941 January-February

box 2, folder 9

1941 March-April

box 2, folder 10

1941 May-June

box 2, folder 11

1941 July-August

box 2, folder 12

1941 September-October

box 2, folder 13

1941 November-December

box 2, folder 14

1942 January-February

box 2, folder 15

1942 March-April

box 3, folder 1

1942 May-June

box 3, folder 2

1942 July-August

box 3, folder 3

1942 September-October

box 3, folder 4

1942 November-December

box 3, folder 5

1943 January-February

box 3, folder 6

1943 March-April

box 3, folder 7

1943 May-June

box 3, folder 8

1943 July-August

box 3, folder 9

1943 September-October

box 3, folder 10

1943 November-December

box 3, folder 11

1944 January-February

box 3, folder 12

1944 March-April

box 3, folder 13

1944 May-June

box 3, folder 14

1944 July-August

box 4, folder 1

1944 September-October

box 4, folder 2

1944 November-December

box 4, folder 3

1945 January-February

box 4, folder 4

1945 March-April

box 4, folder 5

1945 May-June

box 4, folder 6

1945 July-August

box 4, folder 7

1945 September-October

box 4, folder 8

1945 November-December

box 4, folder 9

1946 January-February

box 4, folder 10

1946 March-April

box 4, folder 11

1946 May-June

box 4, folder 12

1946 July-August

box 4, folder 13

1946 September-October

box 5, folder 1

1946 November-December

box 5, folder 2

1947 January-February

box 5, folder 3

1947 March-April

box 5, folder 4

1947 May-June

box 5, folder 5

1947 July-August

box 5, folder 6

1947 September-October

box 5, folder 7

1947 November-December

box 5, folder 8

1949 January-February

box 5, folder 9

1949 March-April

box 5, folder 10

1949 May-June

box 5, folder 11

1949 July-August

box 5, folder 12

1949 September-October

box 5, folder 13

1949 November-December

box 6, folder 1

1950 January-February

box 6, folder 2

1950 March-April

box 6, folder 3

1950 May-June

box 6, folder 4

1950 July-August

box 6, folder 5

1950 September-October

box 6, folder 6

1950 November-December

box 6, folder 7

1951 January-February

box 6, folder 8

1951 March-April

box 6, folder 9

1951 May-June

box 6, folder 10

1951 July-August

box 6, folder 11

1951 September-October

box 6, folder 12

1951 November-December

box 6, folder 13

1952 January-February

box 6, folder 14

1952 March-April

box 6, folder 15

1952 May-June

box 7, folder 1

1952 July-August

box 7, folder 2

1952 September-October

box 7, folder 3

1952 November-December

box 7, folder 4

1953 January-February

box 7, folder 5

1953 March-April

box 7, folder 6

1953 May-June

box 7, folder 7

1953 July-August

box 7, folder 8

1953 September-October

box 7, folder 9

1953 November-December

box 7, folder 10

1954 January-February

box 7, folder 11

1954 March-April

box 7, folder 12

1954 May-June

box 7, folder 13

1954 July-August

box 7, folder 14

1954 September-October

box 7, folder 15

1954 November-December

box 8, folder 1

1955 January-February

box 8, folder 2

1955 March-April

box 8, folder 3

1955 May-June

box 8, folder 4

1955 July-August

box 8, folder 5

1955 September-October

box 8, folder 6

1955 November-December

box 8, folder 7

1956 January-February

box 8, folder 8

1956 March-April

box 8, folder 9

1956 May-June

box 8, folder 10

1956 July-August

box 8, folder 11

1956 September-October

box 8, folder 12

1956 November-December

box 8, folder 13

1957 January-February

box 8, folder 14

1957 March-April

box 9, folder 1

1957 May-June

box 9, folder 2

1957 July-August

box 9, folder 3

1957 September-October

box 9, folder 4

1957 November-December

box 9, folder 5

1958 January-February

box 9, folder 6

1958 March-April

box 9, folder 7

1958 May-June

box 9, folder 8

1958 July-August

box 9, folder 9

1958 September-October

box 9, folder 10

1958 November-December

box 9, folder 11

1959 January-February

box 9, folder 12

1959 March-April

box 9, folder 13

1959 May-June

box 9, folder 14

1959 July-August

box 10, folder 1

1959 September-October

box 10, folder 2

1959 November-December

box 10, folder 3

1960 January-February

box 10, folder 4

1960 March-April

box 10, folder 5

1960 May-June

box 10, folder 6

1960 July-August

box 10, folder 7

1960 September-October

box 10, folder 8

1960 November-December

box 10, folder 9

1961 January-February

box 10, folder 10

