Misplaced Pages

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155-579: Established in 1914 on mainland China , the ROCMC is considered the most selective branch within the ROC Armed Forces . The ROC Marines have gained much publicity for the "Road to Heaven" phase of one of their training courses which is the final phase of the 10-week long selection program for their special forces, the Amphibious Reconnaissance and Patrol Unit . The ROC Marine Corps' official motto

310-895: A Marine Corps Command. They participated in fighting the Communists for the Zhoushan Islands of the Zhejiang Province, including at the Battle of Dengbu Island , and the for the Wanshan Archipelago , in the Wanshan Archipelago Campaign . In August 1949, about 1,000 Marines from the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Division defended the Changshan Islands in Shandong Province from 30,000 Communist troops, where they fought to

465-615: A bloodless purge of hardline communists who were opposed to the proposed expedition from the Guangzhou administration and its military, known as the Canton Coup . At the same time, Chiang made conciliatory moves toward the Soviet Union, and attempted to balance the need for Soviet and CCP assistance in the fight against the warlords with his concerns about growing communist influence within the KMT. In

620-583: A communist general strike in Shanghai. Intense fighting took place at Songjiang , just outside the city, but on 22 March, Bai's forces marched into Shanghai victorious. The Fengtian support operation had proven to be a "costly operational disaster" for the northern warlords, whose armies had suffered heavy casualties, forcing them to retreat north across the Yangtze. Meanwhile, the strike continued until 24 March, when Bai ordered its end. The general disorder caused by

775-500: A counterattack against KMT forces to the south, compromising his defensive line, and by noon the next day, his forces were in general retreat toward Wuchang. In this short period of time, Wu lost 8,000 troops. At least 5,000 of these were taken prisoner, along with their rifles, providing a boost to KMT forces. By 2 September, the NRA had nearly surrounded Wuchang. Whilst Wu and most of his army fled north to Henan province, his remaining troops in

930-595: A map of China on a globe, an anchor, and a 12-point KMT White Sun emblem above them. The ROCMC also received American equipment and training from the advisors. The Marine Corps School was established for officer training in 1952. The U.S. and the ROC Marine Corps held a joint amphibious warfare exercise known as "Marine Roar" in September 1958, during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis . The crisis began when

1085-524: A non-aggression pact by the Guangzhou government, he was not willing to subordinate his administration to KMT rule. Consequently, whilst the siege in Wuchang was still ongoing, Chiang Kai-shek launched an attack across the Jiangxi border on 4 September. By 19 September, both Jiujiang and Nanchang had come under KMT control, hastened by the defection of Lai Shih-huang , one of Sun's generals. Despite these successes,

1240-580: A point of contention between Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky in the Soviet Union . Stalin encouraged the CCP to co-operate with the KMT on multiple occasions, as he believed the KMT was more capable of completing the Chinese revolution. Trotsky was against collaboration with the KMT, as he believed that it was opposed to the concept of proletarian revolution . The Comintern backed Stalin's decision to financially support

1395-571: A rapprochement between the two factions, but also sparking the communist Nanchang uprising , which weakened its authority. In the meantime, however, the NPA counter-offensive continued, reaching Bengbu on 9 August, and forcing Chiang to withdraw his troops south of the Yangtze. In return for his co-operation, Wang Jingwei demanded that Chiang resign from his post of commander-in-chief, and relinquish all political titles. Accordingly, Chiang resigned from his post on 12 August, though this did not immediately reunify

1550-614: A rebellion against his former subordinate Liu Zhennian , who had defected to the nationalists during the Northern Expedition. While the rebellion was put down swiftly, it demonstrated the Nanjing government's shaky hold on China's vast territory. As Chiang attempted to cut back the military and centralise the power of the nationalist government in Nanjing, the regional warlords, with their military forces largely intact, began to renounce their allegiance to Chiang and form an alliance against

1705-687: A regiment of the 1st Marine Brigade was deployed to stop Japanese landings along the Yangtze River, before being sent back to Jiangxi in February. In the spring of 1938 both marine brigades were used by the Navy Headquarters to defend the section of the Guangzhou–Hankou railway in the Hunan and Hubei . In 1939 the 1st Marine Brigade were used against bandits in western Hunan, and for the next several years

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1860-586: A result of the civil war. However, because they are not controlled by the PRC, they are not included as part of "mainland China." Hong Kong and Macau have been territories of the PRC since 1997 and 1999 respectively. However, due to the One Country, Two Systems policy, the two regions maintain a degree of autonomy, hence they are not governed as part of mainland China. Geographically speaking, Hong Kong and Macau are both connected to mainland China in certain areas (e.g.

2015-681: A resumption of the expedition in March, Chiang ordered his foreign ministry to negotiate with the Japanese, in order to try to prevent their further intervention in Shandong. By 1 April, Feng's NRA Second Collective Army ( Guominjun ) and Yan's NRA Third Collective Army had started to fight the NPA on the Henan–Shandong border and along the Beijing– Suiyuan railway. The resumption of the Northern Expedition

2170-639: A total of 22,247 personnel. The two divisions were reorganized as the 66th and 99th Marine Brigades. Several units from the former 66th Division were used to organize the Marine Base Guard Brigade, which became the 77th Marine Brigade in 2005. Also in 2005, the Marine Corps Headquarters became the Marine Corps Command. In 2013, the 77th Marine Brigade was disbanded, and some of its units were reorganized as an Air Defense Group. During

2325-626: Is "Forever Loyal" ( pinyin : Yǒngyuǎn zhōngchéng ), the Chinese translation of " Semper Fidelis ". The ROC Marines train with the USMC though these are generally classified, unofficial, or with trainees officially considered by either side as "observers." The main force of the ROC Marine Corps consists of two Marine Brigades assisted by the Amphibious Vehicle Group, along with the Amphibious Reconnaissance and Patrol Unit, with

2480-597: The Guominjun , a breakaway Zhili faction sympathetic to the KMT. Sun Chuanfang, who the KMT had avoided antagonising, did not intervene as KMT troops advanced further into Wu's territory. Whilst the Fengtian clique had offered its support to Wu, he refused their aid, fearing that the northern warlords would undermine his position if he allowed their troops into his territory. At a military conference held in Changsha on 11–12 August,

2635-421: The Amphibious Reconnaissance and Patrol Unit , tasked with collecting intelligence for the senior command through amphibious operations, was established as a recon detachment with each of the two Marine Brigade headquarters, having 20 members per detachment. They received specialized amphibious recon training. In 1955, when the 2nd Marine Brigade was expanded into the 1st Marine Division of the ROCMC, its detachment

2790-755: The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Liberation Army had largely defeated the Kuomintang (KMT)'s National Revolutionary Army in the Chinese Civil War . This forced the Kuomintang to relocate the government and institution of the Republic of China to the relative safety of Taiwan , an island which was placed under its control after the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II in 1945. With

2945-466: The Green Gang , and organize its members to kill all labor union members and Communists within the city. Between 12 and 14   April, hundreds of communists in Shanghai were arrested and killed on the orders of Chiang in a disturbance that came to be called the " Shanghai massacre ". In the south, Nationalist supporters were massacred by the hands of Communists in retaliation; both events effectively ended

3100-590: The Guominjun took Luoyang, forcing Zhang Zongchang to withdraw his forces to Shandong, and Zhang Xueliang to fall back north of the Yellow River . Following Xueliang's retreat, Feng Yuxiang moved east from Luoyang to Zhengzhou . Finally, on 2 June, the NRA captured the vital railway junction of Xuzhou . With both the Longhai and Beijing–Hankou railways under NRA or Guominjun control, Feng came into direct contact with

