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---
title: China_1927-1937
---
::: mw-parser-output
::: {#toc .toc aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading" role="navigation"}
::: {.toctitle dir="ltr" lang="en"}
## Contents {#mw-toc-heading}

[ ]{.toctogglespan}
:::

-   [[ 1 ]{.tocnumber} [ The Northern Expedition (1927)
    ]{.toctext}](#The_Northern_Expedition_.281927.29)
    -   [[ 1.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ Kuomintang Army
        ]{.toctext}](#Kuomintang_Army)
        -   [[ 1.1.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ 1st Army Corps
            ]{.toctext}](#1st_Army_Corps)
        -   [[ 1.1.2 ]{.tocnumber} [ 2nd Army Corps
            ]{.toctext}](#2nd_Army_Corps)
        -   [[ 1.1.3 ]{.tocnumber} [ 3rd Army Corps
            ]{.toctext}](#3rd_Army_Corps)
        -   [[ 1.1.4 ]{.tocnumber} [ 4th Army Corps
            ]{.toctext}](#4th_Army_Corps)
        -   [[ 1.1.5 ]{.tocnumber} [ 7th Army Corps
            ]{.toctext}](#7th_Army_Corps)
        -   [[ 1.1.6 ]{.tocnumber} [ 1st Group Army
            ]{.toctext}](#1st_Group_Army)
        -   [[ 1.1.7 ]{.tocnumber} [ 2nd Group Army
            ]{.toctext}](#2nd_Group_Army)
        -   [[ 1.1.8 ]{.tocnumber} [ 3rd Group Army
            ]{.toctext}](#3rd_Group_Army)
        -   [[ 1.1.9 ]{.tocnumber} [ 4th Group Army
            ]{.toctext}](#4th_Group_Army)
    -   [[ 1.2 ]{.tocnumber} [ Communists ]{.toctext}](#Communists)
    -   [[ 1.3 ]{.tocnumber} [ Manchurian Army
        ]{.toctext}](#Manchurian_Army)
-   [[ 2 ]{.tocnumber} [ After the Northern Expedition (1928-1936)
    ]{.toctext}](#After_the_Northern_Expedition_.281928-1936.29)
-   [[ 3 ]{.tocnumber} [ 1929 ]{.toctext}](#1929)
    -   [[ 3.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ March ]{.toctext}](#March)
    -   [[ 3.2 ]{.tocnumber} [ April ]{.toctext}](#April)
-   [[ 4 ]{.tocnumber} [ 1930 ]{.toctext}](#1930)
-   [[ 5 ]{.tocnumber} [ 1929-1931 ]{.toctext}](#1929-1931)
    -   [[ 5.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ December 1930
        ]{.toctext}](#December_1930)
    -   [[ 5.2 ]{.tocnumber} [ January 1931 ]{.toctext}](#January_1931)
    -   [[ 5.3 ]{.tocnumber} [ April ]{.toctext}](#April_2)
    -   [[ 5.4 ]{.tocnumber} [ May ]{.toctext}](#May)
    -   [[ 5.5 ]{.tocnumber} [ June ]{.toctext}](#June)
    -   [[ 5.6 ]{.tocnumber} [ September ]{.toctext}](#September)
-   [[ 6 ]{.tocnumber} [ 1932 ]{.toctext}](#1932)
    -   [[ 6.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ May ]{.toctext}](#May_2)
-   [[ 7 ]{.tocnumber} [ 1933 ]{.toctext}](#1933)
-   [[ 8 ]{.tocnumber} [ 1934 ]{.toctext}](#1934)
-   [[ 9 ]{.tocnumber} [ 1934-1935 ]{.toctext}](#1934-1935)
-   [[ 10 ]{.tocnumber} [ 1935 ]{.toctext}](#1935)
:::

# [ ]{#The_Northern_Expedition_(1927)} [ The Northern Expedition (1927) ]{#The_Northern_Expedition_.281927.29 .mw-headline}

(1.110)

## [ Kuomintang Army ]{#Kuomintang_Army .mw-headline}

### [ 1st Army Corps ]{#1st_Army_Corps .mw-headline}

-   consists of Chiang\'s loyal Zhejiang and Guangdong troops

### [ 2nd Army Corps ]{#2nd_Army_Corps .mw-headline}

-   Hunan armies

### [ 3rd Army Corps ]{#3rd_Army_Corps .mw-headline}

-   Yunnan armies

### [ 4th Army Corps ]{#4th_Army_Corps .mw-headline}

-   Cantonese forces in the Xi Jiang area (who fought in Wuhan during
    the Northern Expedition and sustained the greatest losses)

