young marshal spring and autumn

The People's Army went on an expedition to Mongolia (although it was called the People's Army after the reorganization of the Zhongwei, but politically it has since become accustomed to calling the Fengjun led by Zhang Hanqing the People's Army) and conquered Gansu. It is impossible not to arouse a person's attention and attention to his next move.

This person is Yang Xinxin, the military governor of Xinjiang.

Some scholars attribute the formation and stability of the national boundary pattern in modern Central Asia to two people: Zuo Zongtang and Yang Zengxin—it was Zuo Zongtang who immediately took back the lost land from Aguba; The integrity of the country.

Xinjiang, the most original name is Zhuzhou, Han called the Western Regions, which means the territory of western China, this name appeared in Chinese historical records since the Han Dynasty, and has been used until the Qing Dynasty unified Xinjiang, and then renamed Xinjiang.

Xinjiang has been part of my country's territory since ancient times.As early as the pre-Qin period, "Mu Tianzi Biography" and other classics recorded some situations in Xinjiang.Since the pre-Qin period, the ancient Chinese have formed the concept of "four seas".The South China Sea refers to today’s South China Sea, the East China Sea refers to today’s East Yellow Bohai Sea, the North Sea refers to Lake Baikal, and the West Sea refers to the Caspian Sea (some people think that West Sea refers to Qinghai Lake. lake area).Within the "Four Seas", all ethnic groups, including those in Xinjiang, are part of the Chinese nation.In 101 BC, the Han Dynasty stationed troops in Luntai, Quli and other places in the Western Regions to garrison fields, and appointed envoys and captains, and began to govern the Western Regions.In 60 BC, Wang Xianshan, who was stationed in the Western Regions, descended to the Han Dynasty, and the northern and southern regions of the Tianshan Mountains were all under the control of the central government of the Han Dynasty.The establishment of the Protectorate of the Western Regions marks the official inclusion of the Western Regions into the territory of the central government.

What needs to be pointed out in particular is that even when the central government did not govern the Western Regions, people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang always regarded themselves as part of the Chinese nation and never regarded themselves as foreigners.For example, in 45 A.D., the 18 countries in the Western Regions asked to restore their governors, and even asked to send their son to Luoyang to study as a hostage. In 632, the Western Turks greeted Li Nishu, who was Dulu Khan.After Nilu was elected as the Khan of the Western Turks, he sent envoys to the Tang Dynasty to express his attachment.During the Northern Song Dynasty, in 962, 965, 981 and 983, Gaochang Uyghurs sent envoys to present their objects to the Song Dynasty. When his king wrote a letter to Song Taizong in 981, he claimed to be "a foreign student (nephew) from Xizhou".All this fully shows that the interruption of the central government's jurisdiction over Xinjiang cannot deny that Xinjiang is part of our country's territory.

Regardless of the period when the central government of ancient China exercised jurisdiction over the Xinjiang region or the period when there were local governments in Xinjiang, this fact has never changed.But because it is a hub connecting East and Central Asia, Britain and Russia have been eyeing it.In January 1865, the Kokand general Yaguba, who was supported by Tsarist Russia and the British forces, suddenly led his troops to invade Xinjiang. Russia also seized the opportunity to occupy Ili, and the United Kingdom was eyeing my territory.In this form, it was Zuo Zongtang who insisted on sending troops to Xinjiang. His starting point was that China could not afford to lose Xinjiang and what happened next: once Xinjiang was lost, the defense of western China could only retreat to Yumen Pass.Yumen is a barren land, where heavy troops are stationed, food, grass and supplies all have to be supplied from the rear. The means of transportation at that time were still very primitive, and a large amount of materials were transported to Yumen through the long Hexi Corridor. a permanent burden.In addition, the defenders of Yumen can't take into account the defense beyond the Great Wall, where there is an endless Mongolian grassland, and there is no danger to defend.And once the Russians occupy Xinjiang, they can easily move eastward along the Great Wall, "spanning hundreds of miles in a day and reaching the Liaohai Sea".In this way, China will lose all its territory except the Great Wall, and even Beijing will become a border city.Therefore, his proposition is: "The reason why Xinjiang is protected is to protect Mongolia, and the reason why Mongolia is protected is to defend the capital." Only by preserving Xinjiang can a complete defense system be formed.