3255-811: The Northern Expedition began, the Marine Corps in Fujian defected to the KMT National Revolutionary Army forces under He Yingqin , along with other elements of the Beiyang Fleet . In December 1926, the Marine Corps of the NRA was established. The marines fought with the National Revolutionary Army in 1927, and under Admiral Yang Shuzhuang the Corps was expanded to fight against warlords in

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3410-543: The Shanghai–Nanjing railway . Meanwhile, Cheng Qian 's central NRA advanced toward Nanjing through Anhui province, its path opened by the defection of Sun's forces there. The remnants of Sun's forces, supported by the Shandong Army, were forced to withdraw to Shanghai proper in the face of Bai's army. He's forces quickly severed the railway link with Shanghai, while Sun was confronted with the defection of his navy, and

3565-608: The Taishan mountains to attack Jinan from the west via the Qingdao–Jinan railway . This strategy was successful, and by 29 April, the NRA had nearly encircled Jinan. The beleaguered NPA retreated to the north bank of the Yellow River, amidst looting and outbreaks of violence. At this point, there were already 3,000 Japanese troops in Jinan, guarding the 2,000 Japanese civilians in the city. On

3720-530: The Yangtze River in February 1927 to help Sun defend Nanjing and Shanghai. Following their victory in Zhejiang, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the launch of an offensive on those two cities. The Hangzhou-based eastern NRA, led by Bai Chongxi and He Yingqin, launched a two-pronged attack in mid-March. Bai's forces advanced toward Shanghai, whilst He's forces moved toward Changzhou , with the goal of severing Sun's lifeline,

3875-509: The Yellow River . With the assistance of allied warlords, including Yan Xishan and Feng Yuxiang , nationalist forces secured a series of decisive victories against the Beiyang Army . As they approached Beijing , Zhang Zuolin , leader of the Manchuria -based Fengtian clique , was forced to flee, and was assassinated shortly thereafter by the Japanese. His son, Zhang Xueliang , took over as

4030-538: The inland but still translated mainland in English, is commonly applied by SAR governments to represent non-SAR areas of PRC, including Hainan province and coastal regions of mainland China, such as "Constitutional and Mainland Affairs" ( 政制及內地事務局 ) and Immigration Departments. In the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (as well as the Mainland and Macau Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement )

4185-539: The " Jinan incident ". What began as a minor armed altercation escalated on 8 May into a full-scale Japanese attack on the city. During the course of the incident, the Japanese killed KMT foreign affairs commissioner Cai Gongshi , several diplomats, and about five thousand Chinese civilians. In May 1928, 11 or 7 Japanese were shot to death by a Chinese man in Kobe, Japan in revenge for the Jinan incident and then he committed suicide. Deciding to avoid further confrontation with

4340-519: The "Marine Roar" annual training exercise between the ROCMC and the USMC was revived. It took place from 1958 until being suspended in 1979, when the U.S. ended its diplomatic relations with the ROC. Since 2017 the assistance that Taiwan's armed forces have been getting from the U.S. has increased. In 2020 the annual month long training exercise held by the ROC Marine Corps with members of the U.S. Marine Raider Regiment

4495-429: The "National Pacification Army" (NPA) on 1 December. Zhang Zuolin took the position of commander-in-chief, with Zhang Zongchang and Sun Chuanfang as deputy commanders. This alliance was hugely unpopular with locals in the regions under Sun's control, with Zhang Zhongchang's northern troops viewed as invaders. The Zhejiang autonomy movement continued, and a meeting of influential provincial figures, nominally loyal to Sun,

4650-493: The 21st century the ROCMC remains a heavily mechanized force that is not very mobile, like the United States Marine Corps of the late 1970s, before the USMC placed more emphasis on maneuver warfare and started using the marine air–ground task force . The ROCMC does not have its own aviation. Despite this, the Marine Corps is capable of reinforcing offshore islands and serving in the role of power projection. In 2017,

4805-533: The 66th Marine Division's recon company was combined with the 105th Battalion to form the Amphibious Reconnaissance and Patrol Unit. In 2001 the 99th Marine Division's recon company joined the unit as well. In 2005 the ROC Navy's Underwater Demolition Team (equivalent of the U.S. Navy SEALs ) was combined with the ARP. In 1997 the government decided to downsize the military, including the Marine Corps. As of January 1998, around

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4960-733: The 77th Marine Division, was created from a former training base in 1979. The 77th Division was short lived, being disbanded in 1984. In 1986, the Marine Corps School was merged with the Marine Corps NCO School. During the Vietnam War , in 1966 the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam , considered deploying an ROC Marine brigade to assist the South Vietnamese forces, but this was not implemented for political reasons. The ROC later deployed other troops to Vietnam. In 1950,

5115-526: The Beiyang government and the Fengtian clique , was in control of Manchuria , Shandong , and Zhili . To face the Northern Expedition, Zhang Zuolin eventually assembled the " National Pacification Army " ( Chinese : 安國軍 ; pinyin : Ānguójūn ; Wade–Giles : Ankuochün ; NPA), an alliance of the warlords of northern China. Amidst heavy fighting along the border between KMT-held territory and that of

5270-477: The CCP managed to hold together, laying the groundwork for the Northern Expedition. In 1926, there were three major coalitions of warlords across China that were hostile to the KMT government in Guangzhou. The forces of Wu Peifu occupied northern Hunan , Hubei , and Henan provinces. The coalition of Sun Chuanfang was in control of Fujian , Zhejiang , Jiangsu , Anhui , and Jiangxi provinces. The most powerful coalition, led by Zhang Zuolin , then head of

5425-503: The CCP. Concerns about the rising power of the leftist faction, and the effect of the strike on the Guangzhou government's ability to raise funds, which was largely dependent on foreign trade, led to increasing tensions within the United Front. Amidst this backdrop, Chiang, who had been vying for the position of KMT leader, began to consolidate power in preparation for an expedition against the northern warlords. On 20 March 1926, he launched

5580-677: The CPG also uses the Chinese characters 内地 "inner land", with the note that they refer to the "customs territory of China". References to the PRC and other lost continental territories as the mainland began appearing in Taiwan state documents as early as 1954. Legal definitions followed in the 1990s. The 1991 Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China stated that "the handling of people's rights and obligations and other affairs between

5735-420: The Fujian coast. The new Nationalist government reduced the size of the ROC Marine Corps in 1928 to save costs, with the independent regiments being combined into the two existing brigades. As of 1931, the two Marine brigades together had a total of over 14,412 personnel. Each brigade had two infantry regiments of three battalions each, and one artillery battalion. Around this time a Marine Corps General Command

5890-587: The Fujian province, by incorporating the 11th Mixed Brigade of the former Beiyang forces. In August two Marine Mixed Brigades and four independent regiments were created. A Marine unit was deployed for the campaign against the Zhili clique warlord Sun Chuanfang in the Yangtze River valley, while other units were continuing operations in Fujian. By 1928, the Marine Corps absorbed additional units and had more than doubled in size, consisting of two mixed brigades and six regiments, which were stationed at different locations along

