alternatehistory.com
Arrested Development: The Failure of the Second Northern Expedition.
Nivek - Thanks
1. I'll have to find that out too (oddly enough I don't know!)
2. You'll find out on this update just what they take...
3. Oh no, my friend, he isn't dead yet. Although he probably wishes he was! (it'll be clear when you read this update.)
4.
I wish you were close but... I suppose I did lead people on to thinking that possibly...
Wyragen-TXRG4P
- Maybe
LeoXiao
- Thanks it was... Till now anyway!
Paul MacQ
- Thanks Paul. China gets even more broken up in this update. Any comments on the Fiat 3000?
Arrested Development: The Failure of the Second Northern Expedition.
The Year 1927 began optimistically for the Kuomintang. Their troops had swept all before it, essentially completely destroying the previous Beiyang Government. Their foes seemed to be scattered, reeling in confusion and on the verge of capitulation. China seemed to be on the verge of a national revival. When Manchuria was finally retaken, then China could begin it's long-delayed voyage into modernization.
A Fiat 3000 with a Chinese crewmember and a foreign 'advisor' (possibly Italian)
Preparations began in earnest for the incursion into Manchuria, arnaments were prepared and a brand new experimental division the "Swift Assault Division" formed from the remnants of the Heavy Reconnaisance brigade and given trucks and armoured cars would form the basis of a speedy thrust through the plains of Manchuria. They would be like an armoured 'fist' or a 'spearhead' crashing on an enemy line, allowing regular troops to pour through to envelope the enemy in detail around the flanks. The Fiat 3000 tanks which had served the Heavy Reconnaisance Brigade so well would be used again.
Such innovative tactics were needed. Zhang Zuolin's Manchurian Army were not inferior warlord rabble that would collapse at the first sight of combat. They were hardened, professional soldiers who were trained and hardened by fighting bandits, warlords and occasionally each other. They were lavishly equipped and trained by Japanese advisors and were a formidable obstacle to the reunification of China. The two forces skirmished near the outskirts of Beijing, but there was no significant action.
Both sides were waiting. Chiang wanted to wait until next year to fully prepare his army. Zhang was franticallly training more men and raising appeals abroad for an 'intervention.' Something was going to give, but it would be at an unexpected direction.
Somebody set us up the bomb!
- Chiang Kai-shek
On the 7th anniversary of the May Fourth movement an attempted assasination took place. Sun Yat-sen and his inner circle - consisting of Chiang Kai-Shek, Wang Jingwei and T.V Soong were at a balcony in Nanking. Sun Yat-sen was giving a speech to a large crowd of people about the need to "cleanse the land of warlordism and banditry." He stated his belief that the "warlords were a disease of the heart, the foreigners a disease of the skin." Suddenly a bomb exploded in the lectern that Sun was speaking from. Shards flew all over the balcony and into the crowd.
Miraculously, there were no deaths. The heavy oak construction had deflected most of the blast force and the shrapnel. A later investigation revealed that the paid assasin had short-changed his employers by using less explosive than necessary and pocketing the surplus cash. However fragments still bit into Sun Yat-sen, weakening his already fragile health. News travelled fast, hysterical rumours flew that it was a 'foreign conspiracy' led to mass rioting. All over China, the government seemed to be losing control - and in a sense it was - Wang, Chiang and Soong were the leading figures of the regime. The lack of contact with them led to a short, but violent power vacuum.
An artistic depiction of the "disorder"
In the "Disorder" which lasted for only two days many foreigners were killed. Armed mobs wandered around the streets of Shanghai killing foreigners and besieging the international settlements. This scene was repeated all over China except where there was significant National Revolutionary presence or Kuomintang organization. However the most significant outbreak of violence was at Shanghai with over 231 foreigners being killed or wounded. The rest of the country had a mere 119.