Since ancient times, there have been four difficulties in using troops outside the Great Wall, namely: raising troops, raising salaries, raising food, and raising transportation.When Zhang Hanqing used troops against Mongolia, due to the short time, he didn't feel how difficult the logistics were.When fighting in Gansu, the inconvenience of insufficient food, grass and arms gradually emerged.If there is a long-term confrontation with the Zhiwan Sichuan Army and other forces in the northwest in the future, I am afraid that you don't need to fight, and you will be dragged down by the opponent if you just drag yourself.

The reason why Zhang Hanqing dared to drive into Gansu for a long time, completely ignoring Yang Xinxin behind him, is because of his performance in history, he is accustomed to the policy of protecting the environment and the people;Sure enough, when the people's army and the Gansu garrison were fighting in full swing, Yang Xinxin ordered the Hami garrison to "prevent dead defense and not interfere in the war between the two sides."

Now that Gansu is flat, it is time to solve Xinjiang.Said it was a solution, but did not mean to replace Yang, but needed Yang Xinxin's political support for the Feng faction and logistical supplies for the Northwest People's Army.After all, he has considerable ability and credit for stabilizing Xinjiang. At present, the People's Army mainly uses "demotion of generals and officials" to maintain local peace. It is not wise to rashly replace the big officials who can stabilize the border.

Yang Zengxin was born in Mengzi County, Yunnan Province in 1863. He passed the imperial examination in Guangxu Wuzi (1888) of the Qing Dynasty. In 1907, he was transferred to the general office of the Xinjiang Army Academy. In the following year, he was recommended by the governor of Xinjiang, Liankui, to go to Beijing. His Majesty saw the Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu, "expressing the ambition of guarding the frontiers", which was appreciated by Cixi, and he was appointed as Dao Yin of Aksu, Xinjiang.

On June 1912, 6, Yang Zengxin cut off his braids, took off the five-rank official uniform of the Qing Dynasty, put on the military governor's uniform of the Republic of China, and ascended the throne of the supreme ruler of Xinjiang.In the early years of the Republic of China, he ruled Xinjiang for 5 years. He successively served as the governor of Xinjiang, the supervisor of Xinjiang military affairs, the Xinjiang military governor, the supervisor of Xinjiang military affairs aftermath, and the chairman of Xinjiang Province.Relying on his experienced political experience and military strength, he quelled the turmoil in Hami and Aksu, divided and suppressed the Gelaohui and peasant uprisings in various places, and reached a consensus with the Ili military government through peace talks; after that, he gradually eliminated the influence of the military government figures and took control of the real power.In the 17 years until his death, although Yang Zengxin nominally accepted the jurisdiction and appointment of the Beiyang government, and later accepted the leadership of the Nanjing National Government, he was the actual ruler of Xinjiang.At the same time, Yang Zengxin adjusted Xinjiang's political system and concentrated power, which solved the problem of inconsistent powers of the Xinjiang governor, general Yili, and counselors and ministers since the end of the Qing Dynasty.

In terms of internal affairs, Yang Zengxin promoted Lao Tzu's "government by doing nothing" and believed in "the people of the ancient times who have no intention of doing anything".There have been reforms in politics and finance, including more efficient adjustments to the organizational system, making it easier for Dihua (Urumqi) to control all parts of Xinjiang. Disarmament has maintained a longer period of stability and peace.However, Yang Zengxin has made few achievements in economic and cultural aspects. Although Xinjiang can maintain stability and is loved by many local people, it lacks modernization and development.

In terms of ethnic and religious policies, Yang adopted a policy of gentleness and containment to prevent unrest.On the one hand, it is to win over and support the upper-class princes of various ethnic groups, and to make the various groups check each other, and try to make them check each other among ethnic minorities, Hui and Han. In terms of religion, the principle of non-interference in general religious activities is the principle. However, the government has strengthened the management of mosques and Islamic schools, hoping to maintain the status quo of local Islam, use religion to help maintain social order, and prevent external religious forces from entering into influence.

