The China History Podcast

In this final installment introducing the life and death of Kawashima Yoshiko, we look at the last decade and a half of her strange and tragic life. In the last episode, her star was on the rise. But after 1933 it's one long slow steady decline into madness and despair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We continue on with Part 2 of the strange life of the Manchu Princess, Kawashima Yoshiko. Now she's on her own, in China, without any "adult supervision" and in full sartorial splendor. The early years of the 1930's are presenting a few opportunities for Yoshiko after making all kinds of new "friends" in Shanghai. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We leave the warlords behind but not the time period. This time, in this first of a three part series, we examine the strange and tragic life of Kawashima Yoshiko. Born a princess in the Manchu Qing royal family, she went on to have quite an extraordinary life. In this Part 1 episode we'll look at her early days and rehash some old Qing Dynasty history from the 17th century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this concluding episode, we close the book on this China Warlord Era overview that began in 1916 and lingered on and on until 1930. By the time it was over Japan was on the cusp of their invasion of Manchuria plunging China into another national crisis. In Part Ten we'll look at Zhang Zongchang's Warlord Rebellion in Northeast Shandong and a special focus on Liu Zhennian, the Red Spears, and the Central Plains War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Northern Expedition ramps up and the Warlord Era starts to wind down, there's still plenty of action and violence to go around. In this episode, we look at the events following the Shanghai Massacre when Chiang and his "ally" Wang Jingwei take the fight to Zhang Zuolin's northern warlord alliance. The Manchurian Warlords meets his end in this episode. We'll finish off the series next time in Part 10. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 8 in this series first presents a brief overview of "The Model Governor" Yan Xishan and his home province of Shanxi. After some daring moves on Chiang Kai-shek's part, he bests his opponents and takes control of the KMT and the National Revolutionary Army. Under his command, Chiang launches the Northern Expedition. This episode will focus on the fateful years of 1926-1927. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Part 7 episode, the decade of battling warlords is coming to an end. Anhui and Zhili, then Zhili and Fengtian...and then Zhili and Fengtian again. The last of these series of clashes between warlords contending for supremacy in China will be the Anti-Fengtian War (covered in this very episode). After 1925 everyone had had enough with these military governors. Was anyone going to step up and take them on and deal with the warlords once and for all? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Things were looking on the up and up for Wu Peifu after his defeat of Zhang Zuolin in the First Zhili-Fengtian War. In this episode, we look at the years 1922-24 and the Second Zhili-Fengtian War. And you can't talk about the Second Zhiuli-Fengtian War without also mentioning the Jiangsu-Zhejiang War. The Christian Warlord Feng Yuxiang is featured in this episode. Besides the old stalwarts, also mentioned in this episode will be Lu Yongxiang, Qi Xieyuan, Sun Chuanfang, and Zhang Zongchang. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 5 Laszlo gives the backstory to the Anhui-Zhili War and introduces another warlord, the famous Zhang Zuolin…The Manchurian Warlord. With this civil war within the Beiyang Organization, the unity that existed since the time of Yuan Shikai is smashed. We'll look at the very brief war between the forces of Duan Qirui and their Zhili opponents led by Wu Peifu as well as the aftermath up to and including the First Zhili-Fengtian War, 1922-1924. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The saga continues with the splintering of the Beiyang Army into factions or cliques who will battle each other for supremacy of the government. Hubei military governor Wang Zhanyuan will be examined as one of the textbook examples of how these generals evolved into warlords. Zhili Clique leaders Cao Kun and Wu Peifu will also be introduced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices