The Vulture - Thanks heaps! I also always look forward to updates of your TL. I believe Hendryk has also responded to the budhist thing (to be honest I'm not really well versed in Chinese religions.
Nivek - Thanks heaps for all your comments so far Nivek. A belated Happy Holidays to you too! I hope yours went well - sorry for the lack of updates during the holidays. I've been preoccupied with other matters. As for Chiang Wei-Kuo? He's been sent to Germany and is under the care of "Uncle Adolf." "Uncle Adolf" being much too busy with political matters has entrusted care of little Wei-Kuo to his neice Geli Raubel... Spoiler:
They get married later on in an epic political wrdding that symbolizes the Sino-German Alliance. Think big wedding. As in one of the biggest of the century.
Hendryk - Oh yes. It was obviously an 'accident' though 
As this is a AH TL, expect "Zeppelin Crashes" in the future.r on.
scourge - Thanks scrooge. Well Hitler and Chiang are in constant contact and Chiang is always in pains to reassure his German friend that he's just using "the commies." After all, Hitler can't really complain too loudly seeing as the Nazi's and Commies are working together to bring down the Weimer Republic at this stage...
OKH_1946 - he could sucker punch the commies but why? They're not a threat. Hopefully this update will deliver the sucker punching you've been craving
Wyragen-TXRG4P - In a word, no
The civilian government is pretty much gone by the end of the year. They're in charge in name only...
- Yep, events in Germany procede as IOTL except for some very minor thing which will become important later... But German Politics still goes as IOTL.
Brancaleone - They have the capacity to send a small expeditionary force - but probably not a million men. But you have to remember that these two people were pretty much psychologically crushed into capitulation ala Eduard Benes 1938.
DuQuense - Well it won't be this year - maybe next year
"The Japanese and foreigners are a disease of the skin, the criminals are a disease of the heart."
- Chiang Kai-Shek
1932: The Night of the Long Knives
The Night of the Long Knives (Chinese: yè cháng dāo)) was a political purge that took place in China between May 4 and May 30 1932, when the Kuomintang, the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics attempted to carry out an series of political executions which later balooned into a military operation involving the cooperation of the National Revolutionary Army, the National Revolutionary Navy and the National Revolutionary Air Force. Most of those killed were members of the "Green Gang" and the "Principled Opposition" - a criminal syndicate and a political faction within the Kuomintang headed by Du Yuesheng.
The reasons why Chiang moved against Du Yuesheng today are still disputed. Some historians point to an attempted assasination attempt on February 6 1932 on Chiang and his family which was linked to Du as the catalyst for the event.(1) Some argue that Du Yuesheng's successful attempt to wrest control of the Opium Trade from the KMT as the major motivation. Others point to Du Yuesheng's steadily growing power and conclude that the purge was 'inevitable' and a small minority of historians argue that the Night of the Long Knives should be seen as a "counter-putsch" rather than a political purge. Nevertheless the independence of Du Yusheng and his numerous links with other opposition figures in China, his money, control of the Chinese underworld and high-level contacts with foreigners meant that Du was widely recognized as the de-facto "Opposition Leader" in KMT China. Chiang also used the purge as a way of squeezing furthering the KMT's land reform programme to remove members of the rural gentry who were opposing reform.
At least 14000 people were killed or 'disappeared' during the Night of the Long Knives and in the following period of civil conflict which engulfed China. Most of the killings were carried out by party cadres of the Kuomintang, the National Revolutionary Army and the Bureau of Statistics and Investigation, the regime's secret police. The purge strengthened Chiang's control over China and the grip of the Kuomintang on the country.
Background to the Knight of the Long Knives
Chiang Kai-Shek and Du Yuesheng had long had an outstanding feud which started with Du 'kidnapping' Chiang's bride Soong Meiling on their wedding night on 1929 had angered Chiang to the point where he had 'vowed revenge' on Du. An assasination attempt on February 6 1932 on Chiang and his family including Soong Meiling, Chiang Ching-Kuo (who was visiting from his studies in the Soviet Union) and Chiang Wei-Kuo (who was visiting from his studies in Germany) was attributed to Du Yuesheng.
Du Yuesheng's accumulation of money, power and prestige, often as the expense of Chiang was reflected in his successful wresting of control of the very lucrative Opium Trade (economic historians estimate that between 25-50% of China's revenues came from taxes, customs and other economic activities derived from the Opium Trade) and in Du's control of 30% of party delegates in the 1931 Party Congress.
As a result of Du's growing successes and catalyzed by the assasination attempt, Chiang began to plot for a way to eliminate Du and the threat he posed once and for all. Chiang placed Dai Li and the Bureau of Investigations and Statistics in overall charge of a 'decapitation operation' that would eliminate the threat of the Green Gang and Du Yuesheng and would restore KMT control over all the Opium Trade.
The 'Decapitation Operation' was planned for May 4 1932 where it was expected that Du and his associates would be busy partying and be quickly apprehended, caught unawares. Unfortunately this was not to be.
The Failed Purge
The operation itself would be conducted in utmost secrecy. Bureau agents and KMT cadres all over China would move quickly to arrest leading members of the Green Gang and Du's friends and associates on the evening of May 4. Du however, had other plans.
A last minute tip from an informant had allowed Du to prepare his defences, although he could not alert his associates outside of his province for fear of discovery - he could nontheless take steps to assert his control over his province. On the afternoon of May 4 1932, KMT party offices, labour union buildings and other "Pro-Chiang" elements all over Jiangsu were attacked by the Provincial Militia and the "Green Guard" - Du's elite cadre of professional troops. The effects were devastating on the Jiangsu effort, Nanking itself came under attack and Chiang's house was besieged for 24 hours. The Bureau of Investigation and Statistics Building came under attack, the phone lines were cut.