The geographic location of Xinjiang made it the target of Britain and Russia's competition for aggression since the late Qing Dynasty.When Yang Zengxin was in power, he fought for rights with Russia and Britain many times, including protecting overseas Chinese in Russia and requiring British and Russian businessmen to pay taxes, etc.At the beginning of the Republic of China, the country was in danger.Xinjiang, where Yang Zengxin is in charge, is facing internal and external troubles and frequent turmoil.After the abdication of the Qing court, Tsarist Russia, which had been coveted for a long time, took the opportunity to intervene in Khalkha Mongolian affairs, which caused long-term turmoil in Tangnu Ulianghai, Khobdo, Uliasutai and other places; there were violence by Gelaohui and revolutionaries Activities and riots such as Hami Temur peasant uprising.Ethnic, political, and international backgrounds were intertwined, making Xinjiang in the early Republic of China unprecedentedly turbulent.The ups and downs of the officialdom and the experience in the political arena enabled Yang Zengxin to be more decisive and calm to stop chaos and deal with crises.In the depths of the Chinese traditional consciousness, if the world is not solid, the country will not be the country; guarding the land and borders is the key of officials.In view of this, he decisively resorted to the strategy of "fighting against the outside world first and then governing the inside", which really worked.

In the early years of the Republic of China, the Chinese Beiyang government had no time to take care of border areas such as Xinjiang, Outer Mongolia, and Tibet due to civil strife.Just one month after the Revolution of 1912, Jebtsundamba, the Living Buddha of Outer Mongolia with evil intentions, declared independence in Kulun with the support of Tsarist Russia, broke away from China, and captured the city of Khovduo in August 8.In order to prevent the Outer Mongolia rebels from expanding their sphere of influence, in October 1912, Yang Zengxin sent troops to Altai, which is adjacent to Khobduo.This time he took out the strategy of besieging Wei and saving Zhao, pretending to attack Khobduo City to contain the Outer Mongolian rebels, so that they would not dare to rashly attack the Altai area that was once under the jurisdiction of Khobduo Counselor of the Qing Dynasty.In the seventh year of the Republic of China (10), the Altai Minister of Affairs was abolished, Ashan Road was established, and it was merged into Xinjiang Province to prevent it from falling into the hands of independent elements in Soviet Russia and Outer Mongolia.Therefore, under the circumstances at that time, he made considerable contributions to maintaining the territorial integrity of Xinjiang, and deserves to be written in history.

After the October Revolution in Russia, he entered into new and more equal trade terms with the Soviet government, and took this opportunity to ask Britain to cancel the original most-favored-nation treatment.In addition, in the face of the Russian Civil War, Yang Zengxin strictly maintained neutrality, protected the country and the people, and later successfully surrendered the White Russian army that had fled into Xinjiang, and reorganized it into a naturalized army, so that Xinjiang would be protected from the Russian Civil War to the greatest extent.Diplomatic success kept Xinjiang from serious aggression during his reign.

In order to ensure the stability of Xinjiang, during Yang Zengxin's rule, the garrisons in Hami, Turpan, and Balikun, bordering Gansu and Outer Mongolia, set up checkpoints to strictly prevent Gansu, Qinghai warlords, black lamas in Outer Mongolia, and revolutionary party forces from penetrating into Xinjiang.This approach is stable and stable, but it also brings bad consequences.Its checkpoint in Xingxingxia not only prevents people from other provinces from entering, but also strictly inspects books, newspapers and letters sent from the mainland, so that Xinjiang is almost isolated from the mainland. A state of ignorance.Under Yang Xinxin's rule, ethnic oppression and class oppression increased unabated compared with the Qing Dynasty.After he served as the governor of Xinjiang, he implemented an autocratic dictatorship, created ethnic differences, and paved the way for the emergence of separatists in later generations.