The Fall of Chiang Kai-Shek

By October, the combined forces of the Sichuan Clique and Japanese forces had managed to shatter the Kuomintang Army and capture Chiang Kai-Shek. Wang Jingwei offered positions in the Provisional Government to the Sichuan Clique comparable to those they had had under Chiang with added benefits which they were quick to accept.
Chiang was tried and found guilty of treason to the Chinese state. He would be executed November 27, 1943.

With the Provisional Government now in full control of the country, Wang Jingwei signed a treaty with Japan recognizing Manchukuo, Menjiang, the Xinjiang Republic, and numerous trade policies which favored the Japanese Empire. It also allowed for Japanese occupation at key points throughout China and limited China's military size and composition.

The communists under Mao would struggle on though without military aid they found their support faltering. The Japanese and Provisional forces destroyed every village suspected of helping the communists, killing hundreds of thousands and eroding all support for the guerillas until Mao would be captured in 1945, given up by a traitor in his own ranks.

SOURCE: Liu Bao The Fall of the Kuomintang

Sichuan Clique Switches Sides!

21 September 1943 - The Sichuan Army has parted ways with Chiang Kai-shek threatening to bring down Nationalist forces in China. Representing over a quarter of Nationalist forces, the Sichuan Army broke from Nationalist ranks via an alliance between faction leaders Yang Sen, Liu Wenhui, Deng Xihou, and Tian Songyao. All had grown tired and bitter over the three sided war devastating China and Chiang's handling of domestic affairs. With the United States suffering through a war on two fronts, the British retreating from India, and all hope of supply gone, the Sichuan Clique had finally had enough. There had been grumbling over the decline in their independence under Chiang and rumors that the Nationalist leader had poisoned one of their own, Liu Xiang, in order to exert greater control over Sichuan Province.

Chiang Kai-shek finds himself in a desperate battle to hold onto Sichuan. There are fears that if he allows one ally to desert him, others will follow.

Wang Jingwei has already voiced his support for Sichuan Province to join his Provisional Government and to oust the rebellious Chiang. Japanese, Mengjiang, and Provisional Chinese forces have begun an assault south through eastern Gansu into Sichuan in what many believe to be the final showdown between Japanese and Chinese forces. Should Sichuan fall, Chiang's capital, Chengdu, would fall with it and possibly spell the end of organized Kuomintang resistance.

SOURCE: The Daily Telegraph

The New Republic of Xinjiang Proclaimed

November 27, 1940 - Sheng Shicai declared Xinjiang an independent nation today officially breaking away from Chiang Kai-Shek's government.

Xinjiang, though nominally a province of China, had been a de facto protectorate of the Soviet Union's up until September. Following the Second Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Sheng purged Xinjiang of all communist elements in order to curry favor with Chiang and the Kuomintang. His need for allies had grown with Mengjiang nipping at his eastern borders and no Soviet troops to help hold them back. To Sheng's regret, Chiang greatly distrusted him refusing to grant him aid and even calling for his ousting as governor of Xinjiang.

Many believe Sheng's declaration of independence is nothing more than show. Without Stalin or Chiang to protect him, he has seemingly chosen the Japanese as his new patrons. Treaties have already been signed between Sheng's new government and Japan allowing for a contingent of the Kwantung Army to be based there as well as various trade and economic treaties. There is already talk of Japanese investment in the new country.

SOURCE: The Philadelphia Bulletin

Second Sino-Japanese War

Following a wave of incidents stretching from 1928-1934, Japan once more meddled in Chinese affairs. In early March 1935, Japanese forces instigated a provocation in order to invade Jiangsu Province. On March 11, an officer of the Japanese Marines attempted an illegal entry into the Hungchiao Airport of Shanghai, but was shot to death by the Chinese Peace Preservation Corps stationed near the military airport. It is still unknown whether the officer initiated the intrusion on his own or acted on higher orders. Regardless, the incident certainly heightened the tension in Shanghai. On March 12, the Japanese consul general apologized for the officer's action, because it was a clear intrusion of Chinese territory. Nevertheless, he remained firm and demanded that the Chinese withdraw the Peace Preservation Corps and dismantle scattered defenses around the city. He also made it clear that the shooting of a Japanese officer was a humiliation to the Imperial Army, and the situation was likely to explode at the slightest provocation. The shooting incident also caused Japan to send in reinforcements into the Shanghai area on March 12. To the Chinese, the incident was yet another pretext for Japanese aggression, not at all different from the many "incidents" in the 1930s, only this act proved the breaking point for Chinag Kai-shek who had put up with Japanese gains in order to buy time in his conflict with communist forces and to build up China's military and industrial sectors. With the heart of his powerbase threatened, the danger of losing what limited industrial production China had, Germany retreating from their alliance, and the people turning against him, Chiang shocked the world when he made peace with communist forces and turned the full force of his military on Shanghai. Despite his intentions, Shanghai fell rapidly to Japanese forces due to Chinese reinforcements arriving too late. Chinese forces would attempt to retake the city but suffered heavy casualties in a stalemate. A long, bloody war was to follow.

SOURCE: OnWar.net

Peking Falls!

August 1, 1934 - Peking fell to Japanese forces today when Chinese forces retreated following defeat after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Many believe Tianjin will fall within a day.

Many see this as a culmination of Japanese ambitions as they continue to march throughout China on their way to supreme domination. The question is whether Chinag Kai-shek will return to the negotiating table or finally declare war. The latter remains an unrealistic bet as to do so would put Chiang in a two front war against both the Japanese and the communists. Numerous allies are pleading with Chinag to make peace with the communists and forge a united front before the whole of China is lost.

SOURCE: New York Times