The Gan Army, an army created by the legendary general Dong Fuxiang, has left a deep imprint on China's modern history. Its origins can be traced back to that turbulent era, when the Hunan army was fighting everywhere, and the Gan army, as an important branch of the Hunan army, also came into being.
Under Dong Fuxiang's leadership, the Gan army initially had just over 5,000 men, but the team soon showed extraordinary combat effectiveness. They not only participated in the counterinsurgency war in Xinjiang, but also bravely resisted the enemy in the First Sino-Japanese War and proved their worth with practical actions. It was this series of outstanding performances that made Gan Jun gradually emerge in the imperial court.
Empress Dowager Cixi and others quickly noticed this outstanding army. In their view, the Gan army was not only strong in combat, but more importantly, it could become a counterweight to Yuan Shikai's Beiyang New Army, which was becoming increasingly powerful at that time. As a result, the Gan army received strong support from the imperial court, and its strength expanded rapidly.
Over time, the Gan army grew in size, from more than 5,000 men at the beginning, to a huge army of 25 battalions. This change not only improved the overall strength of the Gan army, but also made its position in the imperial court increasingly stable. Gan's reputation also rose as well, and it became one of the high-profile armies at the time.
As the strength of the Gan army grew, so did its responsibilities. In the end, the Gan army was entrusted with the important task of defending the Jingshi and Zhili, and became an important part of the Wuwei rear army. The promotion of this status is not only an affirmation of Gan's past military exploits, but also an indication of its future responsibilities.
In the process of defending Jingshi and Zhili, the Gan army showed extremely high combat qualities and firm loyalty. They patrolled day and night, defended closely, and ensured the safety of the Jingshi and Zhili. Whether it is in the daily maintenance of public security or in the handling of emergencies, Gan Jun has shown a high level of professionalism and response ability.
The rise of the Gan army not only changed the pattern of the Chinese army at that time, but also laid the groundwork for the later historical development. In the eyes of Cixi and others, the Gan army has become an important chess piece to balance Yuan Shikai's Beiyang New Army. And the Gan army has indeed lived up to expectations, and with its strong combat effectiveness and loyalty, it has become a solid barrier to defend national security. This history not only witnessed the glory of the Gan army, but also reflected the complex and changeable political and military pattern of that era.
The Gan Army, led by General Dong Fuxiang, played a pivotal role in China's modern history. During the special historical period of the Boxer Rebellion, the Gan army showed strong patriotic feelings and firm determination to resist, and fought side by side with the Boxers to fight against foreign enemies.
At that time, the Qing Dynasty was facing the dilemma of internal and external difficulties, and the Boxer Rebellion was in full swing among the people, with the goal of expelling foreigners and restoring China. Dong Fuxiang, a general of the Gan Army, deeply felt the national crisis, and he keenly realized that cooperating with the Boxers and jointly resisting foreign enemies was an important way to save the country from peril. So, he took the initiative to get acquainted with Li Laizhong, the elder brother of the Boxers, and became brothers to jointly plan to resist the enemy.
As the cooperation deepened, the soldiers of the Gan Army joined the ranks of fighting side by side with the Boxers. Dressed in uniform and armed with sharp weapons, they bravely killed the enemy on the battlefield and fought desperately to defend the country and expel foreign enemies. In the battle against the embassy district, the soldiers of the Gan army showed amazing courage and determination. Braving a hail of bullets, they launched a fierce attack on the embassy district, trying to drive the arrogant foreigners out of China.
However, the cruelty and ruthlessness of the war took a huge toll on the Gan soldiers. In the battle of the Eight-Nation Alliance's attack on Beijing, the soldiers of the Gan Army resisted bravely, but due to the huge disparity in strength between the enemy and us, they were ultimately unable to resist the attack of the Eight-Nation Alliance. In this tragic battle, countless soldiers of the Gan Army died on the battlefield and defended the dignity and honor of the country with their blood and lives.
Although the Gan army did not achieve a final victory in the Boxer Rebellion, their heroic resistance and patriotic feelings are forever engraved in the long river of history. The bravery and steadfastness of the soldiers of the Gan Army not only set an example for future generations, but also inspired generation after generation of Chinese to strive for national independence and national prosperity.
In the history of the Gan army, this experience of fighting side by side with the Boxers is undoubtedly the most heroic and touching page. It bears witness to the patriotic feelings and firm beliefs of the soldiers of the Gan Army, and also demonstrates the indomitable and heroic spirit of the Chinese nation.
Under the impact of the Xinhai Revolution, Chinese history entered a new chapter, but in this wave of great changes, the development trajectories of the two major military forces, the Gan Army and the Beiyang Army, were completely different. The Gan Army, an army that was once brave and good at fighting and making repeated achievements, gradually declined after the revolution, while the Beiyang Army, under the careful planning and leadership of Yuan Shikai, rose rapidly and became a powerful force in the Chinese military circles at that time.
After the Xinhai Revolution, the Gan army faced an unprecedented predicament. Due to the attrition of the war and the aggravation of internal contradictions, the strength of the Gan army gradually decreased, and its combat effectiveness also dropped significantly. At the same time, with the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China government, the Gan army lost its original political support and economic resources, and fell into an isolated situation. Under these circumstances, the morale of the officers and men of the Gan army gradually declined, and the cohesion of the army was not as good as before.
On the contrary, the Beiyang Army rose rapidly under the leadership of Yuan Shikai. Yuan Shikai relied on his outstanding political skills and military talents to successfully build the Beiyang Army into a well-equipped and well-trained modern army. By introducing advanced military technology and equipment from the West, he enabled the Beiyang Army to possess a large number of new artillery pieces and advanced weapons and equipment. At the same time, Yuan Shikai also paid attention to the training and discipline building of the army, which greatly improved the combat effectiveness of the Beiyang Army.