1961 March-April

box 10, folder 11

1961 May-June

box 10, folder 12

1961 July-August

box 10, folder 13

1961 September-October

box 10, folder 14

1961 November-December

box 11, folder 1

1962 January-February

box 11, folder 2

1962 March-April

box 11, folder 3

1962 May-June

box 11, folder 4

1962 July-August

box 11, folder 5

1962 September-October

box 11, folder 6

1962 November-December

box 11, folder 7

1963 January-February

box 11, folder 8

1963 March-April

box 11, folder 9

1963 May-June

box 11, folder 10

1963 July-August

box 11, folder 11

1963 September-October

box 11, folder 12

1963 November-December

box 11, folder 13

1964 January-February

box 11, folder 14

1964 March-April

box 12, folder 1

1964 May-June

box 12, folder 2

1964 July-August

box 12, folder 3

1964 September-October

box 12, folder 4

1964 November-December

box 12, folder 5

1965 January-February

box 12, folder 6

1965 March-April

box 12, folder 7

1965 May-June

box 12, folder 8

1965 July-August

box 12, folder 9

1965 September-October

box 12, folder 10

1965 November-December

box 12, folder 11

1966 January-February

box 12, folder 12

1966 March-April

box 12, folder 13

1966 May-June

box 13, folder 1

1966 July-August

box 13, folder 2

1966 September-October

box 13, folder 3

1966 November-December

box 13, folder 4

1967 January-February

box 13, folder 5

1967 March-April

box 13, folder 6

1967 May-June

box 13, folder 7

1967 July-August

box 13, folder 8

1967 September-October

box 13, folder 9

1967 November-December

box 13, folder 10

1968 January-February

box 13, folder 11

1968 March-April

box 13, folder 12

1968 May-June

box 13, folder 13

1968 July-August

box 14, folder 1

1968 September-October

box 14, folder 2

1968 November-December

box 14, folder 3

1969 January-February

box 14, folder 4

1969 March-April

box 14, folder 5

1969 May-June

box 14, folder 6

1969 July-August

box 14, folder 7

1969 September-October

box 14, folder 8

1969 November-December

box 14, folder 9

1970 January-February

box 14, folder 10

1970 March-April

box 14, folder 11

1970 May-June

box 14, folder 12

1970 July-August

box 14, folder 13

1970 September-October

box 15, folder 1

1970 November-December

box 15, folder 2

1971 January-February

box 15, folder 3

1971 March-April

box 15, folder 4

1971 May-June

box 15, folder 5

1971 July-August

box 15, folder 6

1971 September-October

box 15, folder 7

1971 November-December

box 15, folder 8

1972 January-February

box 15, folder 9

1972 March-April

box 15, folder 10

1972 May-June

box 15, folder 11

1972 July-August

box 15, folder 12

1972 September-October

box 15, folder 13

1972 November-December

box 15, folder 14

1973 January-February

box 16, folder 1

1973 March-April

box 16, folder 2

1973 May-June

box 16, folder 3

1973 July-August

box 16, folder 4

1973 September-October

box 16, folder 5

1973 November-December

box 16, folder 6

1974 January-February

box 16, folder 7

1974 March-April

box 16, folder 8

1974 May-June

box 16, folder 9

1974 July-August

box 16, folder 10

1974 September-October

box 16, folder 11

1974 November-December

box 16, folder 12

1975 January-February

box 16, folder 13

1975 March-April

box 16, folder 14

1975 May-June

box 17, folder 1

1975 July-August

box 17, folder 2

1975 September-October

box 17, folder 3

1975 November-December

box 17, folder 4

1976 January-February

box 17, folder 5

1976 March-April

box 17, folder 6

1976 May-June

box 17, folder 7

1976 July-August

box 17, folder 8

1976 September-October

box 17, folder 9

1976 November-December

box 17, folder 10

1977 January-February

box 17, folder 11

1977 March-April

box 17, folder 12

1977 May-June

box 17, folder 13

1977 July-August

box 17, folder 14

1977 September-October

box 18, folder 1

1977 November-December

box 18, folder 2

1978 January-February

box 18, folder 3

1978 March-April

box 18, folder 4

1978 May-June

box 18, folder 5

1978 July-August

box 18, folder 6

1978 September-October

box 18, folder 7

1978 November-December

box 18, folder 8

1979 January-February

box 18, folder 9

1979 March-April

box 18, folder 10

1979 May-June

box 18, folder 11

1979 July-August

box 18, folder 12

1979 September-October

box 18, folder 13

1979 November-December