Changes

Chiang conducted a bloody purge of the Communists when he captured Shanghai in April 1927. Left-wing Nationalists in Wuhan under Wang Jingwei continued the united front until July. But they, too, were finally forced to conduct a purge when the treacherous Communists attempted a coup. The two wings of the Nationalist Party were reunited and the capital was moved to Nanjing in September. The Beijing government dissolved in May 1928 as Chiang's forces approached, and Zhang fled to Manchuria. Furious with his failure to stop Chiang’s advance, the Japanese murdered Zhang in June. The United States recognized Nationalist China in July, the first nation to do.<ref>''[http://books.google.com.vn/books?id=HuB6gPHeP_cC&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=#v=onepage&q&f=false China White Paper: August 1949]'', p. 12.</ref> The U.S. also signed a treaty with Nanjing restoring China's tariff autonomy. In December, Zhang Xueliang, Zhang Zuolin's son, agreed to fly the Nationalist flag in Manchuria and China was reunited, at least nominally.

Chiang conducted a bloody purge of the Communists when he captured Shanghai in April 1927. Left-wing Nationalists in Wuhan under Wang Jingwei continued the united front until July. But they, too, were finally forced to conduct a purge when the treacherous Communists attempted a coup. The two wings of the Nationalist Party were reunited and the capital was moved to Nanjing in September. The Beijing government dissolved in May 1928 as Chiang's forces approached, and Zhang fled to Manchuria. Furious with his failure to stop Chiang’s advance, the Japanese murdered Zhang in June. The United States recognized Nationalist China in July, the first nation to do.<ref>''[http://books.google.com.vn/books?id=HuB6gPHeP_cC&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=#v=onepage&q&f=false China White Paper: August 1949]'', p. 12.</ref> The U.S. also signed a treaty with Nanjing restoring China's tariff autonomy. In December, Zhang Xueliang, Zhang Zuolin's son, agreed to fly the Nationalist flag in Manchuria and China was reunited, at least nominally.

Under the Nationalists, China experienced industrialization and modernization, but there was also conflict between the government in Nanjing, the Communist Party, remnant warlords, and Japan. The warlords were finally brought to heel in 1930 when Chiang put down a brief but bloody revolt in central China. One party rule, described as "political tutelage," was established. In Nationalist ideology, this was explained as a period in which the nation would be educated and prepared for full democracy. The Japanese seized Manchuria in the "Mukden Incident" of 1931. They created a puppet state to administer this region with Puyi as emperor. Nation-building took a backseat to war with Japan in 1937–1945. Japan occupied the coastal areas and cut off China's access to seaports, while the Nationalists retreated to Chongqing. A puppet state led by Wang was set up in Nanjing. The Chinese cause received much sympathetic attention in the U.S. press, and the [[Flying Tigers]], an aviation squadron, was lionized. So was Chiang's wife, first lady Song Meiling, a U.S. educated Christian. The Burma Road, and later the Ledo Road, were built to allow US "lend-lease" aid to reach the Chinese army. The Nationalists' Y Force drove back the Japanese in Yunnan during a May–June 1944 offensive, but otherwise military results were disappointing.

Under the Nationalists, China experienced industrialization and modernization, but there was also conflict between the government in Nanjing, the Communist Party, remnant warlords, and Japan. The warlords were finally brought to heel in 1930 when Chiang put down a brief but bloody revolt in central China. One party rule, described as "political tutelage," was established. In Nationalist ideology, this was explained as a period in which the nation would be educated and prepared for full democracy. The Japanese seized Manchuria in the "Mukden Incident" of 1931. They created a puppet state to administer this region with Puyi as emperor. Nation-building took a backseat to war with Japan in 1937–1945. Japan occupied the coastal areas and cut off China's access to seaports, while the Nationalists retreated to Chongqing. A puppet state led by Wang was set up in Nanjing. The Chinese cause received much sympathetic attention in the U.S. press, and the [[Flying Tigers]], an aviation squadron, was lionized. So was Chiang's wife, first lady Song Meiling, a U.S.-educated Christian. The Burma Road, and later the Ledo Road, were built to allow US "lend-lease" aid to reach the Chinese army. The Nationalists' Y Force drove back the Japanese in Yunnan during a May–June 1944 offensive, but otherwise military results were disappointing.

After Japan surrendered, the Cold War between the U.S. and Soviet Union led to renewed fighting between the Nationalists and the Communists. The Soviets occupied Manchuria in 1945, where the main Japanese forces and supplies had been maintained. The Chinese Communists were based is the North at this time, while the Nationalists were in Chongqing in the southwest. These two factors gave the Communists the advantage in picking up the spoils of war. The Communist army had been a minor factor during the war with Japan, but its manpower expanded dramatically as soldiers from the puppet armies defected. By late 1947, the military initiative had shifted to the Communists. The Nationalists lost some 550,000 soldiers in the Huaihai campaign of 1948-1949, the climax of the Civil War.

After Japan surrendered, the Cold War between the U.S. and Soviet Union led to renewed fighting between the Nationalists and the Communists. The Soviets occupied Manchuria in 1945, where the main Japanese forces and supplies had been maintained. