Chiang Kai-shek

This is Anand's favourite military leader. In Xi'an we climbed his old stronghold, and saw his barracks in the foothills of a mountain and hotsprings. He was leader of the Nationalists (Kuomintang) which earlier overthrew the dynasty and ended imperial rule. The communists allied with and then drove out the Kuomintang to Taiwan. Chiang Kai-shek was 'forced' into allying with the Commo's to drive out the Japanese during the revolutions. When the Commo's overtook his barracks, he ran away in hid in a crack up the mountain. He was captured and the rest is history.
When we were climbing, lo and behold - there he was! Sitting in a tent, with his female assistant. I suspect he didn't and remains there even now, forced to pose for humiliating photos taken with tourists. Poor old Shanky, if only he new he was the namesake of a reggae riddim.