### [ 7th Army Corps ]{#7th_Army_Corps .mw-headline}

-   Guangxi Army, led by Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi

After the Northern Expedition, Feng Yuxiang\'s Army of the Northwest,
and Yan Xishan\'s Shanxi army joined Chiang, and he then commanded a
total strength of 179 divisions and 30 independent brigades in what is
known as the National Revolutionary Army (NRA). Here are the Group
Armies:

### [ 1st Group Army ]{#1st_Group_Army .mw-headline}

Guomindang Army Corps

### [ 2nd Group Army ]{#2nd_Group_Army .mw-headline}

Guominjun (Feng Yuxiang\'s) army corps

### [ 3rd Group Army ]{#3rd_Group_Army .mw-headline}

Shanxi Army

### [ 4th Group Army ]{#4th_Group_Army .mw-headline}

Guangxi army

## [ Communists ]{#Communists .mw-headline}

30 000 man force which broke away on August 1, 1927

## [ Manchurian Army ]{#Manchurian_Army .mw-headline}

-   led by Zhang Zuolin

# [ ]{#After_the_Northern_Expedition_(1928-1936)} [ After the Northern Expedition (1928-1936) ]{#After_the_Northern_Expedition_.281928-1936.29 .mw-headline}

In 1928, the Chinese Army had approximately 2.25 million men under arms.
(Source:
[http://www.feldgrau.com/articles.php?ID=11](http://www.feldgrau.com/articles.php?ID=11){.external
.free rel="nofollow"} )

In an effort to put the majority of the armed forces under his control,
Chiang Kai-shek engaged a program of troop disbandment which was
bitterly opposed by the other warlords. The 4th Group Army of Guangxi,
the 2nd Group Army of Shanxi, and the 2nd Group Army of the Northwest
all rebelled against Chiang. Through Chiang\'s swift diplomatic
maneuvering, all these rebellions came to be crushed, and their troops
were incorporated into the government forces.

-   the First Army was one of the better equipped of the 8 National
    Revolutionary Armies (NRA)
    -   however, it was not very well equipped
    -   Chiang personally controlled only 3 armies, or about 5-10% of
        the nation\'s total force
-   in contrast, some other NRA took full advantage of the fighting and
    expanded their forces to impressive size

# [ 1929 ]{#1929 .mw-headline}

## [ March ]{#March .mw-headline}

-   The Guangxi Clique, as a result of a crisis seemingly provoked by
    Chiang (3.11) revolted against Nanjing
    -   Guangxi leaders were skilled tacticians and commanded about 230
        000 troops
    -   Feng Yuxiang, commanding 220 00 men would join forces
    -   Chiang bought Feng off with Y2 million and a promise of control
        over Shandong province
    -   Chiang then defeated the Guangxi armies in less than 2 months
    -   Empire of Li Zongrena and Bai Chongxi in Hebei and Hunan-Hubei
        thereupon collapse.
    -   they retreated to their home province of Guangxi

## [ April ]{#April .mw-headline}

-   Feng was going to go to war with Chiang over the disbandment issue,
    but Han Fuqu and Shi Yousan (and 100 000 of Feng\'s troops) defected
    to the nationalist side.
    -   also, Chiang reneged on his pledge to hand over Shandong
        (3.11-12)
    -   Feng pushed out of Shandong and Henan (3.12)

# [ 1930 ]{#1930 .mw-headline}

-   In April 1930, Feng and Yan Xishan organized an Anti-Chiang
    coalition which included the Reorganization faction (led by Wang
    Jingwei (3.12)) and the Western Hill faction (an extreme right
    faction (3.12)) as well.
    -   February and March, Feng Yuxiang and Yan Xishan formed the
        Anti-Chiang coalition, which posed the most serious challenge to
        Chiang\'s power. (3.12)
    -   Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi of the Guangxi clique promised to
        coordinate their attack from South China
    -   in 4 months, the two sides incurred some 250 000 casualties
        (3.12)
    -   In September, the rebel government against Chiang fled from
        Beiping to Taiyuan, Yan\'s capital (3.12)
    -   Both sides wooed Zhang Xueliang to join them (3.12)
    -   However, Zhang Xueliang threw his support behind Chiang, and the
        rebel cause was doomed
        -   the leader was bribed with 10 million yuan and joined the
            central government in mid-september(3.12)
        -   he was promised that he might administer all of China north
            of the Yellow River (3.12)
        -   he sent 100 000 troops into the Beiping-Tianjin area and
            took control o the major railroads and the rich revenues
            from the Tianjin customs
    -   by October, the Central Plains War was over and both sides
        suffered heavy casualties
    -   the 1930 war broke up the Guominjun of Feng Yuxiang, greatly
        weakened Yan Xishan, and left the Manchurian Army as the only
        respectable military power in northern China

