World War II China: Xinhijng


Figure 1.--Xinhijng is far northwestern China. As the Japanese seized Manchuria, the Nationalists, Communists, and Soviets vied for control of Xinhijng. It was one of several examples of Stalin's failure to embrace Mao and the Communists in China. Stalin used a Chinese war lord, Sheng Shicai (盛世才), to control the province, seizing it in the Xinhijng War while the Japanese launched their invasion of central and southern China (1937). Here we see school children somewhere in Xinhijng during World War II (1943). It is notable because you see girls attending school despite the fact that Xinhijng was a heavily Muslim area. Notice the scull caps several of the boys are wearing, that was a common garment worn by Muslim boys in Central Asia. Also notice the Caucasian features of many of the children. This probably means that they belonged to the heavily Muslim Turkic ethni c group. Unlike the Soviet areas of Central Area, these people were still relatively free to practice their religion until the Communist victory in the Civil War (1949). The fact that girls could attend the school probably reflects the Soviet influence..

China is a huge country. World War II histories tend to focus on the south and fighting between the Nationalists and Japanese. Much more was going on and not only Communist controlled Yenan in the north. Yan'an/Yenan in north-central China was near the endpoint of Mao Tse Tung's Long March. Yenan thus became the center of the Chinese Communist Revolution (1936-48). Chinese communists celebrate Yan'an as the birthplace of the Revolution. Yenan was a remote, desolate location in which the Japanese had little interest. It was, however, hardly the remote northwest of the country. The most remote province was Xinhijang. It was beyond the Great Wall, southwest of Mongolia and north of Tibet. The fabled medieval Silk Road wound its way through the province. The Japanese never got near Xinjiang, but the province was contested by The Nationalists, Communists, and Soviets in a diplomatic and political dance that would not play out until after the War. With the Republican Revolution, the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty was overthrown and Yuan Dahua, the last Qing governor, fled (1912). A subordinate, Yang Zengxin (杨增新), took control of the province and nominally acceded in name to the Republic of China. Actually he became one of a number of war lords. Through Byzantine machinations and the careful balancing of the various ethnic populations, Yang ruled Xinjiang until his he was assassinated (1928). Jin Shuren (金树仁) replaced him as the provincial war lord. He soon faced rebellions fomented by some of the ethnic minorities. The most significant was the Kumul Reb ellion, a largely Muslim uprising (early-1930s). This involved Uyghurs, other Turkic groups, and Hui (Muslim) Chinese. Jin drafted White Russians who had fled the Soviets, to crush the revolt. An uprising in the Kashgar or southwestern region proclaimed the East Turkistan Republic (ETR)/Uyghuristan (1933). The Chinese Muslim Kuomintang 36th Division (National Revolutionary Army) was committed to destroy the ETR which it did at the Battle of Kashgar (1934). The Nationalists executed the two ETR Emirs (Abdullah Bughra and Nur Ahmad Jan Bughra). Shortly after the Soviet Union invaded launching the Xinjiang War (1937). This brought warlord Sheng Shicai (盛世才) to power. He ruled Xinjiang for the following decade with support from the Soviet Union. This is one example of Stalin's cooperation with the Nationalists and reluctance to fully embrace Mao and the Chinese Communists. Sheng followed the advice of Soviet advisers in the ethnic and security policies he instituted. The Soviet Union maintained a military base in Xinjiang during this period. Sheng facilitating between Chiang and Mao invited a Chinese Communists delegation to Xinjiang. Mao sent a high level delegation, including his brother Mao Zemin. Although the whole episode is murky, the Communists apparently were fomenting a coup. Sheng alerted by his Soviet-trained security service ordered the Chinese mission arrested and executed, including Mao's brother.

Chinese Provinces

China is a huge country. Every province had its own World War II story. World War II histories tend to focus on the south and fighting between the Nationalists and Japanese. Much more was going on and not only Communist controlled Yenan in the north.