6045-629: The Guangxi clique controlled Hubei, Hunan, and Guangxi. Feng Yuxiang's Guominjun continued to control Shaanxi, Henan, and parts of Shantung and Zhili, while Yan Xishan controlled Shanxi, Beijing, and the area around Tianjin. Zhang Xueliang continued to control Manchuria as a quasi-independent state, and local warlords in Sichuan , Yunnan , and Guizhou remained as they were before the Northern Expedition. Defeated warlord Zhang Zongchang would return to his former territory of Shandong in 1929, where he launched

6200-527: The Japanese massacre at Jinan, responded that he would "not recognize Japan's interest in Manchuria", compromising his position. With his troops demoralised, the momentum of the NPA counter-offensive fizzled out by 25 May, and the Third Army was able to capture Zhangjiakou on that day, and Nankou Pass on the next. With pressure growing on his vital railway links, Zhang gradually began to withdraw his troops from

6355-476: The Japanese, the NRA First Army continued its march north by going around Jinan to capture Dezhou on 13 May, while the NRA Second Army moved north along the Beijing–Hankou railway. Meanwhile, Yan Xishan's NRA Third Army proceeded toward Beijing from its base in Shanxi. The Second and Third armies met at Baoding on the North China Plain . While the Second Army besieged that city, the Third Army went north toward Zhangjiakou , gateway to Beijing. On 17 May, however,

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6510-532: The KMT and the Soviet government in Moscow, had spent years cultivating this alliance, while covertly encouraging CCP expansion. This Soviet-backed leftist wing of the KMT came to dominate the nationalist government in Wuhan, which increasingly directed its ire at NRA commander-in-chief Chiang Kai-shek. On 1 April, the Wuhan government, advised by Borodin, issued edicts stripping Chiang of his authority in foreign affairs, financial matters, and communications, and ordered that he leave his command post in Shanghai and go to

6665-473: The KMT decided to launch a direct assault on Wu's stronghold of Wuchang , bypassing Sun's Nanchang . In this manner, they would follow the route taken by the Taiping Rebellion in the 19th century. In an address to his generals at the same conference, Chiang proclaimed: "The importance of this fight is not only in that it will decide the fate of the warlords. But, whether or not the Chinese nation and race can restore their freedom and independence hangs in

6820-411: The KMT membership, their exercise in practice was far from assured. The new peacetime Nanjing government was launched on 10 October 1928, the seventeenth anniversary of the start of the Xinhai Revolution , with Chiang at its head. The country, however, remained de facto divided into five realms controlled by military leaders. The Nanjing faction controlled the area around Nanjing and Shanghai, while

6975-410: The KMT. This struggle for supremacy broke into armed conflict in the Central Plains War of 1929–30. Although Chiang was ultimately victorious in that war, which ensured his status as the singular leader of all China, regionalism and warlordism would continue, weakening the country and laying the groundwork for the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War . The Northern Expedition became

7130-422: The Marine Corps School. The rank insignia of commissioned officers . The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel . Mainland China " Mainland China ", also referred to as " the Chinese mainland ", is a geopolitical term defined as the territory under direct administration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War . In addition to

7285-402: The Marine Corps was under the direct command of the Navy Ministry in Beijing. During the early Republic, the marines provided security at naval bases, and suffered from the same lack of pay and resources as the rest of the Navy because of the political division and warlordism . In 1922, a marine battalion was involved in operations against bandits in Fujian. In January 1923, a Marine Corps Command

7440-443: The Marine Corps, it is considered that the title of Marine is held for life. Like other branches of Taiwan's Armed Forces, it includes conscripts performing the mandatory national service (which was extended from four months to twelve starting in 2024), though the Marine Corps receives less conscripts than any other branch. Basic training for enlisted marines is eight weeks. Marine officers and non-commissioned officers have to attend

7595-500: The NRA First Collective Army on 11 June. Zhang Xueliang succeeded Zhang Zuolin as leader of the Fengtian clique, and decided to end the war and to co-operate with the nationalists. The Shandong–Zhili Army led by Zhang Zongchang and Chu Yupu refused to surrender, and despite the defeats it had suffered still numbered about 60,000–70,000 soldiers, as well as at least three armoured trains manned by White Russian mercenaries under General Konstantin Nechaev . As Zhang Xueliang had sided with

7750-415: The NRA First and Second armies, managing to push the First back to the Longhai railway . His attack against the Second Army failed, and by the 21st, the combined NRA had forced him to withdraw from Jining to the provincial capital Jinan . According to an American account of Sun's retreat, the "great majority of the troops in this retreat literally walked the soles off their shoes, and this, combined with

7905-399: The NRA First and Sixth armies crossed the Yangtze into Anhui, and on 16 May, Li Zongren, based in western Anhui, led the Seventh Army toward Hefei. Concurrently, the Wuhan government launched its own campaign in Henan province led by Tang Shengzhi , who was appointed to serve as the Wuhan army's commander-in-chief. Aided by the defection of remnants of Wu Peifu's forces, Tang advanced to fight

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8060-399: The NRA had bolstered its ranks to 700,000. Sun Chuanfang retreated to Nanjing in the aftermath of these setbacks. The Fengtian clique responded to Sun's plea for help by reinforcing Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, while increasing the number of troops in Henan in support of Wu Peifu. Two major Fengtian formations, the Shandong Army of Zhang Zongchang and the Zhili Army of Chu Yupu , crossed

8215-441: The NRA offensive was forced into retreat as Sun arrived from Nanjing with reinforcements on 21 September. Sun retook most of the territory he had lost, brutally reasserting his authority by killing hundreds of students, teachers, and suspected members of the KMT, whose severed heads he displayed on spikes in public places. With the Northern Expedition's advance halted, Chiang wired the government in Guangzhou, demanding an end to

8370-399: The NRA on 1 January 1928. With the frigid winter of northern China prohibiting any further advance, Chiang used the months following his reappointment to consolidate his control and restore the integrity of the Nanjing administration. On 18 February, Chiang was granted the title "Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expeditionary Forces", whilst He Yingqin was made NRA chief-of-staff. The NRA

8525-505: The NRA position in Nanjing was clear: at ceremonies held to commemorate the city's elevation to capital of China, warlord Zhang Zongchang's artillery bombarded the city's waterfront from across the Yangtze. With the Nanjing–Shanghai area under constant threat of attack from the NPA, a series of independent offensives was launched by NRA and NRA-aligned forces in May 1927. Feng Yuxiang and his Guominjun moved first, leaving their base in Shaanxi to march on Luoyang , in Henan. On 10 May,

8680-422: The NRA, and so in October, it moved to quash his rebellion. Tang was defeated in early November, and left for exile in Japan shortly afterwards. With Tang dealt with, the push north resumed, reaching Bengbu by 9 November. Continuing their advance, the NRA and Feng Yuxiang's Guominjun moved toward Xuzhou . The NPA attempted a counter-offensive on 12 December, led by armoured trains , but was quickly forced back by

8835-421: The Nanjing government, adding 100,000 troops to NRA ranks and increasing the pressure on Zhang Zuolin. In the subsequent fighting, neither the Shanxi nor Fengtian forces managed to gain the upper hand. Yan's troops successfully withstood a massive siege at Zhuozhou , but went on to suffer a heavy defeat at Baoding on 15 October. The threat from Tang's forces, however, prejudiced any further northward advance by

8990-489: The Nanjing government. Aware of this threat, Chiang recalled troops from the Shandong border in an effort to block Tang. In turn, the NPA launched an attack on Chiang in early July, reclaiming much of the territory they had lost. By 24 July, the NPA had retaken Xuzhou. In the face of mounting losses inflicted by the warlords, the Wuhan and Nanjing factions began reconciliation talks. The Wuhan government purged communists from its ranks and expelled Soviet advisors, facilitating

