The Purge
Following the defeat of the Zhili clique, Chiang decided to purge all Communists from the Kuomintang. In the Shanghai massacre of April 12, thousands of Communists were executed or went missing, while others were arrested and imprisoned. The purge caused a split between the KMT's left and right wings. The leftists, led by Wang Jingwei in the KMT capital at Wuhan, condemned Chiang's purge. Chiang, however, subsequently established his own capital in Nanjing. As a result, the Nationalist party and its military forces were in a state of disarray during the summer of 1927.
Read more about this topic: Northern Expedition
Famous quotes containing the word purge:
“To purge the mischiefs that increase
And all good order mar,
For oft we see a wicked peace
To be well changed for war.”
—Samuel Daniel (1562–1619)
“Now, neigbour confines, purge you of your scum!
Have you a ruffian that will swear, drink, dance,
Revel the night, rob, murder, and commit
The oldest sins the newest kind of ways?”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)