Muslim General Ma Bufang of the Ma clique notified the Chinese government that he was prepared to lead his army into battle against the Japanese when they started the attack on Beiping.[2] Immediately after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, Ma Bufang arranged for a cavalry division under the Muslim General Ma Biao to be sent east to battle the Japanese.[3] Ethnic Turkic Salar Muslims made up the majority of the first cavalry division which was sent by Ma Bufang.[4]