Military Operation
On the morning of May 5 it had seemed like it was the decapitators that had become decapitated. Although all over China the Night of the Long Knives had succeeded in purging Du's forces, Du's men had secured Jiangsu except for a few isolated areas where KMT and Labour unions were still fighting hard. A notable example is in the Shanghai dockyard area where KMT and Labour troops would hold out until relieved in May 24.
The Feng Ru V was instrumental to the blockade effort at Shanghai.
Communication was restored in May 6 and Chiang was quick to move into action. In order to prevent Du from escaping Chiang was declared to be a 'quarantined area' and the National Revolutionary Air Force and National Revolutionary Navy blockaded Shanghai - no ships or air planes were permitted to enter Shanghai - on pain of death. Feng Ru's planes would sortie above the city in groups of 100-200, not only enforcing the blockade but informing the western nations and Japan of Chinese Military capability in order to discourage thoughts of an 'expedition.' Although the Chinese Navy was less impressive, the light cruiser Ning Hai was the cornerstone of the blockade effort and the majority of the blockade fleet, converted trawlers with a mounted 75mm artillery gun inspired pity, rather than awe.
Members of the Assault Army which was ordered to take back Shanghai.
Chiang also personally took command of an "Assault Army" consisting of all ten "Assault Divisions" which was was ordered to take back Shanghai where heavy fighting was still raging between KMT party cadres, unionists against the Green Guard and the Provincial Militia. The Assault Army, consisting of ten divisions of ten thousand men were the lavishly armed and equiped elite of the regime. They easily brushed past even the much vaunted "Green Guards" and were at the outskirts of Shanghai by May 14. There, the businessmen and merchants of the city, although initially ambivalent, even mildly supportive of Du's ambitions began to turn on Du. A "Merchant Protection Army" suddenly emerged in the commercial district of Shanghai, cutting communications between the dock area and the front. Green Guard morale plummeted, as did that of the provincial militia, desertion began to increase as Chiang's "Assault Army" pushed further into the city. Caught between the Merchant Protection Army, Chiang's Assault Army and Labour Union and KMT Militias, Du's troops disintegrated. By May 30 the Battle for Shanghai was over. Du Yuesheng was found cowering in the basement of his Shanghai villa. By Chiang's personal orders he was hung from a meathook in his basement and the villa burnt down. Casualties on both sides were light, the Assault Army suffered about 5,000 incapacitated while Du's forces incurred about 8,000 cassualties with about 1,000 deaths from KMT/Labour Union/ Merchant Protection Army casualties.
The Aftermath
Although the Night of the Long Knives had failed to 'decapitate' the Green Gang leadership in one fatal blow. Chiang's quick, decisive action at Shanghai had turned a disaster into a triumph. Chiang has succeeded in asserting Chinese sovereignty over Shanghai. The Western Democracies dithered and debated. By the time a "Leage of Nations" conference could be arranged for June 14, the battle and the blockade was long over.
Internationally, the Night of the Long Knives increased the wedge between the western democracies and China. The civilian government in Tokyo was dealt a death blow by their failure to act with the Kwangtung Army hereafter deciding to ignore any orders of the Tokyo government.
Domestically, the Night of the Long Knives consolidated Chiang's power as never before. Not only was his greatest enemy and nemesis dispatched, autonomist governors were also removed, the Opium Trade was bought back under official control and his personal prestige had been greatly enhanced by the battle.
An example of the Bronze cermonial dagger
Chiang reacted to the news magnanimously, announcing the creation of a new award: The "Knight of the Long Knife." All who had taken part in either the purges of May 4 or the subsequent military actions were to be made "Knights of the Long Knife." The award had four classes, the 'bronze knife' which was the basic award given to everyone who participated with the operation in anyway (over 100,000 recepients in 1932, later balooning to 100,000,000 recepients - leading to the disparaging term "tin knife" (!!!) awardees were given a ceremonial bronze dagger and a bronze badge with a bronze knife in the centre with a wreath on the side. The 'silver knife' was awarded to those who showed 'commendable valor' in the operation, mostly awarded to members of the Assault Army and those who had taken part of the physical fighting or civilians who played an instrumental role in the purges - for example, the wife of a local party official near Hankou - Liu Han was awarded the Silver Knife for 'ably aiding Party boss Yi Min (her husband) in the destruction of corrupt elements' The silver knife had a simple inscription "my loyalty is my honour," the silver badge was a small silver knife with the KMT Blue Sky and White Sun in the middle. Recepients who were awarded the Sliver Knife posthumously had their 'deceased relative' payment doubled to their families. The Silver Knife had about 15,000 recepients. The Gold Knife was awarded to those who showed either 'exemplary bravery in the face of danger' or 'outstanding leadership in the purging of corrupt elements of society.' It was mostly awarded to leading figures of the KMT - Yi Min, a village apothecary who was also the party Yamen for his village near Hankou who 'purged' the mayor of Hankou who had declared for Du received the gold knife. The Gold Knife was a gold dagger with a solid gold blade and a silver handle and the gold badge was a gold knife with the White Sun inlaid in silver in the middle. The gold knife had 1,000 recepients. The most prestigious award was the "Diamond Knife" which was award to an exclusive set - with only 100 being awarded. Recepients included Chiang Kai-Shek, Dai Li, Feng Ru and other architects of the Night.
Feedback and comments always greatfully received/solicited. Thanks for all the feedback/comments so far!
