Battle of Urumqi (1933)

The First Battle of Urumqi was a conflict which occurred in the spring of 1933 between the armies of the Xinjiang provincial government, and the Chinese Muslim 36th Division (National Revolutionary Army) of the national government of China. The Chinese government secretly urged Ma Zhongying to attack Jin Shuren, while pretending to Jin that he was recognized as the legitimate Governor. Fierce fighting broke out at the gates of the city, and one of the Chinese commanders torched a street where the Muslims troops had managed to break through at the West Gate, killing everyone in the vicinity, including refugees. The Muslims were then forced to retreat into the range of machine gun fire, which killed many of them.

1,800 White Russian troops under Colonel Pappengut subsequently fought off the Muslim soldiers.^[2] Wu Aichen was told at least 2,000 had died at that point. The Muslims attempted to scale the walls at the Great West Bridge, where several were killed. The city was relieved when the provincial Sheng Shicai approached and the Muslim soldiers fled. 6,000 Chinese and Muslim soldiers died in total.^[3]

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