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K. C. Wu (; October 21, 1903 – June 6, 1984) was a Chinese political figure and historian. Among other offices, he served as
Mayor of Shanghai The mayor of Shanghai, officially the Mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, is the head of Shanghai Municipality and leader of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government. The mayor is elected by the Shanghai Municipal People's C ...
and as Chairman of the
Taiwan Provincial Government Taiwan Provincial Government is the nominal government of Taiwan Province in the Republic of China. Since 2018, its functions have been transferred to the National Development Council (Taiwan), National Development Council and other ministries ...
.


Early life

Wu was born in
Jianshi County Jianshi County () is a county of southwestern Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest wi ...
,
Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...
, and grew up in
Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
, where his father served in the military. He studied at both
Tianjin Nankai High School Tianjin Nankai High School () is a college-preparatory high school in Tianjin, China. This is the original Nankai High School, and it is often referred to as Nankai High School in Tianjin to differentiate it from Chongqing Nankai Middle School, ...
, where
Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai ( zh, s=周恩来, p=Zhōu Ēnlái, w=Chou1 Ên1-lai2; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman, diplomat, and revolutionary who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China from September 1954 unti ...
was a classmate, and at
Tsinghua University Tsinghua University (THU) is a public university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of China. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Constructio ...
. In 1923, he earned a bachelor's degree in economics from
Grinnell College Grinnell College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, United States. It was founded in 1846 when a group of Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalis ...
and, in 1926, a doctoral degree in political science from
Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...
.


Early career

After returning to China in 1926, Wu began a career in government service, first as a tax collector in
Hankou Hankou, alternately romanized as Hankow (), was one of the three towns (the other two were Wuchang and Hanyang) merged to become modern-day Wuhan city, the capital of the Hubei province, China. It stands north of the Han and Yangtze Rivers w ...
, today part of
Wuhan Wuhan; is the capital of Hubei, China. With a population of over eleven million, it is the most populous city in Hubei and the List of cities in China by population, eighth-most-populous city in China. It is also one of the nine National cent ...
, for the local warlord Xia Douyin. In 1931, he married Edith Huang, daughter of Gene T. Huang. They eventually had four children: Eileen, Edith, Kuo-chen, and Sherman."Obituaries: Edith Huang Wu"; Savannah Morning News, August 25, 2002. () In 1932, he became mayor of Hankou. When the
Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ) is the longest river in Eurasia and the third-longest in the world. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains of the Tibetan Plateau and flows including Dam Qu River the longest source of the Yangtze, i ...
appeared ready to flood in 1936, Wu oversaw the construction of a huge dike system which saved the city. With the fall of Hankou to Japanese forces in October 1938 during the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War was fought between the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the Empire of Japan between 1937 and 1945, following a period of war localized to Manchuria that started in 1931. It is considered part ...
, Wu and his family fled to
Chongqing ChongqingPostal Romanization, Previously romanized as Chungking ();. is a direct-administered municipality in Southwestern China. Chongqing is one of the four direct-administered municipalities under the State Council of the People's Republi ...
. In 1939, Chiang Kai-shek appointed him as mayor of Chongqing, a position he held until 1942. He served as vice minister of Foreign Affairs from 1943 to 1945, interacting with
Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai ( zh, s=周恩来, p=Zhōu Ēnlái, w=Chou1 Ên1-lai2; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman, diplomat, and revolutionary who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China from September 1954 unti ...
as part of the united front against the Japanese. After the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in 1945, K.C. Wu became mayor of
Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
, serving in that role until the Chinese Communists conquered the city in 1949. While mayor of Shanghai, Wu met Robert R. McCormick of the
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
, and his wife Maryland. As the situation in Shanghai became less stable, Wu sent his two daughters to live with the McCormicks in
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
.


