Ep. 237 | The Warlord Era (Part 7)
In this Part 7 episode, the decade of battling warlords is coming to an end. Anhui and Zhili, then Zhili and Fengtian…and then Zhili and Fengtian again…The last of these series of clashes between warlords contending for supremacy in China will be the Anti-Fengtian War (covered in this very episode).
After 1925 everyone had had enough with these military governors. Everyone was ready for someone to step up and take them on and deal with them once and for all. In these final years, it won’t be warlords fighting each other as much as they will be fighting for their own survival.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Anhui Clique | 皖系 | Also called The An-Fu Clique. One of the cliques that emerged after the death of Yuan Shikai. Leaders of this Clique were all from Anhui province |
| Anti-Fèngtiān War | 反奉战争 | The last major intra-warlord conflict. It is also called the Third Zhílì-Fèngtiān War and Guominjun Fengtian War. Lasted Nov 1925 to April 1926 |
| Bāotóu | 包头 | Major city in Inner Mongolia |
| Cháhā’ěr | 察哈尔 | Historic province from 1912-1936 just to the east of Suiyuan in what is today Inner Mongolia |
| Duàn Qíruì | 段祺瑞 | 1865-1936. Warlord and China politician. Also served as premier. Originally from Hefei, Anhui, he haded the Anhui Clique |
| Dù Yuèshēng | 杜月笙 | 1888-1951, Big Eared Du, along with Pockmarked Huang, one of the top guys in the Green Gang that ruled the vice in Shanghai |
| Dūjūn | 督军 | military governor |
| Fèngtiān | 奉天系 | The military and political organization headed by the Manchurian Warlord, Zhang Zuolin. |
| Féng Yùxiáng | 馮玉祥 | 1882-1948, known as The Christian Warlord and The Betraying General. A major figure from the warlord era |
| Guómínjūn | 國民軍 | National People’s Army. Also the name of Feng Yuxiang's Clique |
| Guō Sōnglíng | 郭松龄 | 1883-1925, One of Zhang Zuolin's generals who mutinied in November 1925 which led to the Anti Fengtian War |
| Gānsù | 甘肅 | Province in western China |
| Gǒuròu JIāngjūn | 狗肉将军 | The Dogmeat General, one of Zhang Zongchang's many nicknames |
| Harbin | 哈尔滨 | Capital of Heilongjiang Province in Manchuria |
| Hú Hànmín | 胡汉民 | 1879-1936, on again off again ally of Chiang Kai-shek. A major political figure in the KMT from the earliest days |
| Hūhéhàotè | 呼和浩特 | Hohhet, capital of Inner Mongolia |
| Jiāngsū | 江苏 | Coastal Province in East China north of Shanghai |
| Jìnán | 济南 | Capital city of Shandong Province |
| Jūnfá | 军阀 | Warlord |
| Láizhōu | 莱州 | City located on the north Shāndōng coast west of Yāntái |
| Lín Yǔtáng | 林语堂 | 1895-1976, Chinese linguist and writer, considered by many to be the greatest of the 20th century. He had a brilliant academic career and was a major influence on key leaders. |
| Lú Yǒngxiáng | Military governor of Zhèjiāng and was an Ānhuī Clique man. Lived from 1867 to 1933 | |
| Ordos | 鄂尔多斯 | City in Inner Mongolia |
| Second Zhílì-Fèngtiān War | 第二次直奉战争 | War fought between Wu Peifu and Zhang Zuolin between September 15, 1924 - November 3, 1924 |
| Shāndōng | 山东 | Coastal province in north China |
| Súiyuǎn | 绥远 | A historic province in the central part of present-day Inner Mongolia |
| Sān Bù Zhī Jiāngjūn | 三不知将军 | “Three Don’t Knows“ General |
| Sūn Chuánfāng | 孫傳芳 | 1885-1935, Known as The Nanking Warlord. One of the major warlords of the era |
| Tiānjìn | 天津 | Municipality within Hebei Province but reporting direct to the Central Government. Just southeast of Beijing |
| Wú Pèifú | 吳佩孚 | 1862-1938, Succeeded Feng Guozhang as head of the Zhili Clique, also former president of China |
| Wāng Jīngwèi | 汪精卫 | 1883-1944 was the Guangdong-born leader of the Left Wing of the Kuomintang |
| Wūhǎi | 乌海 | City in Inner Mongolia |
| Yuán Shìkǎi | 袁世凯 | 1859-1916, Military and government official and first president of the Republic of China. Also called "The First Warlord" |
| Zhāng Xuéliáng | 张学良 | The Young Marchal, son of Zhang Zuolin. Lived a hundred years from June 3, 1901 to October 15, 2001 |
| Zhāng Zuòlín | 張作霖 | 1875-1928, The Manchurian Warlord, another major warlord in his day |
| Zhāng Zōngchāng | 张宗昌 | Known by many nicknames, he was one of Zhang Zuolin's best generals. Later became Military Governor of Shandong. Lived from 1881-1932 |
| Zhāngjiākǒu | 張家口 | City located to the northwest of Beijing, also known in Chinese history by its Mongol name, Kalgan |
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Thanks everyone for listening to this History of Taiwan series. We'll conclude things here in Part 15.