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A Little Trouble in Big China - A Chinese Warlord Quest

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January 1st, 1923
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    • January 1st, 1923

    Teal - Qing Empire
    Dark Teal - Qing-aligned Warlords
    Light Green - Canton-KMT
    Dark Green - Kunming-KMT
    Yellow - Japan
    Communist Red - Soviet Russia
    Communist Brown - MSSR
    Pink - Great Britain
    Blue - France
    Orange - Netherlands
    Dark Teal - USA
    Baby Blue Teal - Fengtian Clique
    Beige - Manchukuo
    ​


    The Chinese Civil War had, without much indication to the international viewer, took a complete left turn in 1923 compared to the previous decades. The past years of bickering, infighting, and turmoil were all thrown out the window as one man changed Chinese history (once again). This man is none other than Zhang Zuolin, tiger of the north, marshal of the empire, bringer of war and conflict

    The lead up to this war was a long one, obvious to few outside of East Asia. American, British, and French ambassadors, businessmen, and missionaries went about their days in the many treaty ports with ease and comfort. They willfully ignored the sudden uptick in reports, published incessantly from propaganda engines in Manchuria armed by Xu Shichang (who was happy for a purpose) and Canton. Indeed the International portion of Shanghai was quite blissfully self-absorbed, with only the Governor noting that their coolies grew ever unhappy in the wake of base Japanese crimes against the Chinese. The biggest change for these men came when the Japanese garrison within the International portion quadrupled in size suddenly, stating that the Japanese government needed to protect their people within Shanghai.

    So it was in this air of dim awareness that a great cry arose from China. The Fengtian Clique, alongside the Republic (both in it's leftist and rightist forms) issued a large and public rebuke of Japan, it's occupation of China, and its numerous abuses of the Chinese people. Heads swivelled to the Empire, seeking a response in a positive or negative form. None came, as the Xuantong Emperor and his men kept quiet. Ambassadors of the International were once again accosted for demands to address the happenings in China, and condemn Japan. However, in the wake of an ever farther left KMT, a lack of Qing outcry, and a thin hope of salvaging the Entente-Japanese alliance, the International powers refused. This refusal would be further entrenched after members of the Scandinavian nations (where they had ambassadors) announced that the Republic in the form of the KMGT had come to them asking for naval support, which was quickly and firmly dismissed.

    Thus, China was both alone and divided when it decided to face down the might of the Japanese. Perhaps it would have been different if the lead up wasn't so obvious, that the campaign for the hearts and minds of the Chinese peasant would be recorded by fearful and aware Japanese agents. It is unknown when the war truly began, with some historians noting that 'survey' teams working for the newly founded Bureau of Land Survey were arrested by Japanese MPs for being spies, which was found to be true as their maps outlaid military indications to the local Japanese presence. Others state that it occurred when Tong members were arrested in Northern Kyushu, seeking ties with the ultranationalist Yakuza there. However most took it to be when Zhang Zuolin's personal train exploded during a visit to see his troops.

    Zhang Xueliang, in a pique of anger, launched "Operation Never Forget May Ninth" in revenge of both the apparent killing of his father along with the actions of the Japanese in Manchuria. The Northeast Defense Army sprung into action, and in typical Chinese fashion sought to overwhelm the Japanese garrison in numbers rather than in skill. This would be somewhat successful initially, as the NEDA stole out the Manchurian railroad and the city of Fengtian out from the Japanese garrisons there. However this was as far as the NEDA got, Japanese cavalry and infantry formations were soon reinforced in greater numbers, while the IJN began bombardment from the safety of the water. Over the course of the last few months of the year, Fengtian was bombarded harshly by a combination of Japanese land and naval artillery. As this occurred, the Qing government wiped their hands of the Fengtian Clique, outlining them as rogue elements that had unrightfully seized the various provinces from court control.

    Xueliang also made a powerful push to seize Port Arthur from Japanese control, bring forth a mass horde of nearly a hundred thousand men to take it. Alas, not even the will of the Chinese people could be brought to bare against the power of naval artillery, entrenched artillery, and basic aerial bombardment due to the deployment of what few Nakajima Ko-4s were available at the time. Over the course of three months, tens of thousands of men died, as Chinese troops time and again nearly pushed the Japanese forces to break before breaking themselves. In the end, although the Japanese took horrendous casualties, the Chinese were unable to take Port Arthur.

