Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Wu P'ei-fu

Marshal Wu Pei-fu

吳佩孚字子玉

Marshal Wu P'ei-fu was born at Peng-lai Hsien, Shantung province in 1873. He attended in his youth a regular Confucian school in his native district and became a Hsiu-Tsai (Licentia in 1893. He enrolled himself at the Peiyang Military Academy near Tientsin in 1898. The first military man Marshal Wu served after graduation was General Nieh Shih-cheng, Commander of one Wu Wei Chun Army Corp. Marshal Wu joined the Military School established by the Wu Wei Chun Headquarters. After graduation, Marshal Wu was unable to find a right master to serve and stayed in Shantung for sometime. In 1908 through the recommendation of General Chin Yun-peng, also his teacher, be was recommended to Marshal Wang Shih-chen who had just been appointed Provincial Commander-in-Chief of Kiang-pei. Marshal Wu served as Aid-de-camp at the Kiang-pei Yamen until 1910 when Marshal Wang resigned on account of mourning. He then recommended Marshal Wu to General Wu Lu-ching, the Commander-in-Chief of the Seventh Imperial Army Division. His position there was Second Class Aid-de-camp. In 1912, the First Year of the Republic, Marshal Wu joined the Third Division, whose Commander-in-Chief was Marshal Ts'ao Kun. At the time when Yuan Shih-kai launched his monarchical movement, Marshal Wu was a Regiment Commander of the Third Division. After the outbreak of the Yunnan Revolt (December 1915) Marshal Ts’ao was ordered by Yuan Shih-kai to proceed with the Third Division to the south to suppress the Revolt. Marshal Wu was then promoted to be Commander of the Sixth Brigade of the Third Division and also made a Major General. He was in Szechuan and Hunnan for sometime, until after the death of Yuan Shih-kai when the Third Division was recalled to the North. In September 1916 Marshal Ts'ao Kun became Tuchun of Chibli. Subsequently Marshal Wu was ordered to act as Commander-in-Chief of the Third Division. He commanded the Western Flank in the fight against Chang Hsun in the summer of 1917 when the latter attempted to restore the old monarchy. On that account he was later given the brevet rank of Lieutenant General. After the overthrow of the Restoration, Marshal Tuan became Prime Minister again. But the southern military leaders who had mobilized to oust Chang Hsun discrusted Marshal Tuan. In the autumn of 1917 the Opposition government was formed at Canton in open defiance of Peking. In December 1919 Marshal Wu was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Third Division. In February 1918 the Chihli troops under the direct command of Marshal Wu Pei-fu and General Feng Yu-hsiang entered Hupei and Hunan. April 1918 Marshal Wu recaptured the city of Changsha. In June 1918 Marshal Wu was made a Chiang-chun with "Fu-Wei" as special title. In the same month Marshal Ts'ao was appointed Military Commissioner of Szechuan-Kuangtung-Hunan-Kiangsi; and General Chang Hui-chih and Marshal Wu, the Commander and Assistant Commander of the forces to relieve Kuangtung, respectively. By these appointments, the Chihli troops were detained in Southern Hunan. In August 1918 Marshal Wu sent a circular telegram advocating peace and the withdrawal of troops by both sides. This started the peace movement which resulted in the calling of the Peace Conference in February 1919. In September 1920 Marshal Wu was appointed Deputy High Inspecting Commissioner of Chihli, Shantung and Honan, assisting Marshal Ts'ao. In October 1920 he was given the brevet rank of Full General and also awarded the Second Order of Merit. In August 1921 he became concurrently The High Inspecting Commissioner of Hunan and Hupei and also awarded the First Order of Merit. In October 1921 he received the First Class Wenfu. In the meantime the Chihli influence extended over many provinces. Marshal Ts'ao took Marshal Wu into strong confidence. In consequence of that, the hatred of the discontended factions and the Fengtien Warlord gradually centered on Marshal Wu who was becoming more outspoken and more serious with the political issues. During 1921 when the feeling between Wu Pei-fu and the opposition parties was becoming worse every day, Marshal Tsao tried his best to remove the misunderstanding as indicated by the fact that he held altogether four conferences with the leaders of the other factions, in April, May, November and December respectively. The last one was held at the time of Chang Tso-lin's visit in Peking. The sole purpose of Chang's visit was to adjust matters to his own satisfaction and the result of it was the installation of the Liang Shih-i's Cabinet. General Wu Pei-fu was much against this new Cabinet. On June 12, 1922 Marshal Wu was appointed Minister of War but he did not assume this post and was officially relieved of it in August 1922. In October 1922 he was given the First Class Tashou Paokuang Chiaho and made a Full General. In January 1923 he was made a Shan Chiangchun (Marshal) with "Fu-Wei" as special title. In October 1923 the Parliament elected Marshal Ts'ao Kun President of China to succeed Li Yuan-hung. In November 1923 Marshal Wu was appointed High Inspecting Commissioner Chihli-Shantung-Honan, still retaining the commandership of the Third Division. In January 1924 he received an additional post as Director-General of the Motor Traffic Highway Construction of Chihli, Shantung and Honan. In September 1924 when civil war broke out between the Chihli and Anfu-Fengtien factions, Marshal Wu was appointed Commander-in-Chief of National Expeditionary forces and assumed personal charge of fighting in vicinity of the Great Wall. Owing to the deflection of the Christian General Feng Yu-hsiang, Marshal Wu was forced to retire to Tientsin where he attempted to make a stand against forces of the Christian General but was unsuccessful. Accompanied by a small detachment of his troops he embarked on a number of Chinese Naval vessels and proceeded to Hankow, where he has since had headquarters in Hwangchow.