Whampoa Military Academy

The Nationalist Party of China Army Officer Academy (), commonly known as the Whampoa Military Academy (), was a military academy in China that produced many prestigious commanders who fought in the Northern Expedition, Second Sino-Japanese War, Chinese Civil War and Taiwan Strait Crisis.

The military academy was founded on June 16, 1924 under the Kuomintang. The inauguration was on Chengzhou Island offshore from the Whampoa dock in Guangzhou, thus earning its common name. During the inaugural ceremonies, Sun Yat-sen delivered a speech that was later to become of the lyrics of the national anthem of the Republic of China.

Establishment

After the death of Yuan Shikai, China fragmented into numerous fiefdoms ruled by warlords. Sun Yat-sen attempted in 1917 and 1920 to set up a base in his native Guangdong to launch a northern campaign to unite China under his Three Principles of the People. However, his rival governments remained militarily weaker than local warlords. Calls by Sun for arms and money were ignored by the western powers. Then in 1921 the representative of Comintern, Henk Sneevliet (using the name Maring), met with Sun in Guangxi. He proposed to set up a military academy and train the revolutionary army, which confirmed Sun's ideas and he accepted that with no hesitation. The Communist Party of China sent Li Dazhao and Lin Boqu (林伯渠) to discuss with Sun and his party on how to set up this academy. In 1924 in the 1st National Congress of Kuomintang, the policy of alliance with the Soviet Union and CPC was passed as guidance for KMT. As a result, the final decision of establishment of a military academy was made and preparatory committee was set up accordingly.

Organization

The Whampoa Military Academy was comprised of six departments: political, instruction, training, management, medical and supplies. The academy concentrated the revolutionary military talents at the time. Sun took the job of Premier of this academy in person although it was just a honorary title. Sun's favorite and rising star Chiang Kai-shek was appointed the first principal of the academy. Liao Zhongkai (廖仲愷), the famous leftist of Kuomintang and Sun's treasure secretary was appointed as representative of KMT to the academy. Zhou Enlai, Hu Han-min, and Wang Ching-wei were among the instructors in the political department. He Yingqin and Ye Jianying were once military instructors. The representative of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Borodin, was counsellor, which was a tribute for his country's generous support in both money and military advisors such as general Vasily Blyukher.

Training and students

The lessons of the academy integrated military and political instruction, theory with practice. The students learned strategy, tactics, arsenal, and other military theories. They learn both political thoughts of Sun and Communism. Famous leaders or important activists both from KMT and CPC such as Tan Yankai (譚延闓), Zhang Jingjiang (張靜江)，Mao Zedong, and Liu Shaoqi gave lectures to students which greatly inspired and enlightened them.

Legendary graduates included Communist commanders Lin Biao, Xu Xiangqian, Zuo Quan (左權)，Chen Geng（陳賡)，and Nationalist commanders Chen Cheng, Du Yuming, and Hu Zongnan. These young students first showed their training and courage in the war against local warlord and dissident of Sun, Chen Jiongming (陳炯明)，and later the unification of Guangdong province. Then they made greater contributions in the Northern Expedition.

Relocations

The original Whampoa Military Academy existed from 1924 to 1926, over 6 terms it enrolled more than 7000. However, after Chiang Kai-shek's break with the Communist Party of China (CPC) during the Northern Expedition the academy was moved to the newly established capital in Nanjing after the defeat of the warlords in 1928. The academy moved again to Chengdu during the Japanese invasion.

In 1950, after the Communist victory on mainland China and the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the academy was re-established in Fengshan, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan Province as the Chinese Military Academy (陸軍官校).

The Whampoa Military Academy plays an important role in Chinese history. Although it is primarily a military academy aiming to train military elites like the American West Point Military Academy, it has more influence on Chinese history than West Point does on 20th and 21st century American history. It not only supplied many military commanders for both the KMT and CPC, but also its graduates have much more influence on both parties' policies and governance. Especially for Chiang and KMT, the Whampoa Clique was pivotal for his governance. It competed with other cliques of KMT such as Guangxi Clique led by Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi, CC Clique led by Chen Lifu and Chen Guofu, Politics Research Group led by Yang Yongtai (楊永泰) and Zhang Qun (張群). At the same time, when the CPC built its first Red Army after the Nanchang Uprising in 1927 most of its commanders were from Whampoa, and in the following two decades, the CPC trained its army in the Whampoa way.

The motto of the academy "Camraderie" (親愛精誠, literally 'Fraternity, Dexterity, Sincerity') was proclaimed by Sun Yat-sen at the opening ceremonies. The irony is that during the Chinese Civil War both the commanders from KMT and CPC were trained and educated in Whampoa. They had to fight for different beliefs and ideals although they used to live and study together like brothers in arms, much as was the case among Confederate and Union officers in the U.S. Civil War.

External links

Académie de Huangpu | 黄埔軍官学校 | Militærakademiet i Whampoa | 黄埔军校

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Whampoa Military Academy

Establishment

Organization

Training and students

Relocations

See also

External links