This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations.(May 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Zhili clique
直系
Active
1920–1928
Country
Republic of China
Allegiance
Beiyang government
Type
Warlord faction
Engagements
Zhili–Anhui War
First Zhili–Fengtian War
Second Zhili–Fengtian War
Northern Expedition
Commanders
President
Feng Guozhang, Cao Kun
Military unit
The Zhili clique (simplified Chinese: 直隶系军阀; traditional Chinese: 直隸系軍閥; pinyin: Zhílì xì jūnfá) was a military faction that split from the Republic of China's Beiyang Army of the during the country's Warlord Era. It was named for Zhili Province (modern-day Hebei), which was the clique's base of power. At its height, it also controlled Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Hubei.
The Beiyang Army fragmented following the death of Yuan Shikai, who had been the only person keeping regional factions from contesting territory throughout China. Unlike other cliques, Zhili was formed by army officers, who felt they had been snubbed by Premier Duan Qirui regarding appointments and promotions. These officers rallied around President Feng Guozhang, who had to share power with Duan's dominant Anhui clique in the Beiyang government. Lacking strong bonds, they were more willing to abandon or betray one another.[citation needed]
Cao Kun, leader of the Zhili clique following Feng Guozhang's death
They advocated a softer line during the Constitutional Protection War. After Feng's natural death, leadership passed to Cao Kun. Cao was victorious in the Zhili–Anhui War (1920) though the credit belongs to his chief lieutenant, Wu Peifu, the greatest strategist in China at the time. Relations with the Fengtian clique, which gave nominal assistance against Anhui clique, deteriorated and Wu again brought victory during the First Zhili–Fengtian War (1922). In the next two years, the Zhili clique scored successive victories which led to Cao Kun's ascendancy to the presidency via bribery. Cao's ambition brought all of his enemies against him and created dissent within the clique. Zhili might have won the Second Zhili–Fengtian War (1924) and eventually reunite all of China had it not been for Feng Yuxiang's betrayal with the Beijing Coup.[citation needed] Cao was imprisoned and leadership passed to Wu who along with Sun Chuanfang managed to hold central China for the next two years. During the Kuomintang's Northern Expedition, they created a desperate alliance with their former Fengtian enemies but were defeated entirely. The Zhili clique was the only warlord faction to be destroyed as a result of the Northern Expedition.[citation needed]
They were also strongly anti-Japanese. Western powers were sympathetic but provided no support with the exception of foreign private businesses who appreciated their adoption of an anti-communist and anti-union stance in 1923. Wu Peifu had initially invited the Chinese Communist Party to end the Communications Clique's stranglehold over the railways but found the Communists to be a greater threat and put them down with violence.[citation needed]
The Zhiliclique (simplified Chinese: 直隶系军阀; traditional Chinese: 直隸系軍閥; pinyin: Zhílì xì jūnfá) was a military faction that split from the Republic of...
First Zhili–Fengtian War (1922). The Second (1924) Zhili–Fengtian War started later over the Zhili invasion of the remnants of the Anhui clique, which...
rivals in the ZhiliClique were opposed to Unification By Force, fracturing the Beijing governments of 1916 to 1920. Because the Anhui clique organized itself...
Zhiliclique was formed by officers disgruntled with the Anhui clique and rallied around Feng Guozhang. It was aligned to Western powers. The clique took...
major factions included Duan Qirui's Anhui clique, Zhang Zuolin's Fengtian clique, and Feng Guozhang's Zhiliclique, of which Wu Peifu was a member. Duan Qirui's...
became known as the Anhui clique. His detractors rallied around President Feng and formed the Zhiliclique. The Zhiliclique favored peaceful negotiations...
moment in the Second Zhili–Fengtian War and allowed the pro-Japanese Fengtian clique to defeat the previously dominant Zhiliclique. Followed by a brief...
Republic of China from 1923 to 1924, as well as the military leader of the Zhiliclique in the Beiyang Army; he also served as a trustee of the Catholic University...
general of the military of the Republic of China and a warlord of the Zhiliclique. He defected to the Japanese after the creation of the Provisional Government...
an important leader in the Zhiliclique, when the latter decided to revolt against his former allies in the Second Zhili–Fengtian War. Feng Yuxiang's...
Republic of China. Zhou left politics after complaining of ZhiliClique domination. The clique was dissolved during the Northern Expedition. What they once...
President of China. Zhili warlord Cao Kun won the election through bribery. The capital was under control of the ZhiliClique after the Zhili–Anhui War. In...
death the Beiyang Army split into cliques led by Yuan's principal protégés. Duan Qirui's Anhui clique and the Zhiliclique, founded by Feng Guozhang but led...
and the south were in a temporary armistice. Pressed by the Zhiliclique and the Anhui clique, Feng Guozhang ordered Cao Kun to make war again on Hunan...
however, aspired merely to be the warlord of Guangdong and after the Zhiliclique in Beijing recognized his power in the south, he abandoned Sun Yat-sen...
1926.: 3 In addition to its Fengtian Army core, the NPA also included Zhiliclique generals, such as Sun Chuanfang.: 18 The NPA suffered a series of serious...
Zhili Army may refer to: Zhili Army (Fengtian clique) Zhili Army (Zhiliclique) This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Zhili...
the Zhiliclique of warlords, named so because their base of power was centred around Zhili Province. This Zhiliclique defeated the Fengtian clique, headed...
Zhiliclique, that vied for control of northern China during the Warlord Era. Feng Guozhang was born to a real estate family in Hejian, Hebei (Zhili)...
Ch'uan-fang) (April 17, 1885 – November 13, 1935) was a Chinese warlord in the Zhiliclique and protégé of the "Jade Marshal" Wu Peifu. Sun Chuanfang was born in...
Vernon. After the First Zhili–Fengtian War, 20 Vimy Comercial were secretly converted into bombers under the order of the Zhiliclique warlord Cao Kun, and...
Global Information
Republic of China