    What truly brought shock to the population of Shanghai was when the Japanese garrison of the International Settlements, swollen months before and long suspicious of the naval inclined KMGT, launched a strike to seize the peninsula from the KMGT. Although the Republic put up an excellent fight, causing unexpected losses to the Japanese garrison and gave the Japanese High Command quite a surprise, they simply could not stand the attack. Although Big Eared Du elected to stay for now, where he was organising the successful expansion of the Green Gang into Taipei, Chiang Kai-shek fled to rightist-KMT territory. Japan had, over the course a couple of weeks, secured the largest shipyards in China. Unsurprisingly, this scared those living in the International Settlements, who in the wake of Japanese assertions that they were simply protecting themselves issued condemnation of Japanese actions to their government, where a formal inquiry was desired in the League of Nations. However following an international treaty in wish Japan reissued their commitment of the safety of the International Settlements, the inquiry was dropped.

    As the Japanese picked out their pet warlord for administering their occupied portions of Manchuria (ultimately going with one Zhang Zongchang), the KMT continued to devolve into infighting. President-Grand Marshal Sun Yat-sen (newly crowned as such) continued his march left, even in the wake of widespread rebellion from his generals. As Tang Jiyao issued plea after plea begging the President-Grand Marshal from continuing along his path, it seemed Yat-sen was set in his ways. Bai Chongxi's banditry was finally forced out of Guangdong by numerous popular militias acting together, however Bai Chongxi himself found pleasant lodgings in the 'court' of Liu Xiang in Sichuan. This combined with a purge of the officers base (who more often than not simply took up a commission with one of the warlords) and government (who did the same in the warlord's administrations) was the tipping point for Tang Jiyao. He saw individuals of rightist bent and proper (read flexible) morals be unfairly judged by the Leftist-KMT regime in Canton. Declaring he would no longer support outright communism, Jiyao withdrew all support from the Leftist-KMT.

    For all intents and purposes, the KMT had formally divided into two regimes. The first, communist in nature, located in Canton under the President-Grand Marshal. The other, located in Kunming and incredibly decentralised and conservative in nature, under the General. This sent the two regimes understandably spiraling as the split made fighting a distinct possibility. General Tang Jiyao began to seize land, goods, and other funds from open enemies within his province (prompting other warlords to do the same) in order to fund an increasingly bloated army and administration, which had grown tremendously in the wake of individuals fleeing from Canton-KMT persecution.

    Meanwhile in the Canton-KMT, the President-Grand Marshal began a process of reformation within the Republican Army with the help of Borodin and Guotao. Beyond the purging of undesirables from within the officer corps, the three men sought to create an army loyal to the Republic, the President-Grand Marshal, and the Three Principles (in no particular order). Further, the Canton Arsenal was widely expanded, with help from funds from the central bank there as well as support abroad, particularly from the Soviets and eurocommunists who sought to create an East Asian people's republic.

    This made it easy for the CPC to gain the funds to push United Front propaganda into warlord territory, calling upon peasants to abandon the excesses of landlords and warlords for freedom under the people's chosen President-Grand Marshal. They found fertile ground in the minds of many peasants, who no doubt lived a life of endless poverty. However, the police and landowners were hyper-aware for spies within their lands, and disrupters, saboteurs, and propagandists were often hanged once found.

