Sichuan clique

The Sichuan clique (simplified Chinese: 川军; traditional Chinese: 川軍; pinyin: Chuān Jūn) was a group of warlords in the warlord era in China. During the period from 1927 to 1938, Sichuan was in the hands of six warlords: Liu Wenhui, Liu Xiang, Yang Sen, Deng Xihou, He Zhaode, and Tian Songyao, with minor forces being Xiong Kewu and Lü Chao.

Introduction

After the Qing dynasty's collapse, not one warlord had enough power to take on all the others at once, so many small battles occurred, pitting one warlord against another. The Sichuan Clique was divided into smaller warlord groups, or Defense Zones, separated from each other with distinct military, political, and economic boundaries. Large conflicts seldom developed, plotting and skirmishing characterized the Sichuanese political scene, and ephemeral coalitions and counter-coalitions emerged and vanished with equal rapidity.

However, Liu Xiang was the most influential of the Sichuan warlords. He controlled Chongqing and its surrounding areas. This region, sitting on the banks of the Yangtze river, was rich because of trade with provinces down river and therefore controlled much of the economic activity in Sichuan. From this position of strength, between 1930 and 1932 General Liu Wenhui and Liu Xiang improved their forces, organizing a small airforce and an armored car force.

In 1935 Liu Xiang ousted his uncle and rival warlord, Liu Wenhui, becoming Chairman of the Government of Sichuan Province with the support of Chiang Kai-shek.