Background
He was born in Lo-tien, Kwangtung, China in 1890 and was noted for his courage and gallantry during boyhood.
Commander of the 19th Route Army
He was born in Lo-tien, Kwangtung, China in 1890 and was noted for his courage and gallantry during boyhood.
Ting-kai Tsai joined army service at the age of 16. By force of distinguished service and sterling, integrity of character, he worked his way up from a common soldier to high command in the rank and file. During his long military career, he had participated in many revolutionary campaigns, including the First Revolution of 1911, the Punitive Campaign against Yuan Shih-kai and the Campaign for Constitutional Defense against Chen Chiung-ming in Kwangtung and the Northern Punitive Expedition in 1926.
Mr. Tsai was appointed Commander of 10th Division of the 11th Army under Gen. Chen Ming-shu and marched his troops from Kwangtung to the Yangtsze provinces. Upon reorganization of the Army, he became Commander of the 2nd Brigade and later was made Commander of 60th Division of the 19th Route Army. During the Northern Military Coalition in Peiping in 1930, he took a leading part in the Government's campaign against the Northern Forces and recaptured Tsinan (Capital of Shantung) from the Coalition Troops under Gen. Yen Hsi-shan. In recognition of his meritorious service, he was promoted Commander of the 19th Army. Owing to ravages of communists and bandits in Kiangsi, he was ordered by the Government to march his Army into Kiangsi to exterminate the two evils.
While in Kiangsi, Ting-kai Tsai was appointed Acting Commander of the 19th Route Army during the absence of Commander Chiang Kwang-nai. In the winter of 1931, the 19th Route Army was transferred to Kiangsu for garrison duty along the Shanghai-Nanking Railway line and he established his Headquarters at Shanghai. Upon the outbreak of the Japanese hostilities in Shanghai following an aggressive and unprovoked attack on the garrison posts ot the 19th Route Army in Chapei on January 28, 1932, he was the first to advocate armed resistance and later valiantly defended Shanghai against the formidable combined Japanese Army, Navy and Air Forces for more than a month. Owing to the lack reinforcements, his army finally retired from Shanghai Area and after conclusion of the War, was transferred to Fukien for garrison duty and suppression of communists. In recognition of his valor and high services to the Nation during the Shanghai Defence, he was awarded a First Class Decoration by the National Government and promoted Commander-in-Chief of the 19th Army and concurrently Pacification Commissioner of Fukien.
Mr. Tsai played leading part in the Fukien Independence Movement in 1933-1934 and was chairman of the Military Affairs Commission of the abortive Foochow "People's Government". After the collapse of the Movement, he went to Hongkong and later took a trip around the world, returning to Hongkong in April, 1935.
