The Northern Expedition was an important war in Chinese history in the early 20th century, taking place between 1926 and 1928. The war was waged by the Kuomintang under the leadership of the Chinese Nationalists, with the National Revolutionary Army as the main force and Chiang Kai-shek as the commander-in-chief. The goal of the Northern Expedition was to overthrow the rule of the Beiyang warlords and achieve the unification and national independence of China.
The participants in the Northern Expedition were the National Revolutionary Army and the Beiyang Army. The Beiyang Army was mainly composed of warlords such as Wu Peifu, Zhang Zuolin, and Sun Chuanfang, who controlled different regions and forces. Wu Peifu was one of the main commanders of the Beiyang Army, and he controlled the two lakes and the Nanjing-Han Road along the river, with a force of 200,000 troops. Sun Chuanfang's army was composed of warlords from Fujian, Zhejiang, Suzhou, Anhui and Jiangxi, known as the alliance of five provinces, with a strength of about 200,000. Zhang Zuolin was a warlord who controlled Beijing**, entrenched in Beijing, Tianjin, Zhili, Rehe and the three northeastern provinces, with a force of about 400,000.
The National Revolutionary Army was the main force of the Northern Expedition and was led by commanders such as Chiang Kai-shek, Li Zongren, and Bai Chongxi. The National Revolutionary Army had more than 100,000 people in eight armies, and in the course of the war, it grew to nearly one million in more than 40 armies. Jiang Zhongzheng served as commander-in-chief, Li Jishen served as chief of staff of the General Headquarters, Bai Chongxi served as deputy chief of staff ** chief of staff, Deng Yanda served as director of the Political Department, and Guo Moruo served as deputy director of the Political Department. He Yingqin, Tan Yanmin, Zhu Peide, Li Jishen, Li Fulin, Cheng Qian, Li Zongren, and Tang Shengzhi served as commanders of the 1st to 8th armies respectivelyMiao Bin, ** Communist Party member), Zhu Kejing (Communist Party member), Liao Qianwu (Communist Party member), Li Langru, Lin Boqu (Communist Party member), Huang Shaohong, and Liu Wendao were appointed as party representatives or deputy party representatives of the 1st to 8th armies.
The Northern Expedition was fought on the basis of the cooperation of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and the Kuomintang and the Communist Party jointly organized the war. The participation of the Communist Party gave the Northern Expedition a broader mass base and a stronger fighting capacity. In the war, the Independent Regiment of the Fourth Army led by the communist Ye Ting played an important role as the vanguard of the Northern Expedition.
During the Northern Expedition, the National Revolutionary Army adopted the correct course of action, first marching into Hunan and Hubei, where the troops of warlord Wu Peifu were entrenched. After a bloody battle, the Northern Expeditionary Army finally captured Tingsi Bridge, Xianning Bridge and Hesheng Bridge in late August, defeating Wu Peifu's main force. Subsequently, the Northern Expeditionary Army attacked Sun Chuanfang's troops and Zhang Zuolin's troops, and finally conquered Beijing in 1928, causing Zhang Zuolin of the Beiyang Feng Department to retreat to the northeast and was assassinated by the Japanese in Huanggutun, and his son Zhang Xueliang announced the change of banner in the northeast. At this point, the Northern Expedition was completed, and China achieved formal unification.
The Northern Expedition was a war of great significance in Chinese history. It not only overthrew the rule of the Beiyang warlords and achieved the formal unification of China, but also laid the foundation for the later revolutionary cause. The Northern Expedition demonstrated the power of cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party and proved the important role of the Communist Party in the revolution. At the same time, the Northern Expedition also educated the Chinese people, enhanced national self-esteem and self-confidence, and laid the foundation for China's independence and prosperity.