page_title: Beijing Revolt
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: Beijing Revolt / Background
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Zu dem chinesisch-japanischen Conflikt in der Mandschurei&#160;! Truppen des Generals Chang Kai Shek alarmbereit in den Strassen Pekings.
context_page_description: The Beijing Revolt or Peking Revolt was an armed mutiny against the Chinese Nationalist government in Beijing on 2 March 1929. After the Northern Expedition's official end in 1928, many defeated warlord troops had been integrated into the National Revolutionary Army. One regiment that had previously served under warlord Zhang Zongchang had remained loyal to its old commander, however, and rebelled on his orders. Though the mutineers captured the Yonghe Temple and threw Beijing into chaos, their revolt was quickly suppressed.
context_section_description: Following a long period of internal chaos and civil war known as the Warlord Era, China was forcibly reunified in the Kuomintang-led Northern Expedition (1926–1928). A new Nationalist government was established in Nanjing, and the warlord armies that had been defeated during the expedition were either disbanded or absorbed into the National Revolutionary Army (NRA). This reunification was only superficially successful, however, as much of the country remained under the control of warlords who had joined the NRA during the Northern Expedition instead of resisting. Beijing  and its surroundings were among the areas that were not truly controlled by the Nationalist government; instead, they were ruled by Shanxi warlord Yan Xishan. Furthermore, the warlords that had been actually been ousted by the NRA continued to plot their return to power.
  One of these was Zhang Zongchang who launched a rebellion in his old fief of Shandong in January 1929. Though he primarily wanted to regain his former territories, Zhang also attempted to rally other warlords to launch a wider anti-Kuomintang in northern China. In this he was probably supported by Japan which provide him with ample funds to raise armies and bribe NRA troops to defect. In February 1929, Zhang claimed that a coalition of warlords, including himself, Chu Yupu, Yan Xishan, Wu Peifu, Bai Chongxi, Qi Xieyuan, and a number Manchurian military commanders were preparing for a massive campaign against the Nationalist government. No actual alliance was formed, however, and the "whole affair died down again, as suddenly as it had started". On the other side, many ordinary soldiers who had formerly been employed by Zhang found his offers highly attractive. Many members of Zhang's Shandong Army had been demobilized after the Northern Expedition and fallen into poverty. Others had been able to join the NRA, but were not paid well, and thus ready to defect to their old commander in return for financial rewards. One dissatisfied NRA regiment whose troops were of "northern origin" and had formerly been part of the Shandong Army, was stationed at the Yonghe Temple in Beijing. At some point, Zhang reportedly contacted this unit, and ordered them to prepare a revolt, which they did. It was later believed that this was part of his plot to regain power in northern China.
caption: NRA soldiers in Beijing in 1931
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