Although Sun was successful at reasserting conrtrol by May 6 the damage had been more than done. The international reaction was immediate and violent. France immediately occupied Hainan, the English sent in troops to reinforce Shanghai and prepared an expedition to Nanking. Japan began moving troops to Shangdong Peninsula. The Spanish prepared an expeditionary force after the brutal burning of a Catholic mission. Sun forestalled the intervention by issuing an apology and inviting all the 'offended parties' to Beijing for a conference scheduled for August 1.
The "Humiliation Treaty" of Beijing
By the time of the conference on August 1 1927, passions had somewhat cooled. Nevertheless, the foreign powers still demanded on extracting their pound of flesh. France was awarded a 1000 year lease on Hainan island. The British were paid a large lump sum of silver and made China renounce all claims to Hong Kong and demanded a "permanent lease" on Shantou, the League of Nations granted the Spanish a "mandate" over Beijing and the "Heibei Strip" a demilitarized zone between Manchuria and China centered around Beijing. This 'mandate' gave the Spanish the right to collect all tarrifs and revenue from the area to pay for a "Spanish Peacekeeping force" Japan forced China to recognize the independence of Manchuria and to renounce all claims. On top of this, China was also forced to grant large ammounts of money to each party as "indemneties" and to pay for the damages caused. Sun signed through gritted teeth.
The Kuomintang limped along for the rest of the year in a state of shock and confusion. Sun's reputation had taken a beating from the "Treaty of Beijing" which was attacked all over China as a "humiliation treaty." Sun's spirit had taken an even larger beating with Sun breaking down in frequent bouts of depression. Sun's body, already fragile was deteriorating even more rapidly with the attempted assasination attempt. Still, Sun was still President, Premier and Prime Minister, not even in Sun's weakened state did the "Triumverate" consisting of Wang (representing the leftist groups) Chiang (representing the military forces and 'moderates') and T.V Soong (representing the bourgeiose, industrialists and landowners) dared to act.
There was no no questions of Northern Expeditions. President Zhang Zoulin was declared "Emperor of Manchuria and Mengouko" on December 1 1927. China was limping along. The question on everyone's lips were: "When would Sun die and who would suceed him?"
Next Update: Whodunnit? Who wanted Sun dead and why?
1. I'll have to find that out too (oddly enough I don't know!)
2. You'll find out on this update just what they take...
3. Oh no, my friend, he isn't dead yet. Although he probably wishes he was! (it'll be clear when you read this update.)
4.
I wish you were close but... I suppose I did lead people on to thinking that possibly...Wyragen-TXRG4P
- Maybe
LeoXiao
- Thanks it was... Till now anyway!
Paul MacQ
- Thanks Paul. China gets even more broken up in this update. Any comments on the Fiat 3000?
Arrested Development: The Failure of the Second Northern Expedition.
The Year 1927 began optimistically for the Kuomintang. Their troops had swept all before it, essentially completely destroying the previous Beiyang Government. Their foes seemed to be scattered, reeling in confusion and on the verge of capitulation. China seemed to be on the verge of a national revival. When Manchuria was finally retaken, then China could begin it's long-delayed voyage into modernization.
A Fiat 3000 with a Chinese crewmember and a foreign 'advisor' (possibly Italian)
Preparations began in earnest for the incursion into Manchuria, arnaments were prepared and a brand new experimental division the "Swift Assault Division" formed from the remnants of the Heavy Reconnaisance brigade and given trucks and armoured cars would form the basis of a speedy thrust through the plains of Manchuria. They would be like an armoured 'fist' or a 'spearhead' crashing on an enemy line, allowing regular troops to pour through to envelope the enemy in detail around the flanks. The Fiat 3000 tanks which had served the Heavy Reconnaisance Brigade so well would be used again.
Such innovative tactics were needed. Zhang Zuolin's Manchurian Army were not inferior warlord rabble that would collapse at the first sight of combat. They were hardened, professional soldiers who were trained and hardened by fighting bandits, warlords and occasionally each other. They were lavishly equipped and trained by Japanese advisors and were a formidable obstacle to the reunification of China. The two forces skirmished near the outskirts of Beijing, but there was no significant action.
