Changes

Yuan's power base was the Beiyang Army. He had appointed Beiyang officers as provincial governors when he first came to power. The president's duties in Beijing required him to delegate, and he grew distant from key officers. In 1913, the military governors were granted wide authority to deal with the KMT rebellion. This marked the beginning of the [[Warlord Era]]. The Beiyang officers were well-trained for their new role. After all, they were following Yuan's own example. He had spent many years as a warlord and thorn in the side of the Qing government.

Yuan's power base was the Beiyang Army. He had appointed Beiyang officers as provincial governors when he first came to power. The president's duties in Beijing required him to delegate, and he grew distant from key officers. In 1913, the military governors were granted wide authority to deal with the KMT rebellion. This marked the beginning of the [[Warlord Era]]. The Beiyang officers were well-trained for their new role. After all, they were following Yuan's own example. He had spent many years as a warlord and thorn in the side of the Qing government.

In 1915, Japan's Twenty-One demands aroused much public opposition. Yuan eventually accepted thirteen of these demands. Yuan proclaimed himself emperor in 1915. Even the officers of the Beiyang army, Yuan's power base, were opposed. [[Zhang Zuolin]] was one of a handful of senior officers who supported Yuan's proclamation. In gratitude, Yuan made Zhang military commander for Manchuria, a large frontier district in the northeast. At this time, Manchuria was thinly populated. But it would develop quickly in the years that followed. Faced with nearly unanimous opposition, Yuan renounced his imperial pretensions after only a few months.

In 1915, Japan's Twenty-One demands aroused much public opposition. Yuan eventually accepted thirteen of these demands. Yuan proclaimed himself emperor in 1915. The Beiyang officers took advantage of the uproar to assert themselves. [[Zhang Zuolin]] was one of a handful of senior officers who supported Yuan's proclamation. In gratitude, Yuan made Zhang military commander for Manchuria, a large frontier district in the northeast. At this time, Manchuria was thinly populated. But it would develop quickly in the years that followed. Faced with nearly unanimous opposition, Yuan renounced his imperial pretensions after only a few months.

{{History of China}}

{{History of China}}