T. V. Soong 宋子文 papers, 1920-1999
Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Soong, T. V. (Tzu-wen), 1894-1971
- Abstract:
- The T. V. Soong 宋子文 papers (1920-1999) contains correspondence, speeches and writings, memoranda, reports, and photographs relating to political and economic conditions in China during the 1930s and 1940s; Chinese foreign relations, especially with the United States; events in China during World War II; and wartime Chinese diplomacy, especially regarding Sino-American relations. Also available on microfilm (80 reels). Digital copies of select records also available at https://digitalcollections.hoover.org.
- Extent:
- 64 manuscript boxes, 11 oversize boxes, 1 small object box, 2 envelopes, 3 album boxes, 2 oversize folders, 2 microfilm reels (45.1 Linear Feet)
- Language:
- In English and Chinese
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], T. V. Soong 宋子文 papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Hoover Institution acquired fifty-eight boxes of T. V. Soong 宋子文 papers from the Soong family in the 1970s. Of this material, thirty-nine boxes have been available for research since their acquisition. The other nineteen boxes were closed by the family during the lifetime of Madame Chiang Kai-shek, who passed away on October 23, 2003. This finding aid describes the papers in those fifty-eight boxes (re-housed into fifty seven boxes for preservation in 2012).
In 2004 the family donated additional Soong papers, which are described below as Incremental Materials. On April 26, 2004, the nineteen boxes of papers closed by the family since the 1970s and all of the papers acquired in 2004 were opened for research.
Increments in the T. V. Soong collection were acquired in 2004 and 2006, when the Soong family descendents augmented the existing T. V. Soong collection at the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
These incremental materials describe such turning points as the abduction of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in 1936 (the Xi'an incident), the dismissal of General Joseph Stilwell, and the framing of the Sino-Soviet Treaty of 1945. A major component of the collection includes T. V. Soong's notes, memoranda, confidential telegrams, financial records, and correspondence with Chiang Kai-shek and other government officials in China's wartime government. It also includes personal correspondence exchanged between members of the Soong family, including T. A. Soong, Soong Ai-ling (Madame H. H. K'ung), Soong Ching-ling (Madame Sun Yat-sen) and Soong Mei-ling (Madame Chiang Kai-shek). Selected telegrams in the T. V. Soong papers were transcribed and translated from Chinese to English and published in a bilingual edition as Song Ziwen yu wai guo ren shi wang lai han dian gao = T. V. Soong: Important Wartime Correspondences (1940-1942), Hsiao-ting Lin and Wu Jingping, editors (Shanghai: Fudan University Press, 2009). This publication is available in the Hoover Archives reading room.
The arrangement of this material has been closely maintained as it was received from the donors in 2004 and 2006. In some cases, as a standard archival preservation procedure, use copies have been substituted for original documents. All information contained in the original documents is open and available in the use copies. Upon request, the original documents, which comprise the Restricted Material series, may be viewed under direct supervision by archives staff. This series includes all restricted originals from boxes 1 to 64.
The family could not authorize the release of security-classified government documents, which were present in both the original acquisition and the 2004 addition. The vast majority of these were declassified by the U.S. government and opened in summer 2004. In January 2005 the declassified documents were returned to their original folders. A list of folders containing declassified documents re-filed in January 2005 is available below.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Date Event 1894 December 4 Born, Shanghai, China1915 B.A., Harvard University. T.V. Soong (Soong Tzu-wen, Song Ziwen, Soong Tse-vung, Soong Tse-ven, Sung Tzu-wen) also received two honorary doctorates, from Columbia University and Yale University.1915-1917 Graduate studies, Columbia University, New York1917-1923 Secretary, Han-yeh-p'ing iron and coal complex, China (Hanyang steel mill, Tayeh iron mines, P'inghsiang coal mines). Also involved in trade and banking circles, Shanghai1923 Manager, Salt Administration in Kwangtung and Kwangsi provinces1924 Member, Committee for Food ControlManager, Central Bank, Canton1925 Minister of Finance, National Government, Canton1926 Member, National Government (State) CouncilMinister of CommerceMember, Central Executive Committee1927 Member, Kuomintang Political CouncilMember, Military CouncilMember, Standing Committee, Government CouncilMinister of Finance, Wuhan Government1928 Governor, Central Bank of China, ShanghaiMinister of Finance, Nanking government1932-1933 Acting President, Executive Yuan, Nanking1933 Resigned government posts, except for National Economic CouncilHead of Chinese Delegation to the World Economic Conference, London1934 Founder, China Development Finance Corporation1938 Acting Chairman, National Aeronautical Affairs Commission1940-1942 Personal representative of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Washington, D.C.1942-1945 Minister of Foreign Affairs1944 Acting President, Executive Yuan1945 Elected as one of four chairman of United Nations ConferenceHead of Chinese Delegation, United Nations Conference, San Francisco1945-1947 President, Executive Yuan1947-1949 Governor, Kwangtung Province1949-1950 President, Bank of China, Taiwan1971 Died, San Francisco, California; interred, New York - Acquisition information:
- Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 1973, with increments received in 2004 and 2006.
- Physical location:
- Hoover Institution Library & Archives
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Diplomatic history
World War, 1939-1945 -- China
Reconstruction (1939-1951) -- China
Sino-Japanese War, 1937-1945
Statesmen -- China - Names:
- Zhongguo guo min dang
Chiang, Kai-shek, 1887-1975
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 - Places:
- China -- History -- Republic, 1912-1949
China -- Economic conditions -- 1912-1949
China -- Foreign relations -- United States
United States -- Foreign relations -- China
China -- Politics and government -- 1912-1949
China -- Foreign relations
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Microfilm use only except for Boxes 66-68, photograph albums and envelopes, and map case material. Boxes 69 and 76 may not be used without permission of the Archivist. Materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
- Terms of access:
-
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], T. V. Soong 宋子文 papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
- Location of this collection:
-
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford UniversityStanford, CA 94305-6003, US
- Contact:
- (650) 723-3563