893.00P.R./26
The Chargé in China (Perkins) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 3, 1930.]
Sir: In accordance with the Department’s instruction No. 78, of October 9, 1925,55 I have the honor to submit the following summary, with index, of events and conditions in China during October, 1929:
The dispute with Soviet Russia over the seizure of the Chinese Eastern Railway which (in everything but in name) had developed into a state of desultory warfare between the two countries, and a domestic politico-military crisis constituted the two most important problems of the month. It was a disturbed period which in another country probably would have been a highly critical one for the central authorities. Here, however, with the ever present possibility [Page 177] of settlement by compromise, conditions did not seem very much more desperate than those of other recent months more or less successfully weathered by the Nanking Government.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In regard to internal military affairs, the continuing Chang Fakwei uprising, with related disturbances in Kwangsi, suffered in importance by comparison with the more serious matter of a revolt, early in October, of some twenty Kuominchun generals. The Chang Fa-kwei-Kwangsi uprising, were it successful, presumably would result in a reorganization of the Kuomintang under the radical leadership of Mr. Wang Ching-wei. A successful Kuominchun revolt, on the other hand, would entail a victory of a group of Northern leaders opposed not merely to General Chiang Kai-shek on account of his alleged policy of “private ownership of state” but to the Nanking Government as such. It would jeopardize the very existence of the Kuomintang and revive such fundamental issues, in a possible cleavage between North and South China, as regionalism and decentralization.
There seemed to be little doubt that Marshal Feng Yu-hsiang, from his headquarters near Taiyuanfu where he was in close communion with Marshal Yen Hsi-shan, was directing the Kuominchun revolt. It was not clear, however, on which side Marshal Yen had allied or would ally himself, notwithstanding the fact that on the day that General Chiang Kai-shek, as Commander-in-Chief, issued the order for the general offensive against the Kuominchun, the State Council appointed Yen Hsi-shan Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Nanking Government’s land, sea, and air forces.
The indecisive fighting of October in connection with the Kuominchun revolt was confined largely to Honan. The total of the forces under arms in China during the period under review, in spite of the disbandment projects launched during the last month, was some two million men, grouped roughly as follows:
| First group of armies | 684,000 | ||
| (Central Government troops) | |||
| Under the command of Chiang Kai-shek. | |||
| Second in command: Ho Ying-chin. | |||
| Second group of armies | 249,000 | ||
| Under the command of Feng Yü-hsiang. | |||
| Second in command: Sun Liang-cheng. | |||
| Third group of armies | 211,000 | ||
| Under the command of Yen Hsi-shan. | |||
| Second in command: Shang Chen. | |||
| Miscellaneous units nominally under the National Government’s control | 370,500 | ||
| (Mainly in Yunnan, Kweichow, Sinkiang, Chekiang, Szechuan.) | |||
| Northeastern Frontier Defense Forces | 360,600 | ||
| Commander-in-Chief: Chang Hsueh-liang. | |||
| Deputy Commanders: Wan Fu-lin, Chang Tso-hsiang. | |||
The Kuominchun Revolt
During the first half of October it became known that the commanders of the Kuominchun, having declared against Nanking, had telegraphed Marshals Feng Yu-hsiang and Yen Hsi-shan setting forth the shortcomings of the Central Government and requesting that they assume the posts of Commander and Vice Commander respectively of the People’s Armies, to which they were stated to have been publicly elected. Feng and Yen assumed a noncommittal attitude at the time but seemed to incline to the proposal. Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang also was generally believed to be awaiting a favorable opportunity to join in operations against the Government, the position of the three northern leaders apparently being that the Nanking Government was no better than the much denounced militarists and that it would eventually eliminate them one by one unless they joined in the opposition.
Accepting the challenge of the Kuominchun commanders, General Chiang Kai-shek issued a manifesto on October 14th containing the following observation:
“…Always jealous of the welfare of the people and the cause of unification, the Government should long ago have declared a punitive expedition against them (the Kuominchun) so that the nation might be rid of its traitors and the people of their enemies. But in view of the fact that their misdeeds had not become so notorious, the Government hesitated to act in the expectation that they would mend their ways and make a new start. It was for this reason that the Government sent them funds and supplies as usual.
“But now these rebel commanders have openly defied the Government. In a circular wire they deliberately misrepresented the truth and slandered the Government. What is worse, they have moved their troops ready for a revival of civil war. …”
The manifesto went on to say that there could be no compromise between the rebels and the Central Government, that the latter had the support of the people, and that the Government would ultimately triumph.
Kwangsi Disturbances
The following are extracts from an account of conditions in the Canton consular district, during the month, by the Consul General at Canton: [Page 179]
“…Much anxiety prevailed in Canton throughout October because of the threatened invasion of the Liang Kwang provinces by Chang Fa-kuei’s army. Good order was maintained in the city itself, but communists and bandits were active in northeastern Kwangtung and other areas. Extensive troop movements occurred during the early part of the month in connection with the suppression of rebellious Kwangsi units, and again toward the close when the indications were that the ‘Ironsides’ were on the point of attacking both Kweilin, in Kwangsi province, and Linchow, in northern Kwangtung.
“Wuchow was occupied by Cantonese forces on October 4th. Kwangsi province was speedily cleared of opposing factions, and General Chen Chi-t’ang, the Commander-in-Chief, returned to Canton with his staff on October 15th. At the same time it was announced that Chang Fa-kuei had turned and was marching northward to cooperate with Feng Yu-hsiang and Yen Hsi-shan in their attack on Nanking. The Third and Eighth Divisions, which had been sent down by Chiang Kai-shih to aid in the defense of Canton, prepared to return to the North and finally embarked on October 23–24, leaving the Fiftieth Division on the Kwangtung-Kiangsi border, allegedly for the purpose of following up the ‘Ironsides’. Three Cantonese aeroplanes left for Hankow on October 24th to assist the Central Government in its struggle with the Kuominchun. …
“The announcement during the middle of October that the ‘Ironsides’ were going back up North caused a lull in the situation in Canton. This was short-lived, however, for it soon became evident that the ‘Ironsides’ were still hovering on the borders of Kwangsi. Toward the end of the month the situation again became very tense, and it was evident that the local government was doing its utmost to be prepared against a possible ‘Ironside’ advance. Large bodies of troops were rushed to Shiuchow, on the Canton-Hankow railway, and other strategic points. At the same time General Chen Chi-t’ang, Commander-in-Chief of the Kwangtung forces, began to strengthen the defenses of Wuchow and points along the Fu river to Kweilin. Several thousand Cantonese soldiers were moved up the West river to aid in the protection of Kwangsi and improve the morale of the rather disorganized Kwangsi forces. …
“Local military authorities are willing to concede that Chang Fa-kuei probably has ten thousand men under his command, but assert that these troops have suffered repeatedly at the hands of the Hunanese and are much disorganized. On the other hand many well-informed Chinese, including some leading officials, declare that Chang Fa-kuei now has about thirty-five thousand well-equipped soldiers and that there is every possibility of his capturing Canton, or at least Wuchow. The Cantonese are supposed to control fifty thousand troops, most of whom are fairly well equipped, including machine guns, some light artillery, and a number of aeroplanes. The Cantonese also should be able to count on the support of the local navy if the fighting gets near this city, or even near Wuchow which is accessible to fairly large gunboats. …”
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