# [ 1929-1931 ]{#1929-1931 .mw-headline}

(Source:
[UglyChinese.org](http://www.uglychinese.org/War.html){.external .text
rel="nofollow"} )

-   Guangxi -- 4th Juntuan
-   Guangdong -- 1st Juntuan : Chen Jitang
-   Japan had 3 relief divisions from the Korea military garrison
-   They attack Zhang Xueliang's army in Shenyang
-   1st Bubing Shi : Hu Zongnan

## [ December 1930 ]{#December_1930 .mw-headline}

**Force Deployment during the Extermination Campaigns**

Sequence of Campaigns
:::

Government Troops

Regional/Chiang Ratio (in divisions)

Communist Troops

44 000

11/1

42 000

113 000

10/1

66 000

130 000

8/6

53 000

153 000

7/5

64 000

300 000(?)

21/17

100 000(?)

Source: Source: Ch\'i, Hsi-Sheng. *Nationalist China at War: Military
Defeats and Political Collapse, 1937-45* , University of Michigan Press:
Michigan, 1982, ISBN 0472100181, p. 246

-   Chiang launches his first Extermination Campaign against the
    Communists (2.20)
    -   Using only a small number of Hunan forces against the Communist
        base in Jiangxi

## [ January 1931 ]{#January_1931 .mw-headline}

-   Chiang\'s first Extermination force gets thrashed by the Communists
    (2.20)

## [ April ]{#April_2 .mw-headline}

-   Chiang launches his second extermination campaign against the
    Communists
    -   this is a larger force, and the government now has a 2:1
        advantage over the Red Army

## [ May ]{#May .mw-headline}

-   Chiang\'s second extermination campaign ends in defeat
-   In protest against Hu Hanmin\'s arrest, the provincial militarists
    of Guangdong and Guangxi establish a separatist regime in Guangzhou
    (3.13)
    -   also included Wang Jingwei, the Western Hills partisans, and San
        Yat-sen\'s son, Sun Fo
    -   they created a new government in 1 June.
    -   Real power rested with the provincial militarists, notably Chen
        Jitang, chairman of the Guangdong province

## [ June ]{#June .mw-headline}

-   Chiang launches his third extermination campaign against the
    Communists (2.20)
    -   commanded by Chen Cheng, who is described as able, and whose
        quality is admitted by Mao (3.90)
    -   crack units under Chiang are thrown into the battle
    -   Chiang is tightening the noose around the Communist base area
    -   Guangdong rebels and moves its troops against southern Hunan and
        Jiangxi

## [ September ]{#September .mw-headline}

-   Sept 18: The Japanese invaded Manchuria
    -   Sept 1931, Zhang Xueliang lost his base and fled to Chiang\'s
        protection. (2.18)
    -   Chiang has to call off his third extermination campaign (2.20)
    -   An agreement is worked out between the Nanjing regime and the
        Guangzhou regime because of the japanese invasion (3.14)
    -   15 Dec, Chiang resigns his posts and retires to his native
        village of Xikou in Zhejiang (3.14)

# [ 1932 ]{#1932 .mw-headline}

-   without Chiang\'s support of the Sun Fo government, it does not have
    the backing of the Shanghai financiers and so cannot meet its
    financial responsibilities (3.14)
    -   central army remains loyal to Chiang
    -   Chiang came back on 29 of January

*Jan 6*

-   19th Lujun : Jiang Guangnai
-   19th Corps and 5th Corps valiantly fought the Japanese
-   5th Corps (relocated from Nanjing) -- Feb 1932: entered battle of
    Shanghai
    -   87th Bubing Shi : Zhang Zhizhong
    -   88th Bubing Shi : Yu Jishi
    -   1st Bubing Shi : Hu Zongnan -- Hu Zongnan took charge of
        forgifying at Jiangyin City on Yangtze bank
-   After, Jiang Guangnai's 19th Lujun relocated to Fujian Province to
    fight communists
-   7th Juntuan and 35th Jun - Fu Zuoyi