9145-403: The North China Plain on 30 May. In the face of the NRA onslaught, and under pressure from the Japanese, Zhang decided to evacuate to Manchuria by train, leaving with his staff on 3 June. Early the next morning, a bomb planted by the Japanese Kwantung Army exploded under the train, killing Zhang in the so-called " Huanggutun incident ". His remaining forces, even further demoralised, crumpled under

9300-411: The PRC referring to itself as the "mainland side" dealing with the "Taiwan side"). In fact, the PRC government mandates that journalists use “Taiwan” and “the Mainland” (Dàlù) as corresponding concepts. But in terms of Hong Kong and Macau, the PRC government refers to itself as "the Central People's Government". In the People's Republic of China, the term 内地 (Nèidì, 'inland') is often contrasted with

9455-456: The People's Republic of China. The Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China ( Chinese : 中华人民共和国出境入境管理法 ) defines two terms in Chinese that are translated to "mainland": In the PRC, usage of the two terms is not strictly interchangeable. To emphasise the One-China policy and not give the ROC "equal footing" in cross-strait relations , the term must be used in PRC's official contexts with reference to Taiwan (with

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9610-404: The Qing court that a naval land force be created to defend naval facilities and capture strategic locations. An effort was made to create a Naval Guard Corps at a base in Shandong , but it was still in the early stages of development when the 1911 Revolution broke out. With the establishment of the Republic of China , the Naval Guard Corps was under the control of the Beiyang government . During

9765-408: The ROC Navy would benefit from having marines. He chose soldiers and officers from the Republic of China Army to become the members of the Marine Corps, and it was expanded over then next several years by additional volunteers from the Army. September 16, 1947, is considered to be the founding date of the current ROC Marine Corps. The initial force of marines, a battalion commanded by Yang Houcai ,

9920-410: The ROC-controlled Kinmen Islands off the coast of Fujian Province were attacked by Communist artillery fire from August 23, 1958. The ROC Marine Corps' LVT units were used to deliver supplies to the population of the islands, starting on September 10. Over the course of three months, the marines continued bringing supplies to the Kinmen Islands under Chinese Communist artillery fire, and helped prevent

10075-403: The Regulations on People Relations between Taiwan and mainland China defined the mainland as areas claimed but not controlled by the ROC, corresponding to "areas under control of the Chinese Communists " (within the de facto borders of the People's Republic of China ). Views of the term "mainland China" ( 中國大陸 ) vary on Taiwan. During the Dangguo era , the KMT had previously referred to

10230-440: The Revolution, several Chinese naval cadets studying Japan returned to participate in the fighting, and became part of a small "Marine Corps" organized by the revolutionary governor of Shanghai, Chen Qimei . It had several hundred members and fought against Qing forces before being disbanded when the emperor abdicated. During the presidency of Yuan Shikai , the original Naval Guard Corps was redeployed from Shandong to Shanghai and

10385-401: The Russian prisoners by piercing their noses with rope and marching them in public through the streets in Shandong in 1928, described as "stout rope pierced through their noses". Zhang Xueliang officially declared his allegiance to the nationalist government in Nanjing on 29   December 1928, marking the formal end of the Northern Expedition, and the reunification of China . Following

10540-402: The U.S. LVTP-5 , which date back to the Korean War. Because this model is no longer produced, there have been problems with maintenance and obtaining spare parts. In the 1990s, the Marine Corps began the process of acquiring more modern AAV7 vehicles from the United States, receiving the first ones in 2006. The ROC Marine Corps has developed a strong ethos and a high level of professionalism. In

10695-520: The U.S. Marine Corps. In 2023, the 99th Marine Brigade was part of the "Evergreen" military drill with the 269th Mechanized Brigade of the Republic of China Army (ROCA), supervised by the 10th Army Corps , to simulate an invading force while the Army troops were on the defensive. The International Institute of Strategic Studies reported the ROC Marine Corps has 100 main battle tanks (M60A3) and over 200 amphibious assault vehicles of different types, as of 2023. Its inventory of amphibious vehicles includes

10850-443: The U.S. decided to provide assistance to the Chinese military on Taiwan, signing a mutual assistance agreement. The entire ROC Armed Forces, including the Marines, were heavily influenced by the U.S. military in the 1950s. The value of having a force that specialized in amphibious warfare became more obvious once the Nationalist Chinese government was on Taiwan. The task of the ROC Marine Corps would be to launch an amphibious invasion of

11005-405: The United States under the Mutual Security Act . The American advisory mission was later expanded, and they helped the Chinese Nationalists restructure the ROCMC, consisting of several brigades that were similar to a regimental combat team . The Corps took on a structure that was similar to a U.S. Marine division with additional support units. Around this time the service adopted its insignia with

11160-547: The Wuhan and Nanjing factional governments, who both sought his aid. He met with Wang Jingwei and Tang Shengzhi at Zhengzhou on 10–11 June, then travelled to Xuzhou to meet with Chiang Kai-shek on 19 June. On the next day, Feng announced that he would align with the Nanjing faction and purge communists from the areas under his control, crippling the Wuhan government's plan to push north, upon which Tang returned to Wuhan with his troops. Whilst Chiang intended to push into Shandong, he

11315-412: The Wuhan and Nanjing factions. As the two sides attempted to reconcile their political differences, Sun Chuanfang's forces continued to bombard Nanjing from across the Yangtze. Sensing the NRA's continual disarray, Sun moved to try and recapture Shanghai, contrary to the wishes of NPA leader Zhang Zuolin. On 25 August, NPA landing parties were dispatched to cross the Yangtze at Longtan, near Nanjing. In

11470-415: The Wuhan government was dissolved, with a new joint government established in Nanjing, under the leadership of Guangxi clique generals. Wang Jingwei refused to join the new government, as did Tang Shengzi, who became an independent warlord in his own right, controlling Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, and parts of Anhui. On the other hand, Shanxi warlord Yan Xishan, theretofore independent, aligned his province with

11625-438: The Zhejiang border, with the NPA protecting his rear, and charged into Zhejiang, retaking most of the province. By 10 January, the majority of the Zhejiang rebel forces had retreated to Quzhou . To relieve the besieged rebels, He Yingqin pushed his Fujian-based forces into Zhejiang, halting Sun's advance. The rebel and KMT forces merged under the command of Bai Chongxi , who launched a counteroffensive on 20 January. By 29 January,

11780-478: The administration of President Ma Ying-jeou , the Corps was reduced from 16,000 to 9,000 marines, and in 2014 there was a proposal to disband it altogether. Over the decades, the mission of the ROCMC changed from leading an invasion of the Mainland to defending Taiwan and its offshore islands, especially by disrupting PRC amphibious operations. Because of Taiwan's lack of relations with foreign militaries since 1979, in

11935-479: The aftermath of the coup, Chiang negotiated a compromise whereby hardline members of the rightist faction, such as Wu Tiecheng , were removed from their posts in compensation for the purged leftists. By doing so, Chiang was able to prove his usefulness to the CCP and their Soviet sponsor, Joseph Stalin . Soviet aid to the KMT government would continue, as would co-operation with the CCP. A fragile coalition between KMT rightists, centrists led by Chiang, KMT leftists, and

