On November 9, 2003, Madame Song Meiling, the wife of Chiang Kai-shek, passed away in New York. The remarkable life of this first lady who spanned three centuries continues to be praised.
Madame Song Meiling possessed not only beauty, charisma, and charm but also remarkable courage and outstanding diplomatic skills.
Born in turbulent times, she made significant contributions to the establishment of the Republic of China Air Force, secured foreign aid for China’s isolated fight, and played a key role in winning the war against Japan.
She was also known as the “Mother of the Republic of China Air Force”.
Let’s delve into the story of Madame Song Meiling and the Air Force.
Song Meiling was born on March 4, 1898, in Shanghai. Her father, Song Jiaxun, and mother, Ni Guizhen, had six children, with Song Meiling being the fourth. Her eldest sister, Song Ailing, married Kong Xiangxi, the 75th generation grandson of Confucius, and her second sister, Song Qingling, married Sun Yat-sen. Her elder brother, T.V. Soong, held positions such as Minister of Finance and Premier in the Nationalist government.
Her father was in the publishing industry, and the Song family was considered an influential family in Shanghai. Influenced by Western ideologies, her father sent all three daughters to study in the United States.
At the age of nine, Song Meiling went to the US for study and graduated from the prestigious Wellesley College at the age of 19 before returning to China.
On December 1, 1927, Chiang Kai-shek and Song Meiling held their wedding. Song Meiling was 29 at the time, while Chiang Kai-shek was 40.
Before the age of 36, Song Meiling had no connection to the Air Force.
The Republic of China Air Force was established in 1932, at a time when there were few aircraft, personnel, and no combat experience.
In the autumn of 1934, Chiang Kai-shek conducted a survey of northwest China. At that time, the Japanese had occupied northeast China for over two years and were eyeing northern China, posing a threat. China urgently needed to make a decision on a war strategy.
During this trip to northwest China, Chiang Kai-shek realized the importance of air superiority. At a time of internal and external challenges, he began to establish the Aviation Committee to strengthen the air force. Who would take on this vital role?
He thought of his wife, Song Meiling. Perhaps because building an air force required dealing with foreign countries, and Song Meiling, who had received ten years of education in the US, was a suitable and trustworthy candidate.
Thus, in 1934, Chiang Kai-shek personally served as the chairman of the Aviation Committee, and his wife, Song Meiling, served as the secretary-general.
During her tenure as the secretary-general of the Aviation Committee, Song Meiling personally selected a group of students from the sixth class of the Whampoa Military Academy to establish an aviation class and set up aviation schools in Nanjing, Luoyang, Hangzhou, and Nanchang, aiming to train a group of elite pilots.
Song Meiling also established an aircraft manufacturing plant in Nanchang and sent personnel to Italy to study aircraft manufacturing. She vigorously trained a large number of ground crew for the air force, developed airfields in Xi’an, Luoyang, Nanchang, Kaifeng, Wuhan, Changsha, Chengdu, Kunming, and built military airfields nationwide, stockpiling a large number of aviation ammunition and fuel.
Before the outbreak of the war, China had 262 airfields and over 700 pilots, with the aviation infrastructure taking shape.
On October 31, 1936, the 50th birthday of Chiang Kai-shek was celebrated with 50 aircraft forming smoke trails in the sky, spelling out “Chiang Kai-shek” and “50”, causing a sensation in Nanjing, showcasing Song Meiling’s organizational talent and connections.
On November 11, 1936, Song Meiling was awarded the Third Class Cloud Banner Medal by the Nationalist government in recognition of her contributions as the secretary-general of the Aviation Committee in defense planning.
On December 12, 1936, the shocking Xi’an Incident occurred.
On that day, while hosting a meeting regarding the reorganization of the “National Aviation Construction Association” at her residence in Shanghai, Song Meiling was informed by Kong Xiangxi that Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng had rebelled and detained Chiang Kai-shek.
She sent her and Chiang Kai-shek’s personal advisor, an English Australian named Denner, to Xi’an to assess the situation. Denner met with Zhang Xueliang and Chiang Kai-shek.
On December 22, Song Meiling, T.V. Soong, and Denner travelled to Xi’an. Song Meiling handed over a firearm for self-defense to Denner and instructed him that if a mutiny occurred in Xi’an, he should use it to kill her without hesitation.
After negotiations, on December 25, Zhang Xueliang released Chiang Kai-shek and personally saw him and Song Meiling off from Xi’an.
The Xi’an Incident made Chiang Kai-shek and Song Meiling realize the importance of establishing an air force led by “their own people.” After the incident, He Yingqin and others advocated using the air force to bomb Xi’an.
Sterling Seagrave, author of “The Soong Dynasty,” stated: “During the Xi’an Incident, many close aides and confidants of Chairman Chiang in Nanjing secretly plotted to bomb him to pieces. Thus, it was unwise to let these people control the air force. Mrs. Chiang told her husband that she was willing to step forward and transform the air force into an effective weapon for overcoming enemies, not a political bargaining chip. Chiang agreed and put her in charge.”
In 1937, Chiang Kai-shek appointed his trusted wife, Song Meiling, to build the air force. This beautiful “first lady” became the only female commander in the history of the Chinese Air Force, equivalent to the rank of major general.
Song Meiling had a fear of flying, but she understood that for China to modernize its military, it needed a proficient Air Force to protect its airspace.