    Elsewhere in the world seemed relatively calm in comparison to China. An attempted expansion of the Shanghai Medical Corporation failed in the wake of their headquarters being seized by the Japanese government and integrated into their regime there. The Soviet conquest of Mongolia was finished without much ado, as the Mongolian Soviet Socialist Republic was declared in Ulaanbaatar to the cheers of literally of dozens of Mongolians. Finally, in the wake of the Great Kanto earthquake, one of the most destructive earthquakes in history which killed over 100,000 people, and an active war with China being waged, the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy work together (for once) to bring about order to the Empire. As atrocities were committed by mobs in the name of the Emperor, the Army openly assisted in these actions to their own ends before conducting operations to end the excesses of the mobs. Their autocratic and openly repressive actions were made all the easier when a student named Daisuke Nanba attempted to assassinate Prince-Regent Hirohito while crying his support for the Japanese Communist Party. This allowed the known martially-inclined Admiral Count Yamamoto Gonbee was appointed by the Emperor following the death of Prime Minister Katō Tomosaburō from cancer (who passed a week before the earthquake, leaving Japan without leadership during this important time). Japan, under military direction, seemed to be both ready and willing to do whatever it was necessary to secure victory for the Empire. Much unlike the divided regimes of China.


    Who do you support?​

    Canton-KMT China:

    Sun Yat-sen: Han Revolutionary and leader of the Chinese National Party. Founder of the Chinese Republic.

    Liao Zhongkai: Han Politician, Left-KMT, Special Plenipotentiary of Industry of the Republic of China.

    Mikhail Borodin: Russian ex-pat and general of the KMT. Borrowed from the Soviets until 1927.


    Kunming-KMT China:

    Li Liejun: Han General, Warlord of the Jiangxi Clique, and KMT-aligned warlord.

    Tang Jiyao: Yunnanese Warlord, Leader of the Yunnan Clique, and KMT-aligned warlord.

    Lu Rongting: Zhuang General, Warlord of the Nanning Clique, KMT-aligned warlord.

    Liu Xiang: Han General, Warlord of the Sichuan Clique, KMT-aligned warlord.

    Chiang Kai-shek: Han Leader of the Kemingtang. ex-Political Governor of Shanghai.

    Bai Chongxi: Hui Warlord, ex-leader of the Landowner Revolt in Guangdong.


    Fengtian Clique:

    Xu Shichang: Han statesman, propaganda minister.

    Zhang Xueliang: Han General, the Young Marshal, Leader of the Fengtian Clique.


    Qing China:

    Duan Qirui: Han General, Leader of the Anhui Clique, and disgraced member of the Imperial Court.

    Li Yuanhong: Han General, shafted from leadership, general in the Imperial Army.

    Ma Fuxiang: Hui Warlord, Leader of the Ma Clique. Noted reactionary.

    Yang Zhengxin: Han General, Leader of the Xinjiang Clique. Noted monarchist.

    Cao Kun: Han General, Leader of the Zhili Clique. Powerful member of the Imperial Court. Lord of the Privy Seal.

    Zhang Xun: Han General, Leader of the Manchu Restoration Movement, disgraced member of the Imperial Court.

    Prince Chun: Manchu Prince, father of the Qing Emperor. Regent (powerless position as now).


    Manchukuo:

    Zhang Zongchang: Han Warlord, former bandit, "Basest Warlord in China", and leader of the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo.


    Occupied Shanghai:

    Du "Big-Eared Du" Yuesheng: Han mob boss who has a controlling interest in Shanghai and worked with elements of the Republicans. Ties with elements of the Chinese Revolutionary Party (Kemingtang).


    Communist Party of China:

    Chen Duxiu: Han Leader of the CPC.

    Zhang Guotao: Han General of the CPC-KMT.

    - - -
    GM NOTES
    - - -
    ​
    Sorry for the delay and lack of map. My map-guy is sick and I'm flying out to Vancouver later today for a big interview and family for a week. I won't have my computer but I will have my phone so I'll try to answer questions/add the map when I can.

    This was a big turn.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Well, this is terrifying.