12090-479: The aim of seeking aid from the powerful Fengtian clique. Shandong warlord Zhang Zongchang and Manchurian warlord Zhang Zuolin offered assistance, agreeing that it was necessary to contain the NRA, though they demanded payment in return for their help. As the NRA offensive carved its way through Fujian, 60,000 troops from Shandong arrived in Sun-controlled Anhui province on 24 November. These were organised into

12245-462: The allegiances of Wang Jingwei, who had been based in Guangzhou after the end of the Wuhan government. Wang left for exile in France on 17 December, paving the way for Chiang's return as commander-in-chief. With the military success of Chiang's Whampoa troops, the various KMT factions agreed to recognise the legitimacy of Chiang's leadership. Consequently, Chiang was officially invited to resume command of

12400-511: The alliance between the nationalists and the Communists and the First United Front. Though, the ensuing White Terror devastated the Communists, and only 10,000 out of 60,000 party members survived. The purge was condemned by Wang Jingwei, now leader of the Wuhan government, formalising the split between the KMT leftists based in Wuhan and the KMT rightists, who subsequently established their own government in Nanjing. The precariousness of

12555-404: The area, Meng Chao-yueh , decided on 17 February to abandon Hangzhou and flee with his 20,000 troops by train to Jiangsu province. By 23 February, Zhejiang was under complete KMT control. In six months, the nationalists had expanded their control to seven provinces, inhabited by a population of about 170 million people. Aided by the defection of numerous warlords and their armies, by this point,

12710-473: The balance. In other words, it is a struggle between the nation and the warlords, between the revolution and the anti-revolutionaries, between the Three People's Principles and imperialism. All are to be decided now in this time of battle … so as to restore independence and freedom to our Chinese race". With the capture of the Yangtze port of Yuezhou on 22 August, Hunan came under complete KMT control, paving

12865-445: The capture of Beijing, Chiang and his administration moved quickly to reorganise the government for peacetime. In July, he and the leaders of the four collective armies met at Beijing to discuss the demobilisation and disarmament of the roughly 2.2 million troops that had come to be part of the NRA. Chiang desired to reduce the size of the army by half, so as to free up government monies for domestic development. The lack of unity in

13020-455: The central government, in an effort to curtail the provincialist tendencies of the warlord era. Minister of Finance T. V. Soong called for all revenues to be centralised in the national treasury. In the end, though, it was recognised that real centralisation could only occur if the various commanders, the former warlords, relinquished their financial and military power to the national government. While these principles were nominally agreed to by

13175-612: The city had fallen by then, so the regiment stayed in Jinhua and Quzhou to defend those cities together with the Army. The 1st Marine Brigade was sent to Jiangxi province. In January 1938, the Military Commission ordered a reduction in the size of the Navy, including the Marine Corps, because of the war with Japan. The total number of marines is estimated to have been around 7,000. Later that month

13330-520: The city undefended. Cheng arrived the next day, entering the city with no resistance. Almost immediately after arrival of the NRA, mass anti-foreigner riots broke out in the city, in an event that came to be known as the Nanjing Incident . British and American naval forces were sent to evacuate their respective citizens, resulting in a naval bombardment that left the city burning and at least forty people dead. He's forces arrived on 25 March, and on

13485-457: The civil governor of Zhejiang province, Xia Chao , one of Sun's subordinates, defected to the KMT government in Guangzhou. Zhejiang inhabitants had become increasingly dissatisfied with the rule of Sun, who was foreign to the province, and on 16 October, Xia declared its independence. Chiang Kai-shek, a native of Zhejiang, was able to convince Xia to side with the KMT. Following his defection, Xia launched an attack on Sun-controlled Shanghai, but

13640-658: The coastline. During the war the Navy was used to support land operations, and it lost much of its personnel, which were made up for by transferring marines to the Navy. After the Marco Polo Bridge incident in July 1937 that started the Second Sino-Japanese War , Japanese troops landed in Zhejiang province in September. The ROC 3rd Marine Regiment from the 2nd Marine Brigade was deployed to Zhejiang to defend Hangzhou , but

13795-413: The combined NRA and Guominjun forces, which took Xuzhou on 16 December. The NPA retreated once more to Shandong. Meanwhile, in Guangzhou, a communist uprising broke out on 11 December. The violent rebellion was quickly put down, and on 13 December, Chiang Kai-shek called for the ending of all remaining relations with the Soviet Union. The Nanjing government agreed, and also aired its suspicions over

13950-460: The culmination of tensions within the First United Front. The nationalist government had moved from Guangzhou to the new city of Wuhan , which was formed from a merger of Wuchang and two other nearby cities. The Wuhan administration gradually drifted away from Chiang, becoming a centre of leftist, Soviet-backed power within the KMT and constraining his authority. Communist-led trade unions staged near-constant demonstrations in Wuhan itself, and across

14105-425: The deal, and boarded a ship for Wuhan on 7 April. He arrived on the 10th, where he was eagerly greeted by the Wuhan leadership. Having heard from Wang about Chiang's offer, the government decided to turn its limited forces toward Beijing instead. Chiang, on the other hand, was already preparing for a purge of communists in Shanghai. Chiang was able to utilize his connections with a secret society of Shanghai known as

14260-576: The death. Marines also saw action in Mawei, Fujian, and elsewhere. In 1950, elements of the 2nd Marine Brigade helped in the evacuation of Hainan . After the Nationalist Chinese retreat from the mainland to Taiwan in 1949, the expanded ROC Marine Corps was downsized by the government, from 18,563 to 13,713 personnel. The two Marine divisions were reformed into brigades. When the Korean War broke out,

14415-537: The democratisation of Taiwan in the 1990s and the rise of the Taiwanese independence movement, some people began simply using the term "China" instead. Due to their status as colonies of foreign states during the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the phrase "mainland China" excludes Hong Kong and Macau . Since the return of Hong Kong and Macau to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 and 1999 , respectively,

14570-574: The early morning of 26 August, thousands of Sun's troops crossed the river, rallying at the Longtan station of the Shanghai–Nanjing railway. Li Zongren's NRA Seventh Army managed to drive the NPA away from the railway briefly, but thousands more of Sun's troops, including White Russian mercenary units, crossed the river the next day and retook the station, cutting off contact between Nanjing and Shanghai. The reeling NRA sent missives to all factions within

14725-445: The end of October, Sun's forces were again in retreat across Jiangxi and Fujian. In early November, KMT troops moved to capture the Yangtze ports of Jiujiang and Hukou , and by 9 November, retook control of Nanchang. Sun's forces abandoned substantial materiel as they retreated, bolstering the poorly-armed NRA, which suffered 20,000 casualties in the final push on Nanchang alone. Concurrently, Sun himself had left for Tianjin with

14880-487: The establishment of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949, the CCP-controlled government saw itself as the sole legitimate government of China, competing with the claims of the Republic of China, whose authority is now limited to Taiwan and other islands . This resulted in a situation in which two co-existing governments competed for international legitimacy and recognition as the "government of China". With

15035-510: The forces of Zhang Zuolin launched a 200,000-man counter-offensive, forcing the First Army back and the Second Army 48 kilometres (30 mi) south of Baoding. As fighting grew closer to Beijing, the Japanese sent a communique to both the NRA and Zhang, warning that any fighting in Manchuria would result in a Japanese intervention in that region. Zhang, weary of KMT propaganda that linked him with

