Kao was born in modern
Yicheng,
Zaozhuang, Shandong in 1907. He entered the
Whampoa Military Academy in 1926. After graduating from the academy's 4th class, he participated in the
National Revolutionary Army's
Northern Expedition. After the end of the Northern Expedition, Kao served as the commander of the 3rd Battalion and the 593rd Regiment of the 18th Army and participated in several campaigns against the
Chinese Red Army. After the beginning of the Second-Sino Japanese War, Kao was sent to participate in the
Battle of Shanghai. In 1938, he was promoted to major general and served as the commander of the 295th Brigade of the 99th Division. The following year, he was promoted to division commander and participated in the
Battle of Kunlun Pass, the
Third Battle of Changsha and the
Battle of West Hunan. Kao became director of the
Political Warfare Bureau in 1961. In 1965,
Chiang Kai-shek promoted Kao to
Commander of the Army. He was then promoted to
colonel general in 1967. In 1973, Kao was about to retire, however newly appointed
Premier Chiang Ching-kuo convinced Kao to stay in service and appointed him became the Minister of National Defense in July 1973. When he retired from that position in November 1981, he was the last graduate of the
Whampoa Military Academy still in active duty. Kao's position was taken over by
Sung Chang-chih. After retiring, Kao became a strategic advisor to the
Presidential Office, a position he held until his death in 2012. ==Death==