Guominjun

{{Short description|Military faction during China's Warlord Era}}

{{distinguish|text=Kuomintang (國民黨) or National Revolutionary Army (國民革命軍)}}

{{redirect|Northwest Army|the Indian army unit formerly known as the Northwestern Army|Northern Command (India)}}

{{infobox war faction

| name = Guominjun
Kuominchun

| native_name = 國民軍

| war = the Warlord Era

| flag = 200px 200px

| image = 100px 100px

| logo =

| native_name_lang = zh

| caption = Left: The Beiyang Star was used as the emblem prior to 1926.
Right: The Blue Sky and White Sun became the emblem after 1926.

| active =

| ideology = Chinese nationalism{{sfn|Sheridan|1966|pp=169–174}}
Anti-imperialism{{sfn|Sheridan|1966|pp=172–174, 176}}
Christian socialism
Three Principles of the People {{small|(partially)}}{{sfn|Sheridan|1966|pp=170–172}}
Christianity with Chinese characteristics{{sfn|Sheridan|1966|pp=174–176}}
Pro-Sovietism

| country = Republic of China

| allegiance = {{flag|Kuomintang}}

| clans =

| founders = Feng Yuxiang
Hu Jingyi
Sun Yue

| leaders = Feng Yuxiang
Hu Jingyi
Sun Yue

| headquarters = Shaanxi

| area = Northern Republic of China

| size =

| partof =

| predecessor =

| successor =

| allies = {{plainlist|

{{flag icon|Kuomintang}}Kuomintang
{{flag icon|Republic of China}}Nationalist government
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Republic of China Army.svg}}National Revolutionary Army

}}

| opponents =

| battles = Beijing Coup
Anti-Fengtian War
Northern Expedition

}}

The Guominjun ({{Zh|t=國民軍 |s=国民军|first=t|p=Guómínjūn |w=Kuo²-min²-chün¹}}), also known as the Kuominchun, abbreviated as GMJ and KMC, was a military faction founded by Feng Yuxiang, Hu Jingyi and Sun Yue during China's Warlord Era. The KMC had control of much of Northwest China, including Shaanxi, Chahar and Suiyuan, hence its other name, the Northwest Army (西北軍; not to be confused with the later army of the same name under Yang Hucheng).

History

The Guominjun was formed when Feng betrayed the Zhili clique during the Second Zhili–Fengtian War with the Fengtian clique in 1924. The Guominjun occupied Beijing, captured Zhili leader Cao Kun and expelled former Qing dynasty emperor Puyi from the Forbidden City.

File:五原誓师.jpg

In late 1925, Fengtian general Guo Songling defected to the KMC; this sparked the Anti-Fengtian War against Zhang Zuolin.

The Guominjun was incorporated into the Kuomintang's National Revolutionary Army as the "Second Collective Army" in 1928 during the Northern Expedition, and fought alongside the KMT to defeat Fengtian forces (National Pacification Army) and capture Beijing.{{sfn|Jordan|1976|pages=153–154}}

In 1929, Feng grew increasingly dissatisfied with Chiang Kai-shek's regime; the Guominjun launched a full rebellion with Yan Xishan and Li Zongren’s army, the Central Plains War, in 1930. However, Feng was defeated and what was left of the faction was absorbed into the KMT.

Ideology

The Guominjun was very sympathetic to Sun Yat-sen's Kuomintang government in Guangzhou, but due to geographic isolation they were independent of one another. The Guominjun was unusual for being an ideological army with its troops indoctrinated in Christian, socialist, and nationalist teachings. It also cared for its troops with welfare and education programs which was very rare at the time. This created a very determined, cohesive fighting force with high morale. The Guominjun's main foreign backer was the Soviet Union which had vied with the Empire of Japan for influence over the Fengtian clique. The Soviets were keen on building a relationship with Feng as he was seen as more ideologically acceptable. However, despite Feng's portrayal by outsiders as sympathizer of communism, and his claims to be an adherent of Sun Yat-sen's left-leaning teachings, the Guominjun was not a leftist army.{{sfn|Sheridan|1966|pp=169–176}} It was primarily a nationalist force{{sfn|Sheridan|1966|pp=169–174}} which was also reflected in Feng's adoption of only those elements of socialism{{sfn|Sheridan|1966|pp=169–172}} and Christianity which he considered useful to improve Chinese society and strengthen his troops' morale.{{sfn|Sheridan|1966|pp=174–176}}

References

Bibliography

{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s2RwAAAAMAAJ |title=The Northern Expedition: China's National Revolution of 1926–1928 |last=Jordan |first=Donald A. |date=1976 |publisher=University Press of Hawaii |location=Honolulu |isbn=9780824803520|language=en}}
{{cite book

|last =Sheridan

|first =James E.

|title= Chinese Warlord. The Career of Feng Yü-hsiang

|language=

|url=

|date= 1966

|publisher= Stanford University Press

|location= Stanford, California

|isbn=

}}

Category:Anti-imperialism in Asia

Category:Christian socialism