Yenan

Yan'an/Yenan in north-central China was near the endpoint of Mao Tse Tung's Long March. Yenan thus became the center of the Chinese Communist Revolution (1936-48). Chinese communists celebrate Yan'an as the birthplace of the Revolution. Yenan was a remote, desolate location in which the Japanese had little interest. It was, however, hardly the remote northwest of the country.

Location

The most remote province was Xinhijang. It was beyond the Great Wall, southwest of Mongolia and north of Tibet. The fabled medieval Silk Road wound its way through the province.

Contesting Forces

The Japanese never got near Xinjiang, but the province was contested by The Nationalists, Communists, and Soviets in a diplomatic and political dance that would not play out until after the War.

Yang Zengxin (1912-28

With the Republican Revolution, the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty was overthrown and Yuan Dahua, the last Qing governor, fled (1912). A subordinate, Yang Zengxin (杨增新), took control of the province and nominally acceded in name to the Republic of China. Actually he became one of a number of war lords. Through Byzantine machinations and the careful balancing of the various ethnic populations, Yang ruled Xinjiang until his he was assassinated (1928).

Jin Shuren (1928-37)

Jin Shuren (金树仁) replaced him as the provincial war lord. He soon faced rebellions fomented by some of the ethnic minorities. The most significant was the Kumul Reb ellion, a largely Muslim uprising (early-1930s). This involved Uyghurs, other Turkic groups, and Hui (Muslim) Chinese. Jin drafted White Russians who had fled the Soviets, to crush the revolt. An uprising in the Kashgar or southwestern region proclaimed the East Turkistan Republic (ETR)/Uyghuristan (1933). The Chinese Muslim Kuomintang 36th Division (National Revolutionary Army) was committed to destroy the ETR which it did at the Battle of Kashgar (1934). The Nationalists executed the two ETR Emirs (Abdullah Bughra and Nur Ahmad Jan Bughra).

Xinjiang War (1937)

Shortly after the Soviet Union invaded launching the Xinjiang War (1937). This brought warlord Sheng Shicai (盛世才) to power.

Sheng Shicai and the Soviets (1937-49)

Sheng ruled Xinjiang for the following decade with support from the Soviet Union. Sheng followed the advice of Soviet advisers in the ethnic and security policies he instituted. The Soviet Union maintained a military base in Xinjiang during this period. Sheng facilitating between Chiang and Mao invited a Chinese Communists delegation to Xinjiang. Mao sent a high level delegation, including his brother Mao Zemin. Although the whole episode is murky, the Communists apparently were fomenting a coup. Sheng alerted by his Soviet-trained security service ordered the Chinese mission arrested and executed, including Mao's brother.

Mao and Stalin

A reader asks, "Do you know why Stalin did not embrace Mao and the Chinese Communists at the start? Was it because of different views of Communism?" This is of course a good question. This is only one example of Stalin's cooperation with the Nationalists and reluctance to fully embrace Mao and the Chinese Communists. It is difficult to know what was in Stalin's mind. He never left a political tretise like Hitler's Mein Kampf. I would ve careful, however about ascribing ideology to his policies. After all in his right to power he purged so call 'right deviaionists'. And once in power he went after the left. As far as I can tell it was pirely a matter of personal power. The KMT was a revolutionary group which was after WW I focused on ending the European concessions. Thus they were a natural ally of the Soviets and at first Mao and the Communists wre a part of the KMYT. Later even after supressing the Mao's Communists, the KMT were a useful ally against the Japanese, keeping the bulk of the Jpanese Army occupied. As for Mao and the Communists, they were locally grown Communists beyond the cntrol of Moscow. Stalin did not trust Communists he did not control, and only to a degree Communists he did control. Thus an kindedent Communist movement, especially in a large country close to the Soviet Union was a threat to Stalin. In addition, Stalin had terrtoril ambitions in China. Taking territory from the KMT was one hing. taking it from a fraternal Comminit state a more different matter.







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Created: 11:11 AM 3/24/2014
Last updated: 11:12 AM 3/24/2014