Wu Peifu
| Wu Peifu; 吳佩孚 | |
|---|---|
Gen. Wu Peifu
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "Jade Marshall" (玉帥) |
| Born |
April 22, 1874 Penglai, Shandong .svg){kind=small}
|
| Died | December 4, 1939 (aged 65) Beijing |
| Allegiance |
.svg){kind=small} Republic of China
|
| Service/branch |
 Beiyang Army, Zhili Clique
|
| Years of service | 1898–1927 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | 3rd Division, Beiyang Army |
| Battles/wars |
Zhili-Anhui War First Zhili-Fengtian War Second Zhili-Fengtian War Northern Expedition (1926–1927) |
Wu Peifu or Wu P'ei-fu (simplified Chinese: 吴佩孚; traditional Chinese: 吳佩孚; pinyin: Wú Pèifú; IPA: [ú pʰèɪ̯fú]; April 22, 1874 – December 4, 1939), was a major figure in the struggles between the warlords who dominated Republican China from 1916 to 1927.
Born in Shandong Province in Eastern China, Wu initially received a traditional Chinese education. He later joined the Baoding Military Academy (保定軍校) in Beijing and embarked on a career as a professional soldier. His talents as an officer were recognized by his superiors, and he rose quickly in the ranks.
Wu joined the "New Army" (新軍) (renamed the Beiyang Army in 1902) created by the modernizing Qing Dynasty general, Yuan Shikai. Following the fall of the Qing in 1911, and after Yuan's rise to President of the Republic of China and his subsequent disastrous attempt to proclaim himself emperor, political power in China quickly devolved into the hands of various regional military authorities, inaugurating the era of warlordism. In 1915, Wu became commander of the 6th Brigade.
After Yuan's death in 1916, his Beiyang Army split into several mutually hostile factions, which battled for supremacy over the following years. The major factions included Duan Qirui's Anhui clique, Zhang Zuolin's Fengtian clique and Feng Guozhang's Zhili clique of which Wu Peifu was a member. Duan Qirui's faction dominated politics in Beijing from 1916-1920 but was forced to maintain an uneasy relationship with Feng Guozhang's faction to maintain stability. The two clashed over the method to deal with the restive south, with Duan pushing for military conquest but Feng preferring negotiation.
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