Background
Mr. Chien was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, in 1892.
Mr. Chien was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, in 1892.
After having completed his Chinese education, Chien Ta-chun entered the Jiangsu Provincial Military School in Nanjing. Mr. Chien attended the Baoding Military College and graduated in 1914, after which, he went to Japan and completed his studies in the Military Cadets' Academy in Tokyo, 1916.
During the 1911 Revolution, Mr. Chien participated in the capture of Nanjing. He assisted Niu-Yung-chien (later vice-President of the Examination Yuan) in the 2nd Revolution, but fled to Japan after its failure in 1913. Returning to China in 1920, he joined the Revolutionary Government in Canton and was appointed chief-of-staff of 1st Division of the Revolutionary Army. In 1924 Mr. Chien assisted in the organization of the Whampoa Military Cadets' Academy (later The Republic of China Military Academy) and served as a training officer. Since 1925 he served as a chief-of-staff to Chiang Kai-shek in the campaign against Chen Chiung-ming and was chiefly responsible for Chen's final defeat.
Chien Ta-chun was a commander of the 1st Division of the Nationalist Army in charge of rear defense in Guangdong during the Northern Punitive Expedition in 1926. He assisted in the movement of purgation of the Nationalist Army from communist elements and defeated the communist troops under Ho Lung and Yeh Ting in 1927. Mr. Chien was promoted commander of the 82nd Nationalist Army and participated in the suppression of the "Red Uprising" in Canton in 1928.
He served as a garrison commander of Shanghai and Wusong Area and concurrently member of the Jiangsu Provincial Government in 1928. Chien Ta-chun was a commander of the 2nd Nationalist division in 1928. The same year he was appointed president of the Wuhan School of the Whampoa Military Cadets' Academy in Wuchang and concurrently commander of the 3rd Training Corps which participated in the suppression of the "Red Uprising" in Changsha during 1929-1930.
Since 1929 Mr. Chien held the post of a commander of the 13th Army. He acted as a director of the Baoding Headquarters of the President of the Military Affairs Commission from 1932 to 1933. From 1935 Chien Ta-chun served as a director of staff department of the Wuchang Provisional Headquarters of the President of Military Affairs Commission. He was a reserve member of the Central Executive Committee of Kuomintang since 1931.