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Eleanor Roosevelt’s High Expectations Regarding Madame Chiang Kai-shek
by Tim Sheehan

Table of Contents | Introduction | Conclusion | Endnotes | Related Web Resources

Conclusion

Before Mayling Chiang Kai-shek’s 1942-1943 visit to the U.S., Eleanor Roosevelt held her in high regard. She admired and envied the dependence Chiang Kai-shek had on Madame Chiang, which gave her great power. ER made her out to be a great symbol to other women to show that they also can achieve great accomplishments. Yet Roosevelt expected Madame to mirror her beliefs regarding equality, democracy, and humanity. Her realization that Madame Chiang Kai-shek’s views didn’t mirror her own greatly disappointed Eleanor Roosevelt.

Eleanor Roosevelt found herself at the short end of the stick during Madame Chiang Kai-shek’s 1942-1943 visit. Madame Chiang displayed reluctance and made outright refusals to assist ER with publicity of her pet projects. ER did pester Madame with petty projects such as the play Maxeda von Hesse wanted to write. Yet Madame demanded quite a lot from ER. Her insistence of speaking to a joint session of Congress and the Cigarette Incident burdened Eleanor Roosevelt. It does appear that Madame received far more from Eleanor Roosevelt than Eleanor Roosevelt received from Madame Chiang Kai-shek. As stated above, FDR immediately sent C-46 aircraft to China. The total number of air force and service troops in the China-Burma-India theater increased 500% in 1943, thanks in part to Madame’s lobbying efforts.(112)

Eleanor Roosevelt did correct her ignorance about Madame Chiang Kai-shek and China, thanks due mostly to Pearl Buck. Her corrected view of Madame Chiang allowed her to play on a level field with someone who held the initial advantage by knowing more about Eleanor Roosevelt and the United States than ER know about her and China. ER still held high regard for Mayling Chiang, using her accomplishments as a symbol for herself and other women to emulate. Yet she also openly criticized Madame for her failure to truly embrace democratic ideals. Eleanor Roosevelt continued to express her views upon Madame for the remainder of their relationship. Yet despite her constant pressure, Madame Chiang did not accept ER’s values. Maybe the Chiang Kai-sheks would not have lost China if she and her husband created a more democratic and humanitarian government.

©2009-2012 Tim Sheehan tim@historynut.info

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This page last updated 1 January 2012