First United Front and the Northern Expedition (1923–1928)

1. Sun–Joffe Manifesto outlines KMT–Soviet cooperation

   Jan 23, 1923Labels: Sun Yat-sen, Adolph Joffe, Kuomintang Soviet

   • Britannica
   • Britannica

2. First KMT National Congress formalizes First United Front

   Jan 20, 1924Labels: KMT 1st, Kuomintang, First United

   • KMT Congress
   • Britannica

3. Whampoa Military Academy officially opens in Guangzhou

   May 1, 1924Labels: Whampoa Military, National Revolutionary, Guangzhou

   • China Daily
   • ROC Academy

4. Sun Yat-sen dies, weakening United Front cohesion

   Mar 12, 1925Labels: Sun Yat-sen, Kuomintang, KMT factionalism

   • US FRUS
   • Britannica

5. Zhongshan Warship Incident boosts Chiang Kai-shek’s power

   Mar 20, 1926Labels: Zhongshan Warship, Chiang Kai-shek, United Front

   • China Daily
   • Britannica

6. Northern Expedition formally begins under NRA command

   Jul 9, 1926Labels: Northern Expedition, Chiang Kai-shek, National Revolutionary

   • Northern Exp
   • Britannica

7. Wuhan becomes base for left-leaning Nationalist government

   Dec 5, 1926Labels: Wuhan Government, Left KMT, Yangtze

   • Wuhan Govt
   • Northern Exp

8. Nanking Incident sparks foreign intervention and pressure

   Mar 21, 1927Labels: Nanking Incident, Nanjing, Foreign intervention

   • Nanking 1927

9. Shanghai Massacre ends United Front cooperation

   Apr 12, 1927Labels: Shanghai Massacre, Chiang Kai-shek, White Terror

   • Shanghai 1927
   • Northern Exp

10. Nanchang Uprising launches armed CCP resistance

    Aug 1, 1927Labels: Nanchang Uprising, Chinese Communist, armed insurrection

    • Britannica
    • Cambridge

11. Chiang officially resumes Northern Expedition’s second phase

    Apr 7, 1928Labels: Northern Expedition, Chiang Kai-shek, Second phase

    • Northern Exp

12. Jinan Incident escalates conflict with Japanese forces

    May 3, 1928Labels: Jinan Incident, Imperial Japanese, NRA

    • Jinan 1928
    • Northern Exp

13. Huanggutun Incident kills Zhang Zuolin, reshaping Manchuria

    Jun 4, 1928Labels: Huanggutun Incident, Zhang Zuolin, Manchuria

    • Huanggutun
    • Bristol Photos

14. Northeast Flag Replacement nominally unifies China under Nanjing

    Dec 29, 1928Labels: Northeast Flag, Zhang Xueliang, Nanjing Government

    • Flag Replace
    • NYT ref