Both sides were waiting. Chiang wanted to wait until next year to fully prepare his army. Zhang was franticallly training more men and raising appeals abroad for an 'intervention.' Something was going to give, but it would be at an unexpected direction.
Somebody set us up the bomb!
- Chiang Kai-shek
On the 7th anniversary of the May Fourth movement an attempted assasination took place. Sun Yat-sen and his inner circle - consisting of Chiang Kai-Shek, Wang Jingwei and T.V Soong were at a balcony in Nanking. Sun Yat-sen was giving a speech to a large crowd of people about the need to "cleanse the land of warlordism and banditry." He stated his belief that the "warlords were a disease of the heart, the foreigners a disease of the skin." Suddenly a bomb exploded in the lectern that Sun was speaking from. Shards flew all over the balcony and into the crowd.
Miraculously, there were no deaths. The heavy oak construction had deflected most of the blast force and the shrapnel. A later investigation revealed that the paid assasin had short-changed his employers by using less explosive than necessary and pocketing the surplus cash. However fragments still bit into Sun Yat-sen, weakening his already fragile health. News travelled fast, hysterical rumours flew that it was a 'foreign conspiracy' led to mass rioting. All over China, the government seemed to be losing control - and in a sense it was - Wang, Chiang and Soong were the leading figures of the regime. The lack of contact with them led to a short, but violent power vacuum.
An artistic depiction of the "disorder"
In the "Disorder" which lasted for only two days many foreigners were killed. Armed mobs wandered around the streets of Shanghai killing foreigners and besieging the international settlements. This scene was repeated all over China except where there was significant National Revolutionary presence or Kuomintang organization. However the most significant outbreak of violence was at Shanghai with over 231 foreigners being killed or wounded. The rest of the country had a mere 119.
Although Sun was successful at reasserting conrtrol by May 6 the damage had been more than done. The international reaction was immediate and violent. France immediately occupied Hainan, the English sent in troops to reinforce Shanghai and prepared an expedition to Nanking. Japan began moving troops to Shangdong Peninsula. The Spanish prepared an expeditionary force after the brutal burning of a Catholic mission. Sun forestalled the intervention by issuing an apology and inviting all the 'offended parties' to Beijing for a conference scheduled for August 1.
The "Humiliation Treaty" of Beijing
By the time of the conference on August 1 1927, passions had somewhat cooled. Nevertheless, the foreign powers still demanded on extracting their pound of flesh. France was awarded a 1000 year lease on Hainan island. The British were paid a large lump sum of silver and made China renounce all claims to Hong Kong and demanded a "permanent lease" on Shantou, the League of Nations granted the Spanish a "mandate" over Beijing and the "Heibei Strip" a demilitarized zone between Manchuria and China centered around Beijing. This 'mandate' gave the Spanish the right to collect all tarrifs and revenue from the area to pay for a "Spanish Peacekeeping force" Japan forced China to recognize the independence of Manchuria and to renounce all claims. On top of this, China was also forced to grant large ammounts of money to each party as "indemneties" and to pay for the damages caused. Sun signed through gritted teeth.
The Kuomintang limped along for the rest of the year in a state of shock and confusion. Sun's reputation had taken a beating from the "Treaty of Beijing" which was attacked all over China as a "humiliation treaty." Sun's spirit had taken an even larger beating with Sun breaking down in frequent bouts of depression. Sun's body, already fragile was deteriorating even more rapidly with the attempted assasination attempt. Still, Sun was still President, Premier and Prime Minister, not even in Sun's weakened state did the "Triumverate" consisting of Wang (representing the leftist groups) Chiang (representing the military forces and 'moderates') and T.V Soong (representing the bourgeiose, industrialists and landowners) dared to act.
There was no no questions of Northern Expeditions. President Zhang Zoulin was declared "Emperor of Manchuria and Mengouko" on December 1 1927. China was limping along. The question on everyone's lips were: "When would Sun die and who would suceed him?"
Next Update: Whodunnit? Who wanted Sun dead and why?
- CCA
- Word Count: 1.1k