The conflict erupted as the unintended consequence of a plan by China's supreme leader, Chiang Kai-shek, to weaken the Ma clique, and resulted in the destruction of Sun Dianying's private army.

Despite having nominally accepted the central government's authority, these warlords used private armies to rule their fiefdoms with impunity and often acted against the orders of Chiang Kai-shek, China's supreme leader.

[5] One of the most powerful groups of warlords was the Ma clique, consisting of several related strongmen who controlled the northwestern provinces of Ningxia, Qinghai, and Gansu.

Sun was notoriously unreliable, having repeatedly changed sides in his military career for opportunistic reasons and bribes; he was also a known opponent of Chiang and had tentatively supported Feng's Anti-Japanese Army.

[3] The Ma clique quickly realised that Sun posed a potential threat to their power, however, and mobilized a strong political opposition to the Nationalist government's strategy.

To prevent a mutiny, Sun Dianying had little choice but disobey Chiang's orders and move into Ningxia, thus provoking an open conflict with the Ma clique.

[1] Sun Dianying proceeded to set up a rival provincial government in Shizuishan, openly declaring his intention to conquer the entire province.

Governor Ma Hongkui promptly mobilized his remaining forces,[3] namely his capable Muslim cavalry,[10] as well as infantry troops of much worse quality including spearmen.

At this point, Ma Hongkui even enjoyed the support of the Nationalist Air Force, as Chiang Kai-shek had sent a small number of light bombers[12] and a reconnaissance plane to Ningxia.

[15] He continued to serve in the NRA for the rest of the Nanjing decade, and again rose to army command in the Second Sino-Japanese War, eventually defecting to the Japanese in 1943.