T. V. Soong

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T. V. Song
T. V. Song

Tse-ven Soong, or Soong Tzu-wen (Chinese: 宋子文; pinyin: Sòng Zǐwén; 1894 – 1971), was a prominent businessman and politician in the early 20th century Republic of China. His father was Charlie Soong and his siblings were the Soong sisters. His Christian name was Paul. Soong's brothers-in-law were Dr. Sun Yat-sen, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, and financier H.H. Kung.

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[edit] Biography

Born in Shanghai, T. V. Soong received his education at Harvard University, received his Ph. D. degree from Columbia University and returned to China to engage in private business. In the Kuomintang-controlled government he served as governor of the Central Bank of China and minister of finance (1928 - 1931, 1932 - 1933); minister of foreign affairs (1942 - 1945); and president of the Executive Yuan (1945 - 1947). Soong left his legacy as head of the Chinese delegation to the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco, April 1945 which later became the United Nations.

During the war years, he financed the "Flying Tigers" -- the American Voluntary Group that later was incorporated into the United States Air Force. Gen. Claire Chennault was listed as an employee of Bank of China[citation needed]. On this project he worked very closely with his sister, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek. He once remarked to John P. Davies, one of the China Hands, that there were no State Department memos sent from China that he did not have access to within a few days[1].

With the defeat of the Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War, he moved to New York and lived there until his death at the age of 77. He remained an influential member of the China Lobby[2]. Soong had a stroke and died in San Francisco while on business in April, 1971.

Soong was married to Chang Yüeh-ch'ia (張樂恰 Zhang Yueqia).

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[edit] References

Notes
  1. ^ Halberstam The Coldest Winter, p. 241.
  2. ^ Halberstam The Coldest Winter, p. 317.
Bibliography
  • Halberstam, David (2007). The Coldest WInter - America and the Korean War. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 978-140130-052-4. 

[edit] Further reading

Government offices
Preceded by
Tan Yankai		 Premier of the Republic of China
1930		 Succeeded by
Chiang Kai-shek
Preceded by
Chiang Kai-shek		 Premier of the Republic of China
1945–1947		 Succeeded by
Chiang Kai-shek