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Thanks to everyone for their feedback and comments. The development of the Chinse Army Air Corps is definitely a fascinating one that will merit it's own special update.

1922 - The Western Expedition

January - May:

Chiang launches the "Western Expedition." The goal is to utterly destroy Chen Jiongming's forces and bring the Guangxi province into the control of the KMT. Chiang sets out with 50,000 National Revolutionary Army troops - the troops selected are those with the highest training, best equipment and well-motivated. Facing against him are 100,000 troops of mostly inferior quality.

Chiang's plan is to advance quickly along the Xi River and then thrust south towards Nanning - relying on the warlord's lack of cohesion and coordination to take the city and then defeat with the rest one by one.

This scheme succeeds briliantly, Nanning falls in late February with minimal casualties as many warlord troops prefer to either surrender or run to the hills to become bandits rather than die facing a better organized and equiped foe. Organized resistance is finished by early March and

Ever elusive - Chen Jiongming takes refuge in Yunnan province - a lawless area controlled by rival gangs of bandits, warlords and smugglers. It is a focal point for smuggling contraband such as opium. It's relative isolation is the result of the mountainous terrain and the poor infrastructure. Chiang wants to prepare his troops for a campaign to 'restore law and order' and curb 'warlordism and banditry.

In Guangzhou - Sun continues to purchase arms and train the remaining troops. He sends a small delegation led by Wang Jingwei to cultivate a relationship with the Soviet Union. This small delegation is present at the 10th Congress of the Russian Communist Party. This gesture is reciprocated by the arrival of a few advisors. However they are limited in number as the Russian Civil War is still unfinished.

May:

While preparing his troops for the "Western Bandit Extermination Campaign" Chiang takes a break from the front and speaks at several May Fourth demonstrations. At a speech in Guangzhou to dockside workers he lays out his belief that the "Warlords are a disease of the heart" and that China will never be "healthy" until the "endemic warlordism and banditry are cut out."

July - December:

Chiang launches the "Western Bandit Extermination Campaign" because of the general lawlessness of the Yunnan province the operationn is more akin to a policing operation than a military one. The only organized resistance comes from Chen Jiongming's exhausted troops in Kunming. Chen Jiongming's body is found amongst the ruins of the city.

The harsh terrain is the main obstacle preventing the full "pacification" of Yunnan province until late December. Even afterwards the Kuomintang cannot fully control all areas. Despite this, the revenues from placing a 'special levy' on the importation of Opium will be a major source of income.

Feedback and comments welcomed (please?)

Tommorow's Update: 1923 - The Year of Consolidation