15190-474: The forces of the "Young Marshal" Zhang Xueliang , Zhang Zuolin's son and political heir, pushing them back to a river at Yancheng . By 20 May, Li had captured Bengbu, whilst Chiang unleashed a four-pronged attack through Jiangsu, toward the warlord power base in Shandong. He Yingqin led the NRA First Army across the Yangtze at Zhenjiang , and moved to capture Haizhou . On 28 May, Li took Suzhou , while

15345-575: The free area and the mainland can be specially stipulated by law", and used the legal term "mainland area" without defining its geographical boundaries. The 1992 Regulations on the Relations between the People in Taiwan and the Mainland defined "Taiwan" as areas controlled by the ROC and "mainland" as "the territory of the Republic of China." The related Cross-Strait Act called those under PRC jurisdiction - excluding those in Hong Kong and Macau - as "people of

15500-490: The front. These orders had no effect, as Wuhan had almost no military authority. The government intended to send a small force to Nanjing with the aim of "disarming" Chiang, but put that plan on hold following Wang Jingwei 's return from exile in Europe. Wang, who had travelled back to China at the urging of members of the government, was greeted in Shanghai by Chiang, who offered a power-sharing deal. Wang said that he would consider

15655-423: The geographical mainland, the geopolitical sense of the term includes islands such as Hainan , Chongming , and Zhoushan . By convention, territories outside of mainland China include: In Taiwan it is also often used to refer to all territories administered by the PRC. The term is widely used in all of the above territories as well as internationally, including by many Overseas Chinese communities. In 1949,

15810-461: The goal of reunifying China. This preparation involved improving both the political and military strength of the KMT. Before his death in March 1925, Sun Yat-sen , the founder of the Republic of China and co-founder of the KMT, was supportive of Sino-Soviet co-operation , which had involved forming the First United Front with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The military arm of the KMT

15965-687: The latter being comparable to the USMC Force Reconnaissance . There used to be three brigades, but one was disbanded in 2013. In 1909, the government of the Qing dynasty sent the Minister of the Navy, Zaixun , to study Western navies. Based on his findings in Britain, and noting the lack of coordination between China's ground and naval forces during the First Sino-Japanese War , he recommended to

16120-610: The leader of the Fengtian clique, and in December 1928, announced that Manchuria would accept the authority of the nationalist government in Nanjing. With the final piece of China under KMT control, the Northern Expedition concluded successfully and China was reunified, heralding the start of the Nanjing decade . In the 1920s, the Beiyang government based in Beijing was internationally recognised as

16275-551: The legitimate Chinese government. Much of the country, however, was not under its control, being ruled by a patchwork of warlords . The Kuomintang (KMT), based in Guangzhou (Canton), aspired to be the party of national liberation. Since the conclusion of the Constitutional Protection Movement in 1922, the KMT had been bolstering its ranks to prepare for an expedition against the northern warlords in Beijing, with

16430-671: The mainland and establish a bridgehead that would be used by the ROC Army. Now being given an important role, the Marines were expanded and trained to be an elite force with help from the United States. In 1951, USMC Major Robert B. Carney Jr. became the American advisor to the Commandant of the ROCMC, General Zhou Yuhuan  [ zh ] , as part of the military assistance to Taiwan (ROC) from

16585-684: The mainland area", and used " free area of the Republic of China " to describe areas under ROC control. The issue on the mainland's territory also stated in the Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 328 in 1993. In 2012, the Supreme Court of the Republic of China 's judgment #900 labeled the Macao Special Administrative Region as the "Mainland's Macau Area". The 2002 amendments to the Implementation Rules of

16740-447: The marines were used often for maintaining order in the border region of Hunan, Guizhou , and Sichuan . The 4th Marine Regiment was the only marine unit to remain in Fujian. At the end of the war, the Chinese government decided to disband the Marine Corps. Admiral Chen Shaokuan , the head of the Navy, tried to prevent it and delayed implementing the order, arguing that the marines were needed to defend certain naval bases. But eventually

16895-429: The motto of the Marine Corps. Up until that point, the Marines had used Army and Navy uniforms. In 1966 the 2nd Marine Division was created by combining the remaining Marine brigade with an Army division. After this, the ROCMC had 37,543 personnel. In 1975 the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions were briefly re-designated the 36th and 54th, respectively, and then they became 66th and 99th Marine Divisions in 1976. Another division,

17050-763: The nationalists, Zhang Zongchang declared war on the Fengtian clique. Supported by Japan, the Shandong–Zhili Army moved from its base at Tangshan on 2 August, crossed the Luan River , and invaded Manchuria. After six days of fighting, however, the defiant warlord army was trapped by KMT and Zhang Xueliang-aligned forces; many of Zhang Zongchang's troops (including the White Russian mercenaries) defected or deserted, and those who refused to surrender were killed. Chinese Nationalist forces captured an armoured train of Russian mercenaries serving Zhang Zongchang and brutalized

17205-403: The new administration quickly became apparent, and on 14 July, Feng Yuxiang left Beijing. A general meeting of the KMT was held in Nanjing from 8–14 August. At this meeting, also attended by non-KMT members Feng and Yan Xishan, the primary topic of discussion was that of centralisation. Chiang desired to take the power that had been executed through various provincial entities and concentrate it in

17360-571: The next day, Cheng and He were finally able to put an end to the violence. Chiang Kai-shek's faction accused Lin Boqu of planning the unrest, viewing it as an attempt to turn international opinion against the KMT. Lin, a member of both the CCP and the KMT, had been serving as political commissar of the Sixth Army, part of Cheng Qian's forces. Whoever was responsible, the Nanjing Incident represented

17515-413: The next day, NRA troops entered Jinan. Chiang Kai-shek arrived on 2 May, and attempted to negotiate a Japanese withdrawal from Jinan, issuing safety guarantees for Japanese civilians to local Kwantung Army commander Hikosuke Fukuda . Fukuda agreed, and his troops prepared to leave that night. Early the next morning, conflict broke out between the Chinese and Japanese troops, starting what came to be called

17670-467: The next phase of the conflict. Launching a counteroffensive on 3 April, the NPA had been able to force the NRA back more than 161 kilometres (100 mi) to the Yangtze by 11 April. As part of the First United Front, many members of the Chinese Communist Party had joined the KMT, and they exerted significant influence over its left-wing faction. Mikhail Borodin , the official liaison between

17825-465: The nominally KMT-controlled territories, establishing parallel structures of administration in areas liberated by the NRA. In the final success of the first phase of the expedition, the NRA went on to capture the Anhui provincial capital of Hefei and the smaller city of Bengbu . NRA forces that had already been operating north of the Yangtze continued into northern Jiangsu province. Their advance, however,

17980-469: The north of the New Territories ). Additionally, the islands contained within Hong Kong (e.g. Hong Kong Island ) and Macau are much closer to mainland China than Taiwan and Hainan, and are much smaller. In Hong Kong and Macau, the terms "mainland China" and "mainlander" are frequently used for people from PRC-governed areas (i.e. not Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau). The Chinese term Neidi ( 內地 ), meaning

18135-409: The offensive had reached Lanxi and Jinhua , where a fierce battle resulted in a catastrophic defeat for Sun's forces. Following this victory, the NRA launched a pincer attack on the provincial capital Hangzhou . Many of Sun's northern troops, demoralised by defeat, broke ranks and streamed north, looting the towns and villages they passed along the way. With his forces in disarray, Sun's commander in

