Ma Hongkui
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Ma Hongkui 馬鴻逵, (1892-1970) was a prominent warlord in China during the Republic of China era, ruling the northwestern province of Ningxia. Born in 1892, in Linxia, Gansu, China. A Muslim, he graduated from Lanzhou Military Academy and became commander of the Ningxia Modern Army and commander of the 7th Division after the founding of the republic. He was in Beijing until Cao Kun's presidency (1923-1924), even though he was the commander of the Ningxia Army. During the Second Zhili-Fengtian War Ma Hongkui's army was reorganized into a branch of Feng Yuxiang's Guominjun forces; in 1926 Ma Hongkui was appointed as the commander of the Fourth Route Army of the Guominjun by Feng.
In 1927, he and Feng Yuxiang led their troops to Tongguan, Shaanxi, and countered the Northern Expedition. However, he betrayed Feng and turned to Chiang Kai-shek. During the Central Plains War of 1930, Ma Hongkui fought for Chiang Kai-shek and was appointed commander of the 64th Division; upon capturing of Tai'an, Shandong he was promoted to commander of the 15th Army. It was in 1932 when Ma Hongkui was appointed Governor of Ningxia Province, and fought the communist forces in the Shaanxi-Ningxia area for the next several years up to the all-out Japanese invasion in 1937. During Ma Hongkui's rise to power, together with his brother Ma Hongbin and cousins Ma Bufang and Ma Buqing, they were instrumental in helping another cousin of theirs, Ma Zhongying to prevail in Gansu, because they did not want Ma Zhongying to compete with them in their own turfs, so they encouraged and supported Ma Zhongying to develop his own power base in other regions such as Gansu and Xinjiang. During World War II, he took over the command of 17th Army Group. He was also the vice-commander of the 8th War Zone.
After the end of World War II, the Chinese Civil War broke out, Ma Hongkui fought for Chiang against the communists. In 1949, with communist victory certain, Ma Hongkui fled to Taiwan. Accused of "frustrating the fulfillment of the military plan" by the Taiwanese Supervisory Committee, as he failed to defeat the Communist forces in his defense area, he then moved to Los Angeles, in the United States, where he died on January 14, 1970.
Career
- 1923 - 1926 Commander of the Ningxia Army
- 1926 - 1930 Commander of the Fourth Route Army of the Guominjun
- 1930 Commander of the Nationalist 64th Division
- 1930 - 1931 Commander of the Nationalist 15th Army
- 1932 - 1949 Chairman of the Government of Ningxia Province
- 1938 Commander in Chief 17th Army Group
- 1938 - 1941 General Officer Commanding 168th Division
- 1944 Commander in Chief 17th Army Group
See also
Links
- Rulers
- 民国军阀派系谈 (The Republic of China warlord cliques discussed ) http://www.2499cn.com/junfamulu.htm
