Sun Li-jen

Sun Li-jen (孫立人, 孙立人, Sūn Lìrén; November 19, 1899-November 19 1990) was a famous Kuomintang general notably active in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. His achievements earned him the laudatory nickname "Rommel of the East". His New 1st Army was reputed as the "1st [Best] Army under the heaven" and credited with defeating the most Japanese troops. He was also known as Sun Chung-neng (孫仲能, Sūn Zhòngnéng) and had the courtesy name Sun Fu-min (孫撫民, Sūn Fǔmín).

He was born in Jinnu Town, Lujiang County, Anhui, with ancestry in Shucheng County. During the May Fourth Movement, he was part of the Scouts in the match at Tiananmen Square. In the same year (1919) he married Gong Xitao (龔夕濤) and was admitted in 1920 to Qinghua University to study civil engineering. Upon graduation in 1923, public academic funds enabled his transfer to Purdue University into the senior year. However, his desire to defend China against foreign aggression encouraged him to pursue military science; upon graduation from civil engineering at Purdue in 1925, he entered the Virginia Military Institute, reporting his age 4 years younger to meet the admission requirements.

In Taiwan

Sun was arrested in August 1955, charged for attempting to launch a coup against Chiang Kai-shek. He remained under house arrest until March 20, 1988, shortly after Chiang Ching-kuo's death. He died in his Taichung home at the age of 91 (92 according to the Chinese calendar).

The Control Yuan formally cleared him of charges in January 2001.[1]

References

• General Sun memorial website at National Tsing Hua University
• Dedication to The Late General Sun Li Jen, designed by his foster son Chieh Chung

Related topics

• Du Yuming
• Burma Campaign
• Battle of Yenanguang (also known as Yenangaung Rescue Mission)
• Military history of China

zh-cn:孙立人 zh-tw:孫立人