Under Yuan Shikai's careful planning, the Beiyang Army expanded rapidly and occupied half of the new army. Not only did they control vast areas in the north, but they also gradually infiltrated the south, trying to expand their sphere of influence throughout the country. In the process, the Beiyang Army, relying on its strong military strength and Yuan Shikai's prestige, successfully defeated a number of anti-Yuan armed and revolutionary armies and consolidated its dominance.
As time passed, the gap between the Gan army and the Beiyang army grew. Due to the lack of financial and resource support, the Gan Army was unable to carry out effective reform and development, and could only watch the Beiyang Army gradually grow. The Beiyang Army, relying on Yuan Shikai's financial resources and strategic planning, continued to grow its strength and became a powerful force in the Chinese military circles at that time. The formation of this pattern not only affected the development of China's military strength, but also had a far-reaching impact on the subsequent historical process.
After the Xinhai Revolution, China's political landscape underwent earth-shaking changes, and warlords rose one after another, among which the Beiyang Army and the Gan Army became two important forces. However, with the passage of time, the Gan army gradually lost its original independence under the strong threat of the Beiyang Army, and some of the generals and soldiers of the Gan army even chose to defect to the Beiyang Army.
The opportunity for this change began with Zhang Guangjian leading the Beiyang Army Mixed Brigade into Gansu. At that time, the political situation in Gansu was complicated, and various forces were intertwined, and the Gan army, as an important local armed force, naturally became the focus of contention between various forces. The mixed brigade of the Beiyang Army led by Zhang Guangjian, with its strong military strength and strict discipline, quickly gained a firm foothold in the Gansu region.
In the face of the strong entry of the Beiyang Army, serious divisions arose within the Gan Army. Some generals believed that cooperating with the Beiyang Army could maintain stability in the Gansu region, and at the same time could win more resources and support for the Gan army. Other generals, on the other hand, insisted on the independence of the Gan army, believing that defecting to the Beiyang Army would lose the honor and dignity of the Gan army.
In this fierce internal struggle, Lu Hongtao, the general of the Gan Army, and others finally chose to defect to the Beiyang Army. They saw the strong strength and advanced weaponry of the Beiyang Army, and believed that only by cooperating with the Beiyang Army could the Gan Army continue to survive. At the same time, they were also attracted by the generous treatment and future development prospects of the Beiyang Army, and decided to give up the independence of the Gan Army and join the ranks of the Beiyang Army.
With the surrender of Lu Hongtao and others, large-scale turmoil began to occur within the Gan army. Some soldiers chose to leave the army because of their loyalty and faith, while others chose to stay within the army, but their mentality has changed dramatically. They began to gradually accept the rule of the Beiyang Army, and trained and fought under the leadership of the Beiyang Army.
Over time, the Gan army gradually lost its original independence. Under the strong control of the Beiyang Army, the establishment, equipment, and training of the Gan Army gradually converged with that of the Beiyang Army. Some of the traditions and characteristics of the Gan army were gradually diluted, and the system and culture of the Beiyang Army began to dominate the Gan army.
This change not only affected the fate of the Gan army, but also profoundly affected the political landscape of the Gansu region and even the whole of China. The decline of the Gan Army and the rise of the Beiyang Army became an important turning point in China's modern history.
In the torrent of history, the rise and fall of the military is often closely linked to the changes of the times. In 1920, as soon as the smoke of the Great War of Zhiwan dissipated, a political storm was ushered in in the northwest region. The source of this storm was the coup d'état carried out by Ma Qi and others, who, with careful planning and bold action, succeeded in driving Zhang Guangjian out of the northwest, and Ma Jiajun became the new de facto ruler of the region.
After the end of the Great War, the whole of China fell into a brief calm, but underneath this calm there was an undercurrent. As an important border area in China, the northwest region has always been the focus of warlord contention. Before this coup, the Gan army, as an important military force in the northwest region, had an influence that could not be ignored. However, with the change of the situation and the rise of Ma Jiajun, the Gan army gradually lost its former glory.
There are many reasons for the coup d'état by Ma Qi and others. First of all, they saw the fatigue and internal contradictions of the Gan army after the Great Battle of Zhiwan, and thought that this was a godsend. Second, they were well aware of the deep roots and extensive influence of the Gan army in the northwest region, and if they wanted to truly control the northwest, they must first control the Gan army. So, they carefully planned a coup d'état, taking advantage of the contradictions and disagreements within the Gan army, and successfully drove Zhang Guangjian out of the northwest.
After the successful coup, Ma Jiajun quickly took over the military and political power in the northwest region. Through a series of military operations and political means, they consolidated their dominance. At the same time, they also began to suppress and exclude the Gan army. In the face of Ma Jiajun's strength, Gan Jun gradually lost its former sharpness and fighting spirit. Many of the generals and soldiers of the Gan army chose to leave the army or defect to other warlord forces. And most of the soldiers who stayed in the Gan army were apprehensive and didn't know what the way forward was.
As Ma's rule in the northwest region gradually consolidated, the influence of the Gan army gradually weakened. The once majestic Gan army can only sigh silently in the corner of history. However, all this is not accidental. The decline of the Gan army is due to both the external causes of the changes in the current situation and the internal causes of its internal contradictions. The rise of Ma Jiajun seized this historical opportunity and successfully achieved its political goals through careful planning and resolute action.