When did the Warlord Era begin and end?
The Warlord Era began immediately after Yuan Shikai died on the 6th of June 1916. It officially ended when Zhang Xueliang accepted leadership of Chiang Kai-shek's government on the 29th of December 1928.
Questions about Warlord Era
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who were the three major warlord cliques in northern China between 1916 and 1928?
Three major groups dominated northern China during this period: the Zhili clique led by Feng Guozhang, the Anhui clique under Duan Qirui, and the Fengtian clique commanded by Zhang Zuolin. These factions constantly shifted alliances to gain advantage over rivals.
How did Sun Yat-sen establish a southern base to challenge northern dominance?
Sun Yat-sen established the Constitutional Protection Junta in Guangzhou in 1917 to oppose Beiyang rule. He later created the Whampoa Military Academy and the National Revolutionary Army with Soviet assistance after regaining power in 1923.
What methods did warlords use to fund their armies and generate revenue?
Warlords funded their armies through oppressive taxation, illegal activities, opium sales, and printing money recklessly. Some printed currency far exceeding silver reserves while others taxed goods multiple times along transport routes like the Yangtze River.
Why did Russian White Army remnants serve as mercenaries for Chinese warlords?
Russian White Army remnants fled to China after the Bolshevik victory and found work as mercenaries because they were highly paid soldiers. General Konstantin Nechaev led one of these units serving Zhang Zongchang until his brigade was reduced from 3,000 men to only a few hundred survivors by 1927.
How did rural populations resist warlord oppression during the Warlord Era?
Rural populations organized self-defense groups called secret societies such as the Red Spear Society and the Iron Gate Society to resist warlord oppression. These organizations relied on martial arts, homemade weapons, and millenarian beliefs hoping for restoration of the Ming dynasty since most lacked money for guns.