China's warlords - David Bonavia

The warlord period - from 1912 until roughly the beginning of the Second World War - is one of the most extraordinary and colourful in the whole of Chinese history. Yet most English-language studies of the period have focused on either individual warlords or on warlords as a socio-political phenomenon. This book profiles all the prominent warlords of the period, retelling their most notorious exploits and attempting an analysis of their longevity and motivations. Included here are Yuan Shikai, who shared leadership of the Republic with Sun Yatsen before attempting to establish a new dynasty with himself as emperor; the 'Christian warlord' Feng Yuxiang, who stands out for his recognition of the benefits to morale of more humane treatment of his troops; and a host of others from throughout the country. Illustrated with photographs of each of the primary characters discussed, China's Warlords will bring the period alive both to new readers and experienced scholars of Chinese history.