Chen Cheng: The Governor, Premier, and VP Who Helped Remake Taiwan – S6-E33

Chen Cheng (陳誠) was one of the most powerful figures in postwar Taiwan, serving as provincial governor, premier, and vice president under Chiang Kai-shek. A career soldier who became a reluctant politician, he helped stabilize Taiwan’s economy and pushed through land reforms. Yet he also played a leading role in the authoritarian government of the White Terror era, including imposing martial law in 1949. Despite being Chiang’s trusted right-hand man, Chen sometimes clashed with his boss and became entangled in the struggle over who would eventually succeed him. Eryk and John explore the crucial role Chen Cheng played in shaping modern Taiwan and how he never quite escaped CKS’s shadow.