Eunice Younson, author of “The Soong Sisters,” believed that Chiang’s willingness to have Song Meiling lead the early stages of the Nationalist Air Force indicated that “Chiang believed that the Nationalist government needed to modernize China’s military, particularly in terms of air power. However, purchasing aircraft involved a substantial amount of money, and Chiang could not decide which of his corrupt aides could bear this responsibility. He knew he could trust his wife. Therefore, this unprecedented task fell to Song Meiling, who, despite receiving education in music, literature, and social virtues, spent much of her time on technical publications related to aviation theory, aircraft design, and comparing various aircraft components. She negotiated with foreign traders and ordered products worth $20 million, transforming from a mere buyer to the Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese Air Force, a feat unprecedented for a woman.”
As the head of the air force, Song Meiling strictly enforced discipline.
Younson wrote, “She decreed that any thief in this elite force would face the death penalty. Until the necessity of evacuation from Nanjing, she often referred to ‘my air force’ in press releases.”
In her efforts to establish the Chinese Air Force, Song Meiling showcased her diplomatic skills in foreign aircraft procurement, hiring foreign consultants, and other aspects.
After the July 7, 1937, Marco Polo Bridge Incident, Japan immediately launched a large-scale attack on Shanghai with its navy, army, and air force. At the beginning of the war, Japan sought to eliminate the newly established Chinese Air Force using its superior air forces.
Japan possessed 2,200 advanced self-produced fighters while China only purchased and assembled 300 second-hand aircraft from various countries, lagging behind in training and logistics compared to Japan.
Desperate for capable assistants to help overhaul the air force, Song Meiling hired former U.S. Army Air Corps pilot Claire Lee Chennault as a consultant.
She asked Chennault who could quickly transform the Chinese Air Force into a respectable military force, and he immediately thought of a tough, eagle-like and rugged veteran pilot, that person being Chennault.
Recently retired with nearly 20 years of flying experience in the U.S. Air Force, Captain Chennault was hired as a consultant for the Republic of China Air Force to assist in the development and training of pilots.
The famous Flying Tigers were a group of pilots trained by Chennault according to U.S. military standards. Chennault’s efforts helped China in the Sino-Japanese War gain support from U.S. President Roosevelt. He recruited about 100 pilots in the U.S., formed the Flying Tigers, and helped the unit acquire combat aircraft.
Facing the threat from the Japanese, Chennault utilized China’s strategic depth to establish a primitive early warning and defense network, creating a defense umbrella for China’s war efforts and safeguarding Chongqing, the wartime capital, from Japanese bombing threats.
Apart from assisting the Republic of China in the war against Japan, the Flying Tigers also helped transport supplies from India to China by flying over the Himalayas, breaking the Japanese blockade in what became known as the “Hump Airlift.”
In 1941, the Japanese captured Hong Kong, cutting off all of China’s sea routes, severing its maritime ties with the world. China could only receive support through the precarious Burma Road in Yunnan.
The development of the Hump Airlift connected the supply lines of the Allied Powers. However, the airlift involved dangerous flights over the Himalayas, leading to over 1,500 casualties on the route.
In February 1943, to garner more support and sympathy for China in its war against Japan, Song Meiling visited the U.S. as a special envoy of Chiang Kai-shek. She became a distinguished guest of U.S. President Roosevelt and his wife, making her third visit to the White House, where she stayed for 11 days. Her grace, moderation in speech, won admiration from the Roosevelts.
On February 18, she delivered a speech in the U.S. Congress, praising the combat capabilities of U.S. troops, America’s democratic system, and detailing China’s bloody fight against Japan, sparking a “Song Meiling whirlwind.”
On February 19, during a press conference at the White House, she and President Roosevelt and his wife jointly accepted interviews from 172 reporters. This media appearance was a heavyweight event, as significant and influential as her congressional speech.
During the press conference, Song Meiling stated, “China has trained pilots, but lacks sufficient aircraft and fuel.”
President Roosevelt immediately responded that although transporting planes and military supplies to China was a considerable challenge, the U.S. government would expedite military support to China as swiftly as divinely possible.
Before Song Meiling’s visit, the Sino-Indian air route transported less than 1,500 tons of goods per month.
Less than 20 days after Song Meiling’s speech in the U.S. Congress, President Roosevelt phoned Chiang Kai-shek, approving the establishment of the Fourteenth Air Force commanded by Chennault and expanding Chennault’s aircraft fleet to 500 planes as soon as possible. He also increased the number of aircraft involved in the Hump Airlift and aimed to reach a goal of transporting ten thousand tons of supplies per month.
In the first half of 1944, the U.S. aerial support to China exceeded 500 aircraft, and in the second half, the deliveries through the Hump Route brought over 46,000 tons of goods per month to China.
Chiang Kai-shek praised: “The capabilities of Madam Song are equal to those of 20 army divisions.”
Song Meiling’s influence on the Air Force’s personnel, procurement, training, and operations earned her the title “Mother of the Chinese Air Force” from the Nationalist government at the time.
Song Meiling had a particular fondness for the Air Force, and her favorite piece of jewelry to wear was the Air Force wings emblem.
According to her aide Xia Gongquan’s recollection, in the living room of Song Meiling’s New York residence in her later years, there was always a large photo of Song Meiling and the distinguished pilots of the Air Force at Nanjing’s airfield during the early stages of the war.
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