Central Military Academy

The Central Military Academy (also known as Chinese Military Academy) is the military academy for the army of the Republic of China, currently located in Changzhou Island offshore from the Whampoa (Huangpu) dock in Guangzhou. Formerly named the Whampoa Military Academy, the academy produced many commanders who would go on to serve in the conflicts of China in the 20th century, including the Northern Expedition, 2nd Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War.

The academy was officially established on May 1st 1924 on Changzhou island, offshore of Whampoa dock, under the Kuomintang, with an opening inauguration by Sun Yat-Sen, but normal operations would begin only in June 23th of the same year. During the inauguration, Sun would read what would become the future anthem of the Republic of China. The academy is considered to be one of the most important institutions in China alongside the Academia Sinica, which is the state university. "風雲起 山河動

黃埔建軍聲勢雄

革命壯士矢精忠

金戈鐵馬 百戰沙場

安內攘外作先鋒

縱橫掃蕩 復興中華

所向無敵 立大功

旌旗耀 金鼓響

龍騰虎躍軍威壯

忠誠精實風紀揚

機動攻勢 勇敢沈著

奇襲主動智謀廣

肝膽相照 團結自強

殲滅敵寇 凱歌唱" - March of the ROC Army

Establishment
The death of Yuan Shikai to China meant there was a loss of central power hold within one party, fomenting fragmentation across China into regional warlords. Sun Yat-Sen, in both 1917 and 1920, to launch a Northern Campaign to unite China under the Kuomintang, but his army was significantly weaker than other warlord armies. Calls to arms from Sun to foreign powers were ignored, until Henk Sneevliet (using the name Maring), representing Comintern, met in Sun in Guangxi. Sneevliet proposed the establishment of a military academy to train the officers and soldiers of the Revolutionary army. In 1924, the 1st National Congress of the Kuomintang, the Kuomintang began a policy of Soviet foreign aid. Thus, the final decision for the establishment of the academy was confirmed, and related committees and groups were formed to aid this. From 1924 to 1925, the Soviets provided aid and funds to create the academy.establish the academy.

Organization, training and Students
Initially, the academy began with one department offering training for infantry, but also had "special classes" to provide training for artillery, engineering, communication, logistical and machine gun units.

While being a training center mainly for infantry, the Academy indeed concentrated China's most brilliant and revolutionary of military leaders. Sun took the job of Premier of this academy in person although it was just an honorary title, while rising star Chiang Kai-Shek was appointed the first commandant of the academy.