Chiang Dead

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Workers throughout the world will rejoice at the unlamented death of Chiang kai-shek, the dictator of Taiwan and ex-leader of the Kuomingtang, the Chinese Nationalist Party. His 87 years were marked by murderous anti-commun Ism, the slaughter of Chinese workers and peasants, arrog ance and hypocrisy and complete subservience to capitalism He took over control of the Kuomingtang (KMT) on the death His role in the Chinese history the following years was possible only because had Stalin's support, while United Front policies were being forced onto the infant Chinesc Communist Party. The CCP was merged with the KMT to such an extent that there was no difference in programme or educational activities between them. When leading members of the CCP opposed this liquidationism they were attacked as being a leftist opposition to the Comintern line' When er ormous strikes and neasant movements took place it was against the wishes of the CCP who did all they could to hold back such movements for danger of upsetting their KMT associates. The great Canton strike of June 1926 was ignored by the CCP and allowed to be choked by the KMT.

Moscow then also poovided arms for Chiang's Expedition into North China. They also agreed to maintain the KMT as the Chinese section of the Comintern and Chiang as a member of honour of the Presidium (the only vote against his admission in January had been Trotsky's).

These opportunist manoeuvres not only politically disarmed the CCP but also encouraged Chiang in his resolve to wipe out the CCP and set up his own dictatorship in China It put him in the position to be able to launch the bloody attack on the workers in Shanghai on 12th April 1927 after they had liberated it from the imperialists.

In 1945 most observers still thought that the KMT could reestablish their rule in China. The KMT still had over 2.5 million regular troops in 1945 whereas there were less than 1 million front-line Communist troops. Furthermore the KMT had a monopoly of air and naval forces. The victory of the Communists in China, against these overwhelming odds, has of course been of incalculable assistance to the peasants and workers in Vietnam and Cambodia today.

This bears out Trotsky's understanding that with regard to countries with a belated bourgeois development, especially the colonial and semi-colonial countries. the theory of the pormanent revolution signifies that the complete and genuine solution of their tasks of achieving democracy and nationa emancipation is concievable only through the dictatorship of the proletanat as the leader of the subjugated nation. [The Permanent By the middle of 1949 Chiang began to make his plans to prepare against being unceremoniously boot ed out of China.

He moved £120 million in gold to Taiwan. He imposed his dictatorship on the Taiwanese, where there are no Trade Unions, and no real opposition parties. There are about 2 million KMT supporters as against 13 million native Taiwanese. He alsc proved he has not changed by mowing down students, professors and workers who protested in Taipei.

Chiang was only able to maintain his separate kingdom with American aid. Since 1950 the US has provided £1,167 million in military aid. President Ford said on hearing of Chiang's death: "President Chiang was a man of firm integrity, high courage and deep political conviction." Need we say more?

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age SOCIALIST PRESS, ursday