미국에서 국민당의 성격과 역할(1895-1945)

The Kuomintang in U.S.A,: Character and Roles, 1895-1945

The Kuomintang in the US, like its predecessor, Xingzhonghui and Tongmenghui marks its longest history among many parties of Chinatown in the US and is the only organization that is still active. It can also be said that it resembles the political features of other immigrant nation s organizations. This shows that most of the early Chinese immigrants were from Canton and they came to the US on the heels of the fierce anti-chinese sentiment in the end of the 19th century. Since they were clearly aware of their social limitations, they initially chose to work as secret societies to further protect and defend themselves. Xingzhonghui and Tongmenghui fiercely competing with each other, in their efforts to achieve their political goals, joined hands with Triad of San Francisco or Honolulu. Many Chinese-American people were more like the supporters of nationalism in their hopes to make China become a strong nation, which eventually led to the rise of their political status in the US. The political circumstances and changes in China seen in the US enabled the Chinese people in the US to work together with Kuomintang for their own country. Regardless of whether they were Chinese or American by birth, the nationalism prevailed among the Chinese-American people, in which the main role of a Kuomintang s local chapter was to provide help in logistics and propaganda. Thus Kuomintang in the US was the birthplace of a society that was eager to modernize the Chinese community in the US and it then reflected the goals of the party in China. However, after Kuomintang, with its powers secured in China, turned into a right wing organization, its role in the US was to call for support from the power in the Chinatown. This was possible due to the combination of traditional structure of Chinatown and the nationalism, which translates into the mix of the secret society, the clan community and the management of the party. The conservative executive members and the party shared mutual understanding and interests, which enabled Kuomintang in the US to be a powerful social shield. However, Kuomintang remains as mixed properties among Chinese-American people. Moreover, the Kuomintang s chapter in the US was the direct outcome from the events that occurred in both the US and China. As both countries saw changes, the role of the party also changed. Its expanded role as a political party meant the growth of the Chinese community in the US. Since World War Ⅱ in 1945, Kuomintang s status and roles were solidified in the Chinese community in the US. This, during World War Ⅱ, served as an opportunity for the Chinese-American people to take part in the matters of Kuomintang and to make it a powerful organization. Since 1970, a number of the organizations in the Chinatown have chosen to remain politically neutral between Taiwan and mainland China, the rule of Kuomintang is still strong in most of the Chinese communities. In its politically secret environment, the roles of Kuomintang, with its predecessors, and the Chinese-American people can be defined as a shelter and an advocate for the Chinese nationalism.