Yuan Shikai: The Over-Ambitious General

Are you looking for a Chinese general who liked to switch sides and break promises? Look no further than Yuan Shikai! Also known as the guy who just couldn’t handle the power of presidency.

Let’s start from the beginning. Yuan Shikai was born in Henan province in 1859 and joined the army at the age of 18. He rose through the ranks quickly and became one of the most powerful warlords during the late Qing dynasty. But despite his military success, Yuan had a strong desire for political power.

In 1912, when China became a republic and Sun Yat-sen was elected as the first president, Yuan Shikai was appointed as the premier. But of course, he wanted more. In 1913, he forced Sun to resign and became the president himself. He even declared himself emperor in 1916, which was a total joke because he only lasted 83 days before abdicating.

Yuan Shikai was known for his fickleness and lack of loyalty. He made deals and promises only to break them later. For example, during the Xinhai Revolution in 1911, he agreed to support the rebels and help overthrow the Qing dynasty. But once the revolution succeeded, he turned on the revolutionaries and became a warlord himself.

At one point, he even tried to negotiate a deal with Japan to make himself emperor in a puppet state. Talk about ambitious!

Despite all his power, Yuan Shikai was not a very popular leader. He was despised by many for his dictatorial ways and his shameless self-promotion. In the end, he died of natural causes in 1916.

So there you have it, folks. Yuan Shikai, the general who just couldn’t get enough power. Let’s hope no one like him ever rises to power again (and if they do, please don’t give them any ideas).