Background
Gen. Chiang was born in Panshan, Jiangxi, China in 1894.
Gen. Chiang was born in Panshan, Jiangxi, China in 1894.
Received his early education at home. After the Revolution of 1911, he joined the Hangzhou (Hangchow) Military School from which he graduated.
During the campaign against Yuan Shih-kai in 1914, Chiang Ting-wen was a battalion commander of Hangzhou (Hangchow) Defence Force and in this capacity, led the troops under his command to attack the Headquarters of the then Military Governor of Zhejiang (Chekiang), resulting in the expulsion of Governor Chu Shui from the province. When Gen. Yang Chang-teh became Military Governor of Zhejiang (Chekiang), Mr. Chiang left the province for Guangdong (Kwangtung) and joined the Whampoa Military Academy as an instructor.
Soon after when the Training Corps of the Acadamy was organized, Chiang Ting-wen joined the Corps on active service and participated in the campaign against the late General Chen Chiung-min who then rebelled against Dr. Sun Yat-sen. He fought at the seige of Weichow, during which he was seriously injured.
After the suppression of the Chen revolt, Mr. Chiang campaigned against two other recalcitrant generals in Guangdong (Kwangtung) and routed a large rebel force with only one battalion. As a result of this distinguished service, he was specially commended by General Chiang Kai-shek, then President of the Wampao Military College.
When the Nationalist Revolutionary Army launched its Northern Punitive Expedition in 1926, Chiang Ting-wen was appointed Commander of the 5th Regiment of the First Nationalist Army and participated in many pitched battles in Hunan during the Nationalist advance into the Yangtsze (Yangtsze) Provinces.
In 1927 Mr. Chiang was appointed Garrison Commander of Eastern Zhejiang (Chekiang) and soon promoted Commander of the 1st Nationalist Division. In the latter capacity he fought in northern Anhui (Anhwei) and captured Pengpu and Hsuchow from the Northern militarists. In recognition of this service, Chiang Ting-wen was promoted Vice-Commander of the 1st Nationalist Army and concurrently Commander of the 1st Division. At that time Chang Tsung-chang was still holding out in Shantung and he was ordered to continue the campaign against him, in the course of which he succeeded in capturing many important cities.
During the Yen-Feng War with the National Government in 1930, he was Commander of the 2nd Nationalist Army and concurrently Commander of the 9th Division and fought against the Yen-Feng Forces along the Peking-Hankou (Beijing-Hankow) Railway up to Luoyang (Loyang) and Tungkuan (Tungkwan).
After conclusion of the campaign, he was appointed Garrison Commander of the Longhai (Lunghai) Railway. The Mr. Chiang worked as a Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Group Army of the Government Bandit-suppression Forces to suppress the Communists in Kiangsi.
During the Sino-Japanese Hostilities in Shanghai in 1932, Chiang Ting-wen was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Left Wing Army stationed along the Shanghai-Hangzhou (Hangchow) Line. After the signing of the Armistice on May 5, 1932, his army was transferred to Pengpu and he resumed his former post as Commander of the 2nd Nationalist Army and concurrently Garrison Commander of Pengpu.
Soon after his duties at Pengpu were taken over by General Hsu Ting-yao, Commander of the 17th Nationalist Army, and Mr. Chiang was appointed Director of the Water Constabulary Bureau of the Yangtze (Yangtsze) Provinces with Headquarters at Wuchang and concurrently Director of the Recruits Training Office. In Autumn of 1932, he was appointed Field-Commander of the Northern Route Bandit-suppression Forces and acting Commander-in-Chief, in which capacity, Chiang Ting-wen led his Armies into Kiangsi and fought against the Communists, winning many victories.
When the Fukien Rebellion flared up early in 1934, Mr. Chiang was ordered to launch an expedition against the rebels and shortly after the start of the expedition, his Army captured in rapid succession Yanping (Yenping) and Fuzhou (Foochow), seat of the rebel Government. After the suppression of the revolt, he was promoted Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Route Bandit-suppression Forces to campaign against the Communists, which post he held until the winter of 1934.
Following the abolition of the Headquarters of the Eastern Route Bandit-suppression Forces by the National Government, Chiang Ting-wen was appointed Pacification Commissioner of Fukien.