    Base plan:
    [X]Sun Yat-sen: Han Revolutionary and leader of the Chinese National Party. Founder of the Chinese Republic.
    -[X]Plan Military Expansion and Defense
    1.Continue the reform of the NRA, and its expansion. Use anti-Japanese rethoric to gain more volunteers for the Army and militias, including encouraging soldiers from the Kunming-KMT to switch sides, in the case they don't attack Japan. The reform will continue as before, (use Borodin to reform and reorganize these divisions, as well as being an advisor for military equipment. The reform must emphazise loyalty to the Nation, president Sun, and the Three Principles of the people) while stopping the purge, but: volunteer women will be allowed to join the army as nurses, a reform of communications methods will be done, an attempt of creating a support regiment of armored trains will be started, new cavalry divisions will be trained, a special batallion of experienced and trained men shall be used to train the rest of the army (like the German army does), already deployed divisions will have further training to ensure they are up to standards, all divisions (starting with the best and cotinuing with the rest) will have a support battalion armed with Howell rifles, and a Bureau of Logistics and Supply, charged with ensuring that the army is always well supplied, with a close relationship with the Bureau of Infrastructure, and being under the indirect command of Liao Zhongkai, will be created. Borodin will also to reform the army hierarchy, streamlining it and making sure there is multiple redundancy.
    2.Continue expanding the military industry, beginning standarization, and have the new factories and foundries built outside of the range of Japanese guns. Focus on augmenting production and reliability of artillery and the Howell rifle. (For Liao Zhongkai)
    3.Create the ROCAF. Planes will be gained through the following methods:
    -Asking the Soviets for planes, flyers, trainers, and engineers with experience in the area. Pay if necessary.
    -Offering to buy any plane from wherever possible (any corporation, any government), accepting extreme prices (but not uneven trade deals with states). Try to bribe members of the corporations/ officials in the government so they will accept. Particularly, gain them (both legally and unofficially) through and from the British Raj and French Indochina, as they can go through land. Ask, together with the CPC, for leftist parties/unions with members in the aviation industry to put pressure (threatening strikes, etc) on their bosses to sell to the Left-KMT.
    -Loyal, but little known members of the KMT with experience in business will create separate shell corporations in Shanghai, Macao, Hong Kong, Tsingtao, Beijan and Tianjin, with the purpose of buying airplanes, and smuggling them to the Canton-KMT. The NBIS will aid in this matter.
    -Expropriating any plane in the Canton-KMT, with the person being paid and acceptable price, and if they have experience, being offered a job as a trainer/flyer.
    -Trying to create domestic airplane factories.
    -Calling upon Chinese expats to send what knowledge they have of airforces (engineering, doctrines, public perception, popular culture...)
    -Negotiating with the Irish Free State after they have finished their civil war, they will be in need of funds to repair their country.
    -Negotiating with Spain, they are in inmense debt, and will need funds.
    Once a small airforce is created, they will be tested against the Japanese: defending the coast from the IJN, and supporting the offensive into Fujian.
    4. Fortify the areas controlled by the Left-KMT around the watchtowers built and in the frontlines, with militias and army divisions serving as garrisons. Concentrate particularly in Fujian and Guangdong, in the Japanese frontier (not a static defense, an elastic defense-in-depth).
    5. Offer to negotiate with all powers in China for a temporary alliance/non-agression pact against Japan, with military aid included (be it secretly or openly). (For Tang Shaoyi)
    -As long as the alliance against Japan is valid, if the Soviets accept, Qing China will allow Soviet officers and aid to pass to the Canton-KMT, in exchange for a third of all supplies sent to be given to the Qing, and that the Soviets do not use the opportunity to smuggle communists into Qing China.
    6. Fight against Japan- use the militias, the promise of land reform, and the necessity of defense against Japan to create and partisan groups in Japanese-occupied China, to attack their supply lines, and carry out surgical strikes against infrastructure and docks; begin a full offensive (together with the Qing, and, if possible, the Kunming-KMT) against Japanese-held Fujian, and, if it is taken and the military deems it viable, continuing on to Shanghai to retake it. The attacks will stop if casualties are too high, and enough reserves will be held back to be able to stop or hinder a Japanese counterattack.

    Anyone voting Canton-KMT, say any opinions you have on planning.

    Also, I'll repeat myself:

    To anyone that is lurking in this Quest: if you want to participate, do so! Participation is fun; and if you don't like any of the plans, you can find someone to vote for, and make up a plan of your own.
     
