Qinghai–Tibet War
The Qinghai–Tibet War (1932–1933) was a short, hard-fought part of the broader Sino-Tibetan War. It began when the 13th Dalai Lama used a dispute over a monastery in Yushu, Qinghai, as a pretext for a Tibetan attack into Qinghai and nearby Xikang.
Qinghai’s forces, led by Muslim General Ma Bufang with Ma Biao in the field, fought the Tibetan army and pushed them back. They retook several counties in Xikang, including Shiqu and Dege. The key fighting around Jiegu (Yushu) saw Ma Biao hold off the Tibetans with reinforcements from Ma Xun.
The Tibetans, numbering about 3,000, suffered heavier losses because they were less prepared for war. They were pushed back across the Jinsha River, and the Qinghai army regained territory it had controlled since 1919. The Tibetan supply lines toward Garze and Xinlong were threatened, so the Tibetan forces began to withdraw.
By August 1932, the Dalai Lama asked Britain for help as Tibet lost ground. British pressure helped lead China to declare a cease-fire, and separate truces were signed in 1933, ending the fighting.
The victory boosted the reputations of Ma Bufang and Ma Biao, and Chinese control of the border areas in Qinghai and Xikang was strengthened. Ma Biao later gained national fame for his battles against the Japanese in 1937. There were reports of war crimes by both sides during the conflict.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 10:19 (CET).