Ep. 239 | The Warlord Era (Part 9)

As the Northern Expedition ramps up and the Warlord Era starts to wind down, there’s still plenty of action and violence to go around. In this episode, we look at the events following the Shanghai Massacre when Chiang and his “ally” Wang Jingwei take the fight to Zhang Zuolin’s alliance Also, the Manchurian Warlord meets his end in this episode.

We’ll finish off the series next time in Part 10.

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/Term	Chinese	English/Meaning
Ānguójūn	安国军	The National Peace Army, More about them in Part 9
Ānhuī	安徽	Province in Eastern China
Bái Chóngxǐ	白崇禧	Ethnic Hui Guangxi-born military great for the KMT side. Served as NRA chief of staff during the Northern Expedition. Lived from 1893-1966
Běiyáng	北洋	Literally "North Ocean Army." This organization was led by Yuan Shikai and was a breeding ground for many generals who later ruled as warlords
Chángshā	长沙	Capital of Hunan
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
Fèngtiān	奉天	The military and political organization headed by the Manchurian Warlord, Zhang Zuolin.
Féng Yùxiáng	冯玉祥	1882-1948, known as The Christian Warlord and The Betraying General. A major figure from the warlord era
Fújiàn	福建	Coastal province in southern China
Fēicháng gǎnxiè nǐmen	非常感谢你们	I am extremely grateful to all of you
Guìzhōu	贵州	Province in Southwest China
Guómínjūn	国民军	National People’s Army. Also the name of Feng Yuxiang's Clique
Guǎngdōng	广东	Province in Southern China
Guǎngxī	广西	Province in Southwest China next door to Guangdong
Guǎngzhōu	广州	Capital of Guangdong Province and major city in modern Chinese history (and ancient China too)
Huáng Jīnróng	黄金荣	1868-1953, known as Pockmarked Huáng. He, along with his cohorts, most famously Big Ears Du Yuesheng, ran the Green Gang, the most powerful criminal organization in Shanghai
Huángpǔ Jūnxiào	黄埔军校	Whampoa Military Academy
Hé Yìngqīn	何应钦	1890-1987, longtime ally of Chiang Kai-shek who served as one of his most trusted generals
Héběi	河北	Northern province of China, where Beijing is physically located. During the Warlord Era the province was known as Zhili
Hénán	河南	Northern province of China
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
Jiāngsū	江苏	Coastal Province in East China north of Shanghai
Jiāngxī	江西	Province in Eastern China
Jìn	晋	Ancient state during the Western Zhou period. Its location was in and around where present day Shanxi is located.
Kǒng Xiángxǐ	孔祥熙	H.H. Kung, KMT stalwart, finance minister, and spouse to one of the Soong Sisters, the oldest and brightest, Aìlíng
Líu Bāng	刘邦	Ruled Han Dynasty China from its founding in 202 till 195 BCE
Lǐ Dàzhāo	李大钊	1889-1927, co-founder of the Chinese Communist Party and a major intellectual of his day. Killed by Zhang Zuolin's forces
Mófàn Dūjūn	模范督军	Yan Xishan's nickname: The Model Governor
Nánchāng	南昌	Capital of Jiangxi province
Nánjīng	南京	Capital of Jiangsu province and capital of the Ming Dynasty and Republic of China
Qín Shǐhuáng	秦始皇	Qin Dynasty founder and unifier of the nation
Shāndōng	山东	Coastal province in north China
Shānxī	山西	Northern and very ancient province in China
Sūn Chuánfāng	孙传芳	1885-1935, Known as The Nanking Warlord. One of the major warlords of the era
Tàiháng	太行山	250 mile long mountain range in Shanxi, Henan and Hebei
Tàiyuán	太原	Capital of Shanxi and the province's largest city
Táng Shēngzhì	唐生智	1889-1970, Hunan born warlord who later joined Chiang Kai-shek's side
Tóngménghuì	同盟会	Sun Yat-sen's United League, forerunner to the Guomindang 国民党….or KMT.
Wú Pèifú	吴佩孚	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
Wǎnxì	皖系	The Ānhuī Clique
Wǔchāng Uprising	武昌起义	Uprising that started on 10-10-1911 in the city of Wuchang. Led to the fall of the Qing Dynasty
Wǔtái	五台山	Mountains in northeast Shanxi. One of them is sacred
Xià Dynasty	夏朝	Ancient mythical dynasty that ran from 2070-1600 BCE and was succeeded by the Shang Dynasty
Xīnzhōu	忻州	City in northern Shanxi. Hometown of Yan Xishan
Yuán Shìkǎi	袁世凯	1859-1916, Military and government official and first president of the Republic of China. Also called "The First Warlord"
Yán Xīshān	阎锡山	1883-1960, the Shanxi Warlord, he ran things in Shanxi for thirty-eight years.
Yángzǐjiāng	扬子江	The Yangzi River
Yáo	尧	Mythical ancient emperor who lived from 2333-2234 BCE. He was one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
Yúnnán	云南	A province in southwestern China known for its large number of ethnic minorities
Yǔ the Great	大禹	Mythical founder of the Xià Dynasty. Lived from 2123-2025 BCE, or so says Sima Qian
Zhèjiāng	浙江	Coastal Province in Central China
Zhílì	直隶	Former name of Hebei province
Zhāng Qún	张群	1889-1990, another longtime ally of Chiang Kai-shek who served as one of his most trusted generals. Also served as premier
Zhāng Zuòlín	张作霖	1875-1928, The Manchurian Warlord, another major warlord in his day
Zhāng Zōngchāng	张宗昌	Known affectionately as The Dogmeat General, also known by many nicknames, he was one of Zhang Zuolin's best generals. Later became Military Governor of Shandong. Lived from 1881-1932
Zhōngtiáo	中条山	Mountain range in southern Shanxi

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Resources

Books

Podcasts

Stories of the Second World War by Noah Tetzner

Heartland Mainland: The Iowa China Podcast‬ by MacroPolo, think tank of The Paulson Institute

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