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    HanEmpire said:
    What's the long term plan? Will the KMT go for a social democracy setup in the end? Centralized communism, a la Soviets?
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    It will be a complete democracy in the Chinese model (5 Yuans), probably federated (China is a bit too large for a centralized model to be efficient and democratic), with an eventual georgist tax reform. Private commercial property will be respected until after China is more or less unified, at which point it can be decided. Definitely a total, free democracy with a welfare state. This is all for after the point when victory depends on the soviets.

    Edit: Of course, this also depends on voters and their opinions; except the democracy part. Democracy is non-negotiable.
     
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    [x] Zhang Xueliang
    -[x] Enemies on all sides
    1. Enact full emergency powers and start military drafts.
    2. Organize displaced civilians into supply producing collectives far from front line, to protect them and reduce drain on military and government resources; also task the collectives to look after the wounded and crippled. Relocate industrial bases to areas further from front line and coastline.
    3. Continue warring with Imperialists defensively, use trench warfare if viable.
    4. Have communication office continue to rally all support and spread Japanese atrocities in China and around the world. Praise the soldiers and civilians' heroic stand against Japanese imperialism.
    5. Issue war bonds, sell land, and borrow money from both internal and external parties. Funds to go toward the military and war effort first and foremost.
    6. Invite all nations and League of Nations to Manchuria to observe the war and protect their nationals.
    Well everything went to hell early. How nice. Everyone must struggle together!!!!!

    Edit: Best case, faction survival. Worst case joining Communists.
     
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    I kind of wanted to support Qing China, mostly because I kind of like the idea of China continuing to have a emperor rather than any special thoughts about politics, thought I do not want it to be more than a constitutional monarchy in the end. Therefore I have decided to make a plan for Cao Kun, that seems to be the biggest power player in Qing.

    [X]Cao Kun: Han General, Leader of the Zhili Clique. Powerful member of the Imperial Court. Lord of the Privy Seal.
    -[X] Plan: Let's be imperial
    1. Try to secretly make a temporal ceasefire/alliance with KMT and reconcile with the Fengtian Clique to make a surprise attack with the united forces from all three sides. As long as the alliance against Japan is valid, if the Soviets accept, Qing China will allow Soviet officers and aid to pass to the Canton-KMT, in exchange for a third of all supplies sent to be given to the Qing, and that the Soviets do not use the opportunity to smuggle communists into Qing China.
    2. Try to make a plan for improving the industry overall in Qing-controlled China, but focus ressources primarily around the capital and on the war industry.
    3. Try to create/improve a academy for training officers with focus on insuring loyalty towards the emperor and his government.
    4. Try to create better ties to the other Qing-alinged warlords to insure loyalty and to convince them to follow instructions from the central government.
    5. Try to improve agriculture with focus on either minimize the number of people required to run it or to improve amount of food produced and perhaps making some sort of minor or symbolic improvement of life for the common peasant .
    6. Try to convince the west to aid China against the Japanese. Qing China would be willing to accept any kind of aid, like military supplies or just diplomatic pressure on Japan. Qing China could also be convinced to make "small" concessions for the West's help.
     
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    Alright.
    The only territorial changes have been those by Japan: Shanghai and a small part of Manchuria, though it is the lower hilly part, and what's left are plains.
    So, Japan can control the entrance of the Yangtze with ease. The advance into Manchuria has been little, particularly when compared to its OTL speed, but the Japanese Army is just going to get larger and scarier. Also, very sadly, the traditional fights between Army and Navy cannot be counted upon to be a problem for supplying the Army.
    Zhang Zongchang is thankfully very corrupt, but unfortunately a good military leader.
    The Kemintang is essentially destroyed.

    VoidZero said:
    Continue warring with Imperialists.
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    Offensive or Defensive? Asking the Reds for aid (probably a bad idea, they're just as likely to eat you, and you've got very bad luck when it comes to foreign aid)?

    @Dadarian
    Did the Korean/ Taiwanese nationalists do anything?
    Did the Japanese stop the Soviets from sending aid (after hostilities started, I mean)?

    Mortenkam said:
    Try to make some sort of alliance with Kunming-KMT against Canton-KMT and see if they are willing to coordinate military actions against them. If things go really well, then perhaps of unification could be talked about.
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    What, no alliance against the evil imperialists?
     