18290-562: The order was carried out. Several Marine units were merged into the Army. In July 1946, the disbanding of the Marine Corps was completed. The commander of the Republic of China Navy in the late 1940s, Admiral Gui Yongqing  [ zh ] , decided to recreate the ROC Marine Corps on 1947 after speaking to the U.S. Marine general Gerald C. Thomas in Qingdao. Gui worked with the U.S. forces in East Asia, and after his return to China he thought

18445-479: The political status of the PRC and ROC. Northern Expedition NRA victory [REDACTED]   Nationalist government [REDACTED] Beiyang government The Northern Expedition was a military campaign launched by the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) of the Kuomintang (KMT) against the Beiyang government and other regional warlords in 1926. The purpose of the campaign

18600-507: The pressure of the NRA advance. Sun Chuanfang unleashed the final blow to the NPA when he withdrew his troops from the defensive line and fled to Japanese-controlled Dairen on 4 June. On 6 June, the NRA Third Collective Army marched into Beijing, ending the Beiyang government. The other NRA armies would arrive in the Beijing area over the next few days. Zhang Zongchang subordinate Xu Yuanquan subsequently surrendered Tianjin to

18755-548: The pressure on Sun, the Shantou -based NRA First Army, led by He Yingqin , marched across the Guangdong border, and began a new offensive into Fujian province. NRA troops were welcomed by many locals, including the Hakka , who resented foreign control, and gradually began to infiltrate the Fujian countryside. He's forces moved up the coast, pushing toward the provincial capital, Fuzhou . By

18910-461: The recently allied forces of the Fengtian and Zhili cliques, the nationalist government appointed Chiang Kai-shek commander-in-chief of the NRA on 5 June 1926. Chiang would accept this post in a ceremony on 9 July, which marked the formal start of the Northern Expedition, although military clashes had already been ongoing. The initial strategy for the KMT's northern advance against the Zhili warlords, which

19065-474: The rest of the PRC. Nonetheless, Hainanese people still refer to the geographic mainland as "the mainland" and call its residents "mainlanders". Before 1949, the Kinmen and Matsu islands, were jointly governed with the rest of Fujian Province under successive Chinese governments. The two territories are generally considered to belong to the same historical region, Fujian Province, which has been divided since 1949 as

19220-403: The revolutionary movement, calling for unity in the face of Sun's advancing troops. Accordingly, in an attempt to put pressure on Sun, Feng Yuxiang and his Guominjun launched an attack into Shandong on 28 August, while Wuhan sent its troops north, trying to flank Sun, and He Yingqin approached from Shanghai. With its forces encircled, and unable to continue to move troops across the river, the NPA

19375-625: The scarcity of food and total lack of shelter left the vast horde without any idea of further resistance". The Japanese, meanwhile, having heard of Sun's defeat, began to move Kwantung Army troops by train from Qingdao to Jinan. While the NRA Second Collective Army advanced northeast to Jinan along the southern bank of the Yellow River, the First Collective Army diverged east from the Tianjin–Pukou railway at Tai'an , crossing

19530-655: The south also created marine units, but they never reached the strength of the main ROC Marine Corps in Fujian, which was loyal to the Beiyang government. In 1925, the Navy Ministry under the admirals Lin Jianzhang and Du Xigui ordered the downsizing of the Marine Corps, with the 1st Marine Mixed Brigade being abolished in October, though was restored in January 1926 by Admiral Yang Shuzhuang and again participated in operations. When

19685-567: The start of the ROC government's military reduction plan, the Marine Corps consisted of the 66th and 99th Marine Divisions, the Amphibious Reconnaissance and Patrol Unit, the Landing Vehicle Group, the 652nd Regiment, the recruit training center, the Marine Corps School, the headquarters battalion, communications battalion, guard battalion, and three garrison commands in the ROC-administered islands ( Wuqiu , Dongsha , and Nansha ), with

19840-529: The still ongoing Canton–Hong Kong strike, which continued to hamper his supply chain. Negotiations with the British began on 23 September, with the strike finally called off on 10 October. This eased access to supplies for the NRA, and freed up manpower, in the form of the strikers, for the continued push north. On the same day, Wu Peifu's remaining forces at Wuchang surrendered, completing the NRA's conquest of Hubei province. As bloody fighting continued in Jiangxi,

19995-411: The strike is said to have resulted in the deaths of 322 people, with 2,000 wounded, contributing to KMT feelings of unease with its wayward communist allies. With Shanghai under their control, the NRA turned its attention to Nanjing. He Yingqin advanced from the south-east, whilst Cheng Qian came from the south-west. Zhang Zongchang ordered his Shandong Army to withdraw from Nanjing on 23 March, leaving

20150-530: The support of the KMT, they called for the boycott of foreign goods and an end to the Settlement, which was governed by the British and Americans. The Shanghai Municipal Police , largely operated by the British, opened fire on the crowd of demonstrators. This incident sparked outrage throughout China, culminating in the Canton–Hong Kong strike , which began on 18 June, and proved a fertile recruiting ground for

20305-460: The takeover of the islands by the PRC. For this they were awarded a banner by President Chiang Kai-shek . In January 1955, the ROCMC 1st Marine Division was reestablished by combining an Army division with one of the two Marine brigades. In 1956 General Luo Youlun  [ zh ] became the commandant of the ROCMC. He made an effort to establish standardized Marine uniforms, a flag, and an officer training program, and also made "Forever Loyal"

20460-492: The term 境外 ('outside the border') for things outside the mainland region. Examples include "Administration of Foreign-funded Banks" ( 中华人民共和国外资银行管理条例 ; 中華人民共和國外資銀行管理條例 ) or the "Measures on Administration of Representative Offices of Foreign Insurance Institutions" ( 外国保险机构驻华代表机构管理办法 ; 外國保險機構駐華代表機構管理辦法 ). Hainan is an island, but is nevertheless commonly considered to be part of the "mainland" politically, because its government, legal and political systems do not differ from

20615-604: The term "China" ( 中國 ). The former term is generally preferred by the Pan-Blue Coalition led by the KMT, while the latter term is preferred by the Pan-Green Coalition led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which opposes the term "mainland" and its suggestion that Taiwan is part of China. This has caused many political debates. Other geography-related terms which are used to avoid mentioning

20770-527: The territories under the control of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) by several different names, e.g. "(territory controlled by the) Communist bandits ", "occupied/unfree area (of China)", "Communist China" (as opposed to either "Nationalist China" or "Democratic China"), "Red China" (as opposed to "Blue China"), and "mainland China (area)". In modern times, many of these terms have fallen out of use. The terms "mainland China" ( 中國大陸 ) or "the mainland" ( 大陸 ) still remain in popular use, but some also simply use

20925-551: The two territories have retained their legal, political, and economic systems. The territories also have their distinct identities. Therefore, "mainland China" generally continues to exclude these territories, because of the " one country, two systems " policy adopted by the Chinese government towards the regions. The term is also used in economic indicators, such as the IMD Competitiveness Report. International news media often use "China" to refer only to mainland China or

21080-414: The walled city held out for over a month. His failure in the face of the NRA, however, left his hold on power and reputation broken. What remained of his army would disintegrate in the following months. With Wu Peifu's forces in retreat, the NRA directed itself toward Sun Chuanfang-controlled Jiangxi province, namely the city of Jiujiang and the provincial capital, Nanchang. Whilst Sun had been offered

