Feng Guozhang

Feng Guozhang.

Féng Guózhāng, (馮國璋 Wade-Giles: Feng Kuo-chang courtesy Huafu 華甫 or 華符) (1858 - December 1919) native of Hejian, Hebei. He was a Beiyang Army general and politician in early republican China.

Feng broke with Yuan Shikai when the latter attempted to make himself emperor. His name was prominently missing from the list of proposed successors Yuan revealed after death.

Feng then served as vice president under Li Yuanhong and was founder of the Zhili clique of warlords. During the occupation of Beijing by Zhang Xun, Feng served as acting president, a position he kept when Li formally resigned. He was sworn president of the Republic of China on August 1 1917 but its constitutionality was challenged as the National Assembly was not reconvened to recognize it. On August 14, China entered World War I on the side of the Allies after growing evidence of Germany's support for Zhang's coup was uncovered as well as intense lobbying by Premier Duan Qirui. He sent about 100,000 in labor battalions to the Western Front. Sun Yatsen set up a rival government in Guangzhou during September 1917 and also declared war later that month in a failed attempt to get international recognition. Feng wanted to peacefully resolve the north-south conflict which led to Duan resigning in protest. Due to pressure from the Anhui clique, he brought Duan back into the premiership. Feng finished the five-year term started by Yuan in 1913 on October 10, 1918 and died in Beijing of illness.