    I would encourage everyone to vote for something they like or write a simple plan for any factions. Muddy up the water and enjoy the fireworks. :V

    []Zhang Zongchang
    -[] Ambition
    Work with Japanese to setup a government in controlled area.
    Send missive to Qing court faction to collaborate with clearing out the rebellion.
    Carefully allow the rebels to withdraw and give inefficient chase, to get more personal power.

    []Chiang Kai-shek
    -[]Power
    Work with the underdogs in the KMT right-wing to form an alliance of your own.
    Use your connections to work for the cliques as middle man
    Carefully stage some small conflict to muddy the water and create demand for your goods and manpower
    Develop your core troops

    []Mikhail Borodin
    -[] Happy relationship
    Reach out to the northern Qing factions, they want toys and Motherland can supply those toys; for a price.
    You know those farming collective are very good, factory workers should have their union too. Strikes are necessary for the good of the workers.
    Military people is people as well, and people love a good read; distribute the nice pamphlets you brought with you. Guide them to the correct path.
     
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    Perhaps your right. An alliance against Canton-KMT can wait, while it be a bit more interesting to kick Japan out early. I am going to ament the plan.
     
    DanBaque said:
    Offensive or Defensive? Asking the Reds for aid (probably a bad idea, they're just as likely to eat you, and you've got very bad luck when it comes to foreign aid)?
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    I know right? *cries. The Brits did give tech support that time, but I'm dead meat more or less. Lossing coastline means no outside things and nothing coming in. And Qing factions might add a shovel of dirt to this hole I'm trying to climb out of.
     
    VoidZero said:
    They reds now. :V
    Also, how bad was the rolls for everything to go alight.
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    Fixed and bad enough.

    DanBaque said:
    @Dadarian
    Did the Korean/ Taiwanese nationalists do anything?
    Did the Japanese stop the Soviets from sending aid (after hostilities started, I mean)?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Neither have done anything, although the Koreans are smarting from the results of the Great Kanto earthquake. As of this turn, Soviet goods coming in via ship has been essentially shut down, but the Internationale was running into Canton right up to the war.
     
    DanBaque said:
    6. For the War with Japan- Undecided on what to do.
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    Start with purging your Japanese sympathizers in military, then launch surgical strikes to take out critical infrastructures like rail junctions and docks*. Also rile up the common people, tell them the Japanese wants to take their land and their food.

    *Might cause international incident, but hey publicity is good yes?
     
    [X]Cao Kun: Han General, Leader of the Zhili Clique. Powerful member of the Imperial Court. Lord of the Privy Seal.
    -[X] Plan: Let's be imperial
     
    @Mortenkam Would you mind allowing Soviet aid to pass through your borders this turn? What would you want in exchange?
     
    [X]Cao Kun: Han General, Leader of the Zhili Clique. Powerful member of the Imperial Court. Lord of the Privy Seal.
    -[X] Plan: Let's be imperial
     
    [X]Sun Yat-sen: Han Revolutionary and leader of the Chinese National Party. Founder of the Chinese Republic.
    -[X]Plan Military Expansion and Defense
     
    https://imgflip.com/memegenerator

    People who whined about terrible train service never experienced train explosion. Also, special office was bad at its job.

    [J]Ma Fuxiang: Hui Warlord, Leader of the Ma Clique. Noted reactionary.
    -[J] Mounted raiding
    Expand and train mounted soldiers, setup various hidden bases across the complex terrain.
    Raid other provinces under guise of banditry
    Develop roads and charge tolls

    [J] Yang Zhengxin: Han General, Leader of the Xinjiang Clique. Noted monarchist.
    -[J] Smuggling
    Work with Russia to develop channels to have goods flow between groups to fatten the war chest.
    Blackmail, bribe, or kidnap to bring more lands under your control
    Invite more land owners and wealth people into government to built local light industry
     
    I'm going to give a preview of how I plan to move on with three words.

    CHINESE DONALD TRUMP.
     
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    [X]Sun Yat-sen: Han Revolutionary and leader of the Chinese National Party. Founder of the Chinese Republic.
    -[X]Plan Military Expansion and Defense
     
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