Name of Ma Zhongying's Forces Pre-36th Division?

[Stephen_Rynerson]

Ma Zhongying's troops are best known in Western sources as being the 36th Division of the National Revolutionary Army. However, I know that Ma actually only gained central government recognition as commander of the 36th Division in early 1932 -- his 1931 invasion of Xinjiang at the start of the Kumul Rebellion was an "independent" exercise. Does anyone happen to know what Ma called his forces during that time period? I've combed my books and searched on-line for some time, but I've had no luck. Given Ma's grandiose view of himself, I have to think that he would have wanted to have a formal name for his own troops.

[Robert24]

I would say Kansu Cavalry (3,000)

-Jowett, China's Wars, Osprey Publishing, New York, NY, 2013
-Muslim Conflict in Kansu (1927–30), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_Con ... 80%931930)

Before Kumul was the Central Plains War in which Ma Zhongying, in 1928 as a Hui (Tungan) commander, participated in the Tungan rebellion against the occupying forces of Feng Yu-hsiang (the Christian general of the Kuominchun) in Eastern Kansu. His forces were made up of Kansu cavalry, 3,000 - 10,000. Ma led three separate attacks against Feng's forces in Hezhou.

[Robert24]

Here is a Chinese web site translation... this might help as several Commands or units are listed; also a good pic. of the Muslim Cavalry Commander...

http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... 6bih%3D457

MaZhongYingOnHorse.jpg (34.53 KiB) Viewed 912 times

[Stephen_Rynerson]

Thanks, Robert. I was actually just coming here to post an answer that I got on a different forum: 甘宁青联军, which translates as "Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai Coalition Forces." (http://www.quora.com/What-was-the-forma ... my-in-1932 ) That appears to be consistent with the term used in the Chinese wiki site you linked to in your second post.

In terms of Jowett's book, I have it and had interpreted "Kansu cavalry" as merely being descriptive of the nature of Ma's forces rather than a formal designation.

[Robert24]

Hi Robert,
Good point, "Kansu cavalry" is just descriptive.
Glad I could help with a little confirmation.
So, would you consider adding this new (at least in English new) information to the 36th Division's Wiki page?
Robert

[tomschen6645]

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A9%AC% ... 2%E8%8B%B1

[Stephen_Rynerson]

Good point, "Kansu cavalry" is just descriptive.
Glad I could help with a little confirmation.
So, would you consider adding this new (at least in English new) information to the 36th Division's Wiki page?
Robert

That's a good idea, but I'm unfortunately not a Wikipedia editor, so I'll have to leave that to someone else.