Activities after leaving mainland China

Following the relocation of the Nationalist government to
Taipei , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...
, Wu served as Governor of Taiwan from 1949 to 1953. Wu attempted to bring a greater degree of self-governance to the Taiwanese people, allowing for the election of certain local officials by popular vote. Wu also brought critics of Chen Yi into the government, and attempted to cut back on police brutality. Wu was opposed by many conservative members of the Nationalist government, including
Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo (, 27 April 1910 – 13 January 1988) was a politician of the Republic of China. The eldest and only biological son of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, he held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China and ended ...
and
Chen Cheng Chen Cheng (; ; January 4, 1898 – March 5, 1965), courtesy name Tsi-siou (), was a Chinese political and military leader, and one of the main commanders of the National Revolutionary Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese C ...
. Wu's conflict with the younger Chiang worsened. Wu submitted his resignation to the elder Chiang but it was rejected. In April 1952, an alleged assassination targeting Wu was suspected. In April 1953, he resigned from his position as governor, and on 24 May he hastily left Taiwan on a "lecture tour". Wu's family left for the United States, except one son who was not permitted to leave by the Chiangs. In 1954, a wave of accusations appeared in Taiwan alleging Wu's corruption. At the same time, the Chiangs moved to dismiss Wu's associates from government. They also formally expelled Wu from the Kuomintang. Following his son's departure from Taiwan, Wu began to speak out against what he saw were serious problems with the
Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...
(KMT) government. That same year, Wu wrote an article in '' Look'' magazine entitled "Your Money is Building a Police State in Taiwan". The war of words between Wu and Chiang's regime escalated further, including a resolution against him by the ROC's National Assembly. Later in 1954, a war of words also erupted between Wu and
Hu Shih Hu Shih ( zh, t=胡適; 17 December 189124 February 1962) was a Chinese academic, writer, and politician. Hu contributed to Chinese liberalism and language reform, and was a leading advocate for the use of written vernacular Chinese. He part ...
, who was also in the United States at the time. At that time, the United States was attempting to forge an alliance with the government on Taiwan. Thus, the idea of fighting the police state was low on the United States agenda. Following a lack of American response to his writings, K.C. Wu lived in the United States where he served as professor of Chinese history at Armstrong Atlantic State University in
Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...
, Georgia. During his time in the United States, he wrote various works, including a detailed analysis on Chinese culture in the context of mythology and early history in his book ''The Chinese Heritage''. Wu is remembered mainly for his vital role in the formation of a liberal modern Taiwan and his
anti-communist Anti-communism is political and ideological opposition to communist beliefs, groups, and individuals. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, when th ...
beliefs typical of KMT members, but he is also remembered for his outspoken anti-Kuomintang rhetoric and turbulent disagreements with the more Russian-styled
Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo (, 27 April 1910 – 13 January 1988) was a politician of the Republic of China. The eldest and only biological son of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, he held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China and ended ...
. After the
Great Retreat The Great Retreat (), also known as the retreat from Mons, was the long withdrawal to the River Marne in August and September 1914 by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army. The Franco-British forces on the Western F ...
, there were pro-American liberals in the Kuomintang, but as Chiang Ching-kuo took control of party, military, and administrative powers and, as a result, pro-American elements like K. C. Wu or Wang Shijie were expelled.


See also

*
Liberalism in China Liberalism () in Greater China is a development from classical liberalism as it was introduced into China during the later years of the Qing dynasty and the Republican period. It focuses more on individualism, rather than communitarianism; a c ...


Notes


Further reading

* https://web.archive.org/web/20060901195933/http://www.faculty.armstrong.edu/FDawardR.htm * http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101500807,00.html *''The Chinese Heritage'' by K. C. Wu; 1988, Random House Value Publishing, . *"Your Money is Building a Police State in Taiwan" by K. C. Wu; '' Look'', June 29, 1954. *''The Voice of Asia'' by
James A. Michener James Albert Michener ( or ; February 3, 1907 – October 16, 1997) was an American writer. He wrote more than 40 books, most of which were long, fictional family sagas covering the lives of many generations, set in particular geographic locales ...
; 1951, Random House, . *''Mechanics and Methods of Communism'' lecture by K. C. Wu, 17 March 1955, Waelderhaus,
Kohler, Wisconsin Kohler is a village in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States, along the Sheboygan River. The population was 2,195 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is included in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Sheboygan metropolitan statistical ...
;
The Sheboygan Press ''The Sheboygan Press'' is a daily newspaper based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, United States. It is one of a number of newspapers in the state of Wisconsin owned by Gannett, including the ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', '' Green Bay Press-Gazette'' ...
, March 17, 1955, p 13 *''Fires of the Dragon'' by David E. Kaplan; 2002, Scribner, . {{DEFAULTSORT:Wu, K. C. 1903 births 1984 deaths 20th-century Chinese historians 20th-century American historians 20th-century mayors of places in China American writers of Chinese descent Burials at Bonaventure Cemetery Chairpersons of the Taiwan Provincial Government Chinese anti-communists Taiwanese anti-communists Chinese Civil War refugees Expelled members of the Kuomintang Historians from Hubei Liberalism in China Liberalism in Taiwan Mayors of Shanghai People from Enshi Pro-Americanism Republic of China politicians from Hubei Taiwanese people from Hubei