The Investigation and Statistics Bureau
Encyclopedia
The Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (simplified Chinese: 军统; traditional Chinese: 軍統) was the intelligence agency of the Republic of China
(1938－1946). It was devoted to intelligence gathering for purposes of national security and defense. It was originally headed by Dai Li
, and after 1946 he was succeeded by Mao Renfeng.
The BIS secret police
was distributed amongst the Kuomintang
's military, police, administration, and transportation agencies, as well as embassies and consulates abroad. It specialized in surveillance, kidnapping, assassinations, and other means of arrest.
During the Sino-Japanese War
, the BIS also engaged in a number of intelligence gathering and espionage activities against the Japanese invaders. There are some BIS staff who surrendered to Japan, and many of the secret police in Japanese occupied areas were former BIS agents.
.
In 1938, the Special Works Department was expanded and took over the "Investigation and Statistics Bureau" to cope with the increasingly demanding tasks of intelligence operations. Dai Li
was assigned as the de facto responsibility for running the unit.
During the Sino-Japanese War, BIS had orchestrated the assassinations of several key enemy military and government personnels. Various "guerrilla command" and "traffic police" groups under the BIS carried out a wide range of guerrilla activities against the Japanese and Japanese collaborators.
From 1937-41, more than 18,000 BIS official staff lost their lives, and by the end of the war the number has increased to more than 45,000.
On July 1, 1985, the Military Intelligence Bureau was created by merging the Special Military Intelligence Office with the Intelligence Bureau. The Military Intelligence Bureau was subordinated to the Ministry of National Defense under the direct command of the Chief of the General Staff
.
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(1938－1946). It was devoted to intelligence gathering for purposes of national security and defense. It was originally headed by Dai Li
Dai Li
Major General Dai Li was born Dai Chunfeng with the courtesy name of Yunong in Baoan, Jiangshan, Zhejiang, China. He studied at the Whampoa Military Academy, where Chiang served as Chief Commandant, and later became head of Chiang's Military Intelligence Service.-Early life:At age four, his...
, and after 1946 he was succeeded by Mao Renfeng.
The BIS secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
was distributed amongst the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
's military, police, administration, and transportation agencies, as well as embassies and consulates abroad. It specialized in surveillance, kidnapping, assassinations, and other means of arrest.
During the Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, the BIS also engaged in a number of intelligence gathering and espionage activities against the Japanese invaders. There are some BIS staff who surrendered to Japan, and many of the secret police in Japanese occupied areas were former BIS agents.
Early stages
The BIS was founded in 1927 as the "Military Commission of Clandestine Investigation Section" with the "Special Works Department" set up in 1932. When the "Investigation and Statistics Bureau" was established under the Military Commission, the "Special Works Department" was incorporated into the Bureau and renamed the "Second Division", and is responsible for intelligence collection and personnel training. All of the bureau's affairs were under the directly command of Chiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
.
In 1938, the Special Works Department was expanded and took over the "Investigation and Statistics Bureau" to cope with the increasingly demanding tasks of intelligence operations. Dai Li
Dai Li
Major General Dai Li was born Dai Chunfeng with the courtesy name of Yunong in Baoan, Jiangshan, Zhejiang, China. He studied at the Whampoa Military Academy, where Chiang served as Chief Commandant, and later became head of Chiang's Military Intelligence Service.-Early life:At age four, his...
was assigned as the de facto responsibility for running the unit.
Sino-Japanese War Period
During the Sino-Japanese War, BIS had orchestrated the assassinations of several key enemy military and government personnels. Various "guerrilla command" and "traffic police" groups under the BIS carried out a wide range of guerrilla activities against the Japanese and Japanese collaborators.
From 1937-41, more than 18,000 BIS official staff lost their lives, and by the end of the war the number has increased to more than 45,000.
Chinese Civil War Period
In August 1946, the Ministry of National Defense was established to replace the Military Commission, and the BIS changed its name to the Counterespionage Bureau under the Ministry of National Defense. Mao Renfeng was the director given the de facto responsibility for running the unit.After 1949 in mainland China
After Nationalist government was moved to Taiwan in 1949, a number of BIS staff remained in mainland China for intelligence activities. The BIS staff were severely repressed by Chinese Communist government during the Campaign to Suppress Counterrevolutionaries, and were mostly executed by firing squad or received heavy punishment. By end of the 1950s, the BIS staff were largely eliminated on the mainland.In Taiwan
In 1955, the Bureau was again reorganized as the Intelligence Bureau, responsible for early-warning intelligence collection and strategic analysis. Since then, the Ministry of Justice took over the functions of counterespionage and investigation from the Bureau.On July 1, 1985, the Military Intelligence Bureau was created by merging the Special Military Intelligence Office with the Intelligence Bureau. The Military Intelligence Bureau was subordinated to the Ministry of National Defense under the direct command of the Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff
The Chief of the General Staff is a post in many armed forces , the head of the military staff.See also:*Chief of the General Staff *Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces...
.