21235-531: The way for an advance to Wuchang along the route of the Beijing–Guangzhou railway . As Wu Peifu's forces retreated northward, they breached several Yangtze dikes, slowing the KMT push. By 28 August, the KMT, led by Li Zongren and his Guangxi NRA Seventh Army, had taken Xianning , about 75 kilometres (47 mi) south of Wuchang. Wu Peifu, who had returned south to mount a defence of Wuchang, gathered his forces at Heshengqiao Bridge. On 29 August, he launched

21390-413: Was almost immediately forced to withdraw back to Zhejiang; Sun had detected Xia's plans days earlier. Sun's forces subsequently marched on Zhejiang, crushing the rebellion by 23 October. Xia was executed, along with hundreds of his troops, while thousands of civilians were massacred at Xia's former headquarters. Alongside the Zhejiang rebellion, the NRA had continued their offensive in Jiangxi. Adding to

21545-498: Was conducted publicly for the first time since 1979. Also in 2020, Taiwanese troops from the 99th Marine Brigade were deployed to Pratas Island (Dongsha) to support the Coast Guard there as reports came out that the People's Liberation Army Navy was planning war games in the region simulating the amphibious invasion of an island. In 2021, marines from the 99th Brigade traveled to Guam where they participated in annual training with

21700-451: Was created by the Navy towards the end of 1948, and a 3rd Regiment in January 1949. They were deployed in coastal regions and some of the offshore islands of China. An artillery unit was transferred to the ROCMC from the Army. In March 1949 the three regiments, the artillery regiment, and Navy security forces were combined into the 2nd Marine Division. By the late spring of 1949, two Marine Divisions of three regiments each were organized under

21855-475: Was created there by the Navy Ministry, and the Corps was expanded over the next several years to continue maintaining order in Fujian, with the 1st Mixed Brigade of the Marine Corps being created later that year. The brigade had four regiments along with artillery and machine gun battalions. Also during the warlord era, the Fengtien clique in northeast China and the forces of Sun Yat-sen 's alternative government in

22010-517: Was established in Fujian to oversee their operations. In July 1933 the Ministry of the Navy issued the "Provisional Regulations for the Organization of the Marine Corps," which described the structure of a marine brigade as two infantry regiments, an artillery battery, and some support units. During the Second Sino-Japanese War , the ROC Marine Corps was used to defend railroads, waterways, highways, and

22165-470: Was forced to abandon Longtan railway station on 30 August. In a desperate attempt at resistance, Sun rallied his 40,000 remaining troops and launched a counter-offensive on 31 August, only to be crushed in a hard-fought battle that left more than 10,000 of those troops dead. While Sun was able to escape to Shandong, his surviving troops were forced to surrender to the NRA. With victory in hand, reconciliation talks restarted on 7 September, and on 15 September,

22320-432: Was hampered by the administrative chaos that followed the Nanjing Incident. Tensions between the leftists in Wuhan and rightists in Nanjing would come to a head, bringing the Northern Expedition to a halt. Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the Shanghai–Nanjing offensive, the aid of the Fengtian armies prevented Sun Chuanfang's army from collapsing completely, and they eventually managed to regroup and strengthen their forces for

22475-460: Was held in Shanghai on 8 December. In Fujian, many of Sun's troops had already defected to the NRA, and on 9 December, He Yingqin's army entered Fuzhou unopposed. On 11 December, Zhejiang commander Zhou Fengqi announced his defection to the NRA. This started a cascade of defections, leading to Zhejiang's secession from Sun's "United Provinces", after which it was given autonomous status by the Guangzhou government. In response, Sun rallied his army on

22630-489: Was largely devised by Soviet advisors Mikhail Borodin and Vasily Blyukher , was to focus on defeating Wu Peifu and appeasing Sun Chuanfang, while ignoring Zhang Zuolin of the Fengtian clique. Having switched from a defensive to offensive posture, KMT forces quickly advanced from their base in Guangdong into Wu-controlled Hunan province, capturing Changsha on 11 July. At the time, most of Wu Peifu's forces were preoccupied with fighting at Nankou Pass , near Beijing, against

22785-522: Was officially launched by Chiang Kai-shek on 7 April. With the NPA line softened by Feng and Yan's attacks, the NRA First Collective Army rushed into Shandong along the Tianjin–Pukou railway , capturing Tengzhou by 16 April. Meanwhile, Feng's forces advanced into Shandong from the west, capturing Jiaxiang on the 15th. Sun Chuanfang decided to attempt a two-pronged counter-offensive against

22940-567: Was partially motivated by Chiang's Shanghai Massacre of Communists within the KMT, which marked the end of the First United Front . In an effort to mend this schism, Chiang Kai-shek stepped down as the commander of the NRA in August 1927, and went into exile in Japan. The second phase of the Expedition began in January 1928, when Chiang resumed command. By April 1928, the nationalist forces had advanced to

23095-594: Was reorganised into four "collective armies". The First Collective Army was made up largely of the original NRA forces from Guangzhou, now based in the Nanjing–Shanghai area. The Second Collective Army consisted of Feng's Guominjun , the Third of Yan's Shanxi forces, and the Fourth of Li Zongren's Guangxi clique army. By this point, the NRA was made up of one million soldiers, most of them part of ex-warlord armies. Preparing for

23250-456: Was stationed in Nanjing before going to Shanghai later that year, and were deployed along the coast at different locations. Admiral Gui organized recruitment efforts for the Corps in the coastal cities of China. The reconstituted Marine Corps was organized into three regiments, with the 1st Marine Regiment being established in 1948 in Mawei , Fujian. As the communists made advances, a 2nd Marine Regiment

23405-701: Was the National Revolutionary Army (NRA). Chiang Kai-shek , who had emerged as Sun's protégé as early as 1922, was appointed commandant of the Whampoa Military Academy in 1924, and quickly emerged as a contender for the position of Sun's successor in the aftermath of his death. On 30 May 1925, Chinese students in Shanghai gathered at the International Settlement , and held demonstrations in opposition to foreign interference in China. Specifically, with

23560-471: Was thwarted by the arrival of the Japanese Kwantung Army during the course of June, who were ostensibly deployed to protect Japanese citizens in Qingdao . Around this time, Wu Peifu retreated with his remaining forces into Sichuan, where he announced his retirement. On 5 July, NPA general Chen Yi-yen defected to the NRA, but failed to convince his 10,000 soldiers at Qingdao to do likewise. At Wuhan, Tang Shengzhi began to mobilise his troops for an attack on

23715-400: Was to reunify China , which had become fragmented in the aftermath of the 1911 Revolution . The expedition was led by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek , and was divided into two phases. The first phase ended in a 1927 political split between two factions of the KMT: the right-leaning Nanjing faction , led by Chiang, and the left-leaning faction in Wuhan , led by Wang Jingwei . The split

23870-433: Was upgraded to an amphibious reconnaissance company attached to the division HQ battalion. In 1966 the 2nd Marine Division was created, and a second amphibious recon company was also made. In 1969 the companies were increased to battalion size. In 1996 they were merged as the 105th Amphibious Reconnaissance and Patrol Battalion under the Marine Corps Headquarters, and a recon company was established in each division. In 1997,

24025-425: Was used to suppress the Second Revolution in 1913. In December 1914, the Naval Guard Corps was reformed as the Republic of China Marine Corps by the Ministry of the Navy, on the recommendation of Admiral Liu Guanxiong , to better protect the Chinese coast. The ROCMC consisted of one battalion organized into four infantry companies, and was stationed in Fujian . A second battalion was added in 1918. From that point

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