Sun Yat-sen’s (孫中山) last wish of reunifying China by the Northern Expedition was unfulfilled. At that time, the Fengtian clique (奉系) warlord Zhang Zuolin (張作霖) who dominated Northeast China and parts of north China, and the Zhili clique (直系) warlords Wu Peifu (吳佩孚) and Sun Chuanfang (孫傳芳) occupied central and southeast China respectively. The three major warlords controlled about 800,000 forces.

On 1 July 1925, the Generalissimo Sun Yat-sen’s Mansion was reorganised into the Nationalist Government in Guangzhou (廣州), with Wang Jingwei (汪精衛) as chairman. In August of the same year, the Nationalist Government named the troops under its jurisdiction the National Revolutionary Army (NRA). On 9 July 1926, the NRA took the oath of the Northern Expedition in Guangzhou, with Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) as commander-in-chief.

The NRA was an irresistible force even with only 100,000 soldiers when the Northern Expedition was first launched. While heavily hitting the main force of Wu Peifu in the provinces of Hunan (湖南) and Hubei (湖北) and successfully capturing Changsha (長沙) and Wuhan (武漢), the NRA also defeated Sun Chuanfang’s force in the provinces of Jiangxi (江西) and Fujian (福建). The NRA then marched from Zhejiang Province (浙江) to Nanjing (南京) and Shanghai (上海). By the end of 1926, the Northern Expedition had already won a significant victory.

In January 1927, the Nationalist Government moved from Guangzhou to Wuhan, and took over the British concession in Hankou (漢口). On 23 March 1927, the NRA captured Nanjing, marking the elimination of Wu Peifu’s and Sun Chuanfang’s forces.

On 1 July 1925, the Nationalist Government reorganised from the Generalissimo Sun Yat-sen’s Mansion was established in Guangzhou, with Wang Jingwei as chairman. The New Guangxi clique (新桂系) led by Li Zongren (李宗仁), Bai Chongxi (白崇禧), Huang Shaohong (黃紹竑), and Huang Xuchu (黃旭初) also supported the Nationalist Government in Guangzhou. Before the Northern Expedition, the Nationalist Government in Guangzhou had already controlled Guangdong (廣東) and Guangxi (廣西), which laid a solid foundation for this military campaign.

On 9 July 1926, the NRA took the oath of the Northern Expedition in Guangzhou.

Left: On 9 July 1926, Chiang Kai-shek reviewed the troops as commander-in-chief of the NRA at the oath-taking ceremony for the Northern Expedition. Right: A photo of Chiang during the Northern Expedition.

Although far fewer in number than the warlords’ armies, the well-trained NRA’s revolutionary ideals and high morale overwhelmed the enemy. Left: The NRA marching along the railway. Middle: The infantry of the NRA jumping out from the trenches to attack. Right: The artillery of the NRA in battle.

The Women’s First-Aid Team of the NRA responsible for rescuing wounded soldiers.

The NRA first attacked Wu Peifu’s troops in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (長江). In July 1926, the NRA captured Changsha, the capital of Hunan. In August, it attacked Hubei and defeated Wu in two key battles in the Tingsi Bridge and the Hesheng Bridge respectively. Left: Firearms seized by the NRA in the Tingsi Bridge Battle. Right: Prisoners of war captured by the NRA in the Hesheng Bridge Battle.

After the Tingsi Bridge Battle and the Hesheng Bridge Battle, the NRA set its sight on the “Three Towns of Wuhan”, namely Wuchang (武昌), Hankou, and Hanyang (漢陽). It captured Hanyang and Hankou on 6 and 7 September 1926 respectively. Left: The NRA entering Hanyang. Right: The NRA ready to attack Wuchang.

On 10 October 1926, the 15th anniversary of the Wuchang Uprising of the 1911 Revolution, the NRA captured Wuchang. The picture shows the army-civilian get-together held after the NRA conquered Wuchang. Unlike many warlords’ armies, the NRA was disciplined and never infringed on the people’s interests. Therefore, it won the support of the people. After the NRA acquiring the “Three towns of Wuhan”, Wu Peifu’s forces were basically eliminated. The Nationalist Government moved from Guangzhou to Wuhan in January 1927.

The Nationalist Government in Wuhan took over the British concession in Hankou. On 19 February 1927, the Nationalist Government and Britain signed an agreement, which marked the successful recovery of the British concession in Hankou and greatly enhanced the prestige of the Nationalist Government.

Outside Nanjing, Jiangsu Province (江蘇), photographed sometime between 1926 and 1927. After defeating Wu Peifu, the NRA concentrated forces against Sun Chuanfang who controlled south-east China. The NRA captured Nanjing on 23 March 1927, marking the elimination of Sun Chuanfang’s forces. The Northern Expedition fought with incredible force, igniting the hope that the decade-long chaos since the founding of the Republic of China would end.

Sources of most photos used in this feature piece: Visual China Group (pictures 2, 3, and 8), Fotoe (pictures 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10), and misc. photo sources.