The Northern Expedition : China's National Revolution of 1926–1928

The Chinese state of the 1920s was one of disunified parts, ruled by warlords too strong for civilians to oust and too weak to resist the demands and bribes of foreign powers. China's treaty ports were crucibles of change in which congregated the educated elite, exposed to modern ways, who felt the need for a national revolution to revitalize their country and to provide her with a new, more integrated political system. Nationwide in their origins and representing varying political ideologies, this elite formed a loose coalition to achieve a common goal. In 1926 the first step in the military campaign known as the Northern Expedition was launched to conquer the armed forces of the warlords, the greatest obstacle in the path toward reunification of China.Until now, historians have ascribed much of the success of the Northern Expedition, culminating in the capture of Peking, to the Communist-led mass organizations who were reported to have won over the populace in the territory ahead of the National Revolutionary Army. Dr. Jordan's research, especially in Communist materials, has uncovered evidence indicating that, although the mass organizations did aid the army at particular points in 1925 and 1926, there had also been a side to the mass movement that was disruptive to the goal of reunification. Of additional import, some of the key participants in the later governments of Taiwan and Peking—among them Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Tse-tung, Chou En-lai, and Lin Piao—received their basic political training in the National Revolution. Contents Maps Preface Acknowledgments Abbreviations The Revolutionary Base Building the Model Human Resources Russian Aid The KMT Military: Party Army, Confederation, or Hegemony? Centralization of Canton’s Power Breaches in the Revolutionary Base The Anti-Communists Move First Mending the United Front in Kwangtung Reconciliation within the KMT The Simmering Revolutionary Movement at Canton The Promotion of the Northern Expedition The Military Conquest of Warlord China The Launch into Hunan The Opening Episode—Hunan The Battle of Wuhan The Expedition Moves Eastward: The Kiangsi Campaign The Chekiang Rebellion within Sun’s United Provinces The Battle for Kiangsi Renewed The Coastal Campaign or East Route Regrouping the Revolutionary Movement The Expedition Enters Chekiang The Taking of Shanghai Strains within the Revolutionary Camp The Party Divided Divided We Fall Chiang’s Potential at Shanghai Taking the Expedition into North China Wuhan’s Expedition in Honan Nanking’s Campaign into Shantung The Threat of Combat within the Revolutionary Movement Wuhan Breaks with the CCP The Northern Counterattack The September Government and the Northern Expedition Launching the Last Phase of the Expedition The Peking Campaign: Completion of the Military Unification The Shansi Sector The Battle for the North China Plain The Role of the Masses in the Expedition Introduction The Contribution of the Organized Masses in Canton The Labor Movement at Canton Peasants’ Associations in the Revolutionary Base The Union Movement in Canton after the March 20, 1926, Coup The Role of Organized Masses in the Military Campaign The NRA Recruits Its Own Carriers Civilian Aid in the Push Down the Yangtze Civilians and the Fukien Campaign Chekiang Civilians and the East Route Army The Proletariat in the Taking of Shanghai The Organized Masses on the Home Front Organizing the Proletariat at Wuhan Mass Movements in Warlord Territories: Vanguard of the NRA? Political Works in the Party’s National Revolutionary Army Politics within the Military System Seeing to the Welfare and Morale of the NRA Soldiery Indoctrination within the NRA The Organizational Structure of the Political Departments Joining the Army and the People Ai-min ko Propagandizing by the Vanguard The NRA’s Relations with Civilians in KMT Territories The Function of the NRA’s Political Departments in Civil Affairs Army Business with Civilians Problems Facing the Political Department Political Integration of New Units The Political Departments in the Cross fire of the Party Split The Reentry of Political Work in the NRA Efforts to Acquire the Aid of Secret Societies The Political Training Department and the Japanese Intervention The Political Functions of the NRA in 1928 The Waning of NRA Political Functions Breaking Up the Warlord Clique: Diplomacy, Subversion, and Defection Political Offensive against Warlords Diplomacy with the Ruler of the Five United Provinces, Sun Ch’uan-fang Subversive Political Movements within Sun’s Provinces The Tactic of Isolating Warlords from Political Allies The Winning Over of the Big Warlords: Feng and Yen Courtship of Feng Yü-hsiang The Wooing of Yen Hsi-shan, the Model Governor The Defection of Warlord Subordinates The Defections and the KMT as a Southern Power Conclusion: Military or Political Victory? Appendix Chiang Kai-shek, February 25, 1927. Notes CHAPTER 1: Building the Model CHAPTER 2: Human Resources CHAPTER 3: The KMT Military: Party Army, Confederation, or Hegemony? CHAPTER 4: Centralization of Canton’s Power CHAPTER 5: Breaches in the Revolutionary Base CHAPTER 6: Mending the United Front in Kwangtung CHAPTER 7: The Simmering Revolutionary Movement at Canton CHAPTER 8: The Promotion of the Northern Expedition CHAPTER 9: The Launch into Hunan CHAPTER 10: The Expedition Moves Eastward: The Kiangsi Campaign CHAPTER 11: The Coastal Campaign or East Route CHAPTER 12: The Taking of Shanghai CHAPTER 13: The Party Divided CHAPTER 14: Taking the Expedition into North China CHAPTER 15: The September Government and the Northern Expedition CHAPTER 16: Launching the Last Phase of the Expedition CHAPTER 17: The Peking Campaign: Completion of the Military Unification CHAPTER 18: The Contribution of the Organized Masses in Canton CHAPTER 19: The Role of Organized Masses in the Military Campaign CHAPTER 20: Civilian Aid in the Push Down the Yangtze CHAPTER 21: The Proletariat in the Taking of Shanghai CHAPTER 22: The Organized Masses on the Home Front CHAPTER 23: Mass Movements in Warlord Territories: Vanguard of the NRA? CHAPTER 24: Politics within the Military System CHAPTER 25: Joining the Army and the People CHAPTER 26: The NRA’s Relations with Civilians in KMT Territories CHAPTER 27: Problems Facing the Political Department CHAPTER 28: Political Offensive against Warlords CHAPTER 29: The Winning Over of the Big Warlords: Feng and Yen CHAPTER 30: The Defection of Warlord Subordinates Bibliography BOOKS AND ARTICLES DOCUMENTS PERIODICALS About the Author Donald A. Jordan. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. [329]-334.