Second Zhili Fengtian War

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Second Zhili Fengtian War of 1924 was a conflict between the Japanese-backed Fengtian clique, based in Manchuria, and the more liberal Zhili clique. Zhili was based in the region surrounding Beijing and was backed by Anglo-American business interests. The war was the most significant of China's Warlord era. The two cliques fought a large battle near Tianjin in October 1924. The Beijing coup led to the defeat of the Zhili clique. The pro-Japanese warlord Duan Qirui was appointed prime minister in November 1924. In south and central China, more liberal Chinese were dismayed by Fengtian's advance and by Duan's conservative government. A wave of protests called the May Thirtieth Movement followed. The most significant result of the war is that it distracted the northern warlords from the Soviet-backed Nationalists based in the southern province of Guangdong. This allowed the party to prepare the Northern Expedition (1926 1928), which united China under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek.... Mehr