Japanese to win over.24 In the eyes

Japanese to win over.24 In the eyes of Tokyo strategists, by successfully drawing
Sino-Muslim leaders of Ningxia to their side, they would be able to inflict a grave
menace upon the already-vulnerable Nationalist authority in Ordos. In addition, the
Japanese were generally convinced that, once Ningxia was coming under their
political sway, they would be in an advantageous position to effectively fend off any
possible Soviet military encroachments from the Soviet-dominated MPR and
Xinjiang, and, if needed, to closely check the Chinese Communist activities in the
Communists’ new power base in the nearby Shaanxi and Gansu border region.25 In
August 1936, a group of Japanese military officials quietly arrived in Yinchuan, the
provincial capital of Ningxia, where they were cordially received by Ma Hongkui.
The positive response received from Ma’s group at one point convinced Tokyo that,
given a commonly shared anti-Communist political ideology, the ruling Muslims in
Ningxia might consider the feasibility of further collaboration with the Japanese.26
The Japanese not only sought to develop a stronger connection with the Sino-
Muslims, but also went to great lengths to woo the Mongol nobles in Inner
Mongolia to their side. In early 1936, a ‘survey party’ was dispatched from the
Japanese Kwantung Army Headquarters to Ejine Banner for the purpose of
gathering first-hand information.27 With the consent of Prince Tobshinbayar, the
Japanese successfully established their intelligence unit in his tiny banner machine in
September 1936. Perhaps a more unpleasant development against the Nationalists
was that a banner militia was momentarily organized and trained under the
sponsorship of these newly arrived Japanese secret agents in Ejine.28 In an even
bolder gesture, in late 1937, General Itagaki Seishiro, then Chief of Staff of the
Kwantung Army, personally flew to Alashaa Banner to meet with its ruler Prince
Danizana. During his stay in Dingyuanying, Itagaki Seishiro capitalized upon the
close relationship between the Manchukuo emperor Puyi and Prince Danizana, who
had married one of the Last Emperor’s cousins, persuading the Alashaa Mongols to
collaborate with Japan. After his visit in Alashaa, General Seishiro was granted
permission to establish a Kwantung Army intelligence base in Dingyuanying and to
build an airfield for military purposes.29
From winter 1937, as vast territories east and north of the Ordos region
successively fell into the sway of the Japanese, Alashaa Banner had virtually become
beleaguered Nationalist China’s de facto forefront vis-a` -vis the Japanese in the
Northwest. The precarious military and political predicament in western Inner
Mongolia, and the likelihood of this district being further penetrated by the
Japanese, prompted Chiang Kai-shek to think about advancing Nationalist