*Mar 4*

-   32nd Corps recovered Lengkou

*Mar 7*

-   67th Corps beats Japanese 8th division-conglomerate and 16th brigade
    conglomerate at Gubeikou Pass
-   Guan Linzheng's relief forces also arrive

*Mar 21*

-   29th Corps : Song Zheyuan - Northwestern Army Soldiers
    -   37th Bubing Shi
-   evacuated from Xifenkou Pass on Apr 8
-   25th Bubing Shi : Guan Linzheng
-   NORTHEASTERN ARMY
    -   57th Corps : Miao Zhengliu

## [ May ]{#May_2 .mw-headline}

The Oyuwan Soviet destroyed by Chiang\'s forces, forcing Zhang Guotao
and Xi Xiangqian to go on their long march to north Sichuan.

-   -   in North Sichuan, fighting between the 24th and 29th armies
        allows the Communist 4th Front Army to set up a new soviet

*Oct 11*

-   Defection of 37th Lujun commander Wang Yongcheng

# [ 1933 ]{#1933 .mw-headline}

-   In 1933, the Chinese Army consisted of (according to German sources)
    134 Infantry Divisions 9 Cavalry Divisions, 17 Cavalry Brigades, 36
    Infantry Brigades, 5 Artillery Brigades, 20 Artillery Regiments, 600
    aircraft (approximately), some railway artillery, limited armored
    forces, a small navy, for a total of 37 million main line troops and
    600,000 provincial troops. (Source:
    [http://www.feldgrau.com/articles.php?ID=11](http://www.feldgrau.com/articles.php?ID=11){.external
    .free rel="nofollow"} )

```{=html}

```
-   In January, Chiang organizes his 4th extermination campaign against
    the Communists. (2.20)
    -   loyal government units assigned the crucial role
    -   In April, The Japanese attack jehol and the Great Wall, forcing
        Chiang to accept the Tanggu agreement in May, which force the
        central gov\'t to withdraw it\'s forces from northern China
        (2.18)
    -   Chiang is also forced to call off the 4th extermination campaign
        against the Communists because of this incursion

```{=html}

```
-   In October, Chiang begins the 5th extermination campaign against the
    Communists (2.21)
    -   Chiang initiated a militia system and a strict blockade system
        where all essential commodities were forbidden near the rebel
        zones
    -   Chiang established pillboxes to put pressure on the Communists
        from all sides and tighten the ring of encirclement
    -   On 26 october, the 19th Route Army (Nationalist) commanded by
        Cai Tingkai, entered into an agreement and set up a \"People\'s
        Revlutionary Government\" in Fuzhou in Nov 1933. The CCP and the
        19th Route Army didn\'t cooperate further, and Chiang quickly
        defeated the new Fuzhou government. (3.97)

# [ 1934 ]{#1934 .mw-headline}

-   Chiang\'s 5th extermination campaign against the Communists is going
    very well
    -   by October 1934, 80% of Red forces were killed, wounded or
        captured
    -   Mao escapes and starts the Long March

# [ 1934-1935 ]{#1934-1935 .mw-headline}

-   Guizhou \"remained aloof\" from the central govenrment until
    1934-1935
-   all Sichuan generals had defected to the GMD byt he end of 1926, but
    they maintained the basic pattern of confrontation with eachother
    that had existed since the Beiyang days (2.18-19)
    -   had their own defense districts, within which they exerscised
        exclusive control over the civil government, taxation,
        transportation, economy and the opium trade
    -   between 1928-1934, civil wars broke out every year among the
        Sichuan warlords
-   in late 1934, the Communists started the Long March and went into
    Sichuan and Guizhou (2.19)
    -   responding to Liu Xiang\'s call for help, Nanjing dispatched the
        staff corps and organized 2 armies to pursue the Communists
    -   GMD used this opportunity to gain control of Sichuan province
    -   Xue Yue and Zhou Hungyuan chased the CCP into Sichuan (3.96)

# [ 1935 ]{#1935 .mw-headline}

-   June: Nationalist Party activities are banned under Japanese
    pressure (2.18)
-   eastern Chahar is invaded by the Japanese Kwantung Army
-   Japan sets up the Eastern Hebei Anti-Communist Special Regime at the
    end of 1935 (3.110)
    -   Diplomats between China and Japan are Zhang Qun (China) and
        Kawagoe (Japan)

[China OOB](/wiki/China_OOB "China OOB")