Japanese and Fengtian soldiers engaging Qing forces in a small town during the opening moves of the Battle of Beijing (1942), February 1942. The spectacular and shocking defeat at Shanhai Pass forced a major change in Wu Peifu's plans. His aim for a northern offensive into Manchuria was by more or less foiled and can no longer be carried out. The Zhilli switched to a defensive stature combined with mass partisanship and guerilla warfare behind enemy lines, with the aim of cutting off Japanese-Fengtian supply routes, harass enemy forces as much as possible, and making life itself very difficult for the occupying invaders. Villagers were encouraged to resist the occupation by Qing sympathizers, which many obliged.
Despite these efforts aimed at bleeding the GEACPS forces white of blood, the Northern Tiger's forces pushed on, not minding the countless lives lost. The war in China was becoming a meat grinder, and who knows how many more will die before it is over. Prosperity Sphere units reached Beijing's outskirts nevertheless by the beginning of February. The opening moves to the Battle was made by mostly Fengtian forces under direct command of Zhang Zuolin. The plan was to bomb the city into submission using overwhelming air power and encircle the city from all directions. No significant response from the Germans, who were backing the Qing to an extent, was heard from by the Japanese. It's do or die for the Jade Marshal.
"China is a land of opportunity. The world just hasn't realized it yet."
- Emperor Showa/Hirohito
Zhang Zuolin, the Northern Tiger, giving a speech at the Shenyang Military Academy in Manchuria. A portion of the speech is as follows:
"...We are here today to bring a new future to the people and government of China. We are here to not only mark ourselves in the pages of Human and Chinese history, but to bring forth a change in the system that has befallen and corrupted our society these past decades. Years before the Revolution of 1911, China has shunned away from the rest of the world, and certainly I believe that is the reason why we are suffering today. We refuse to cooperate with foreigners. We refuse to open our doors to new opportunities waiting abroad that can help our own local opportunities here at home. Today, with our comrades in the form of the Japanese Empire and the Transamurian Republic, we stand proud to build not only a new China, but a new Asia: an Asia free from the oppressors from the West. The Qing and it's Jade Marshal are puppets of the Germans, and they only bring shame to the Chinese people. That shall not continue any longer. Let us stand united to free this continent of the oppressors..."
"A new life for China is to be made by us, and cherished by our children tomorrow."
- Zhang Zuolin
Chinese Imperial forces under command of the Shandong Clique preparing to ship out to the frontlines to aid in the defense of Beijing, February 1942. While nominally large in the manpower pool, the warlord states' armies are nevertheless ill equipped and rely on the Qing government and military for even the most basic of combat resources, such as food, water, weapons and ammunition. They were very useful however in supporting partisan forces in the field, as they are nominally suited for more smaller scale combat instead of extreme battles that involves tanks, artillery and aircraft.
It is notable that Zhang Zongchang, the leader of the Shandong Clique, holds absolutely no loyalty to the Central Government in Beijing. He is in fact a vocal critic of Wu Peifu. Unbeknownst to his commanders in the Zhilli Clique, the warlord had signed a secret agreement with the Co Prosperity Sphere, which essentially made Shandong an insider within the Qing government. Zhang's forces were to "join" the Imperial Army of the Qing, with the extra objective of stealing intelligence like battle plans for the use of the Japanese and the Fengtian forces. Under orders, the Shandong Revolutionary Army refused to engage GEACPS units, despite continued directives from Peifu to do so. The clique would essentially switch sides later down the line, to the shock of the Qing.
"The Jade Marshal is a shame not only to China, but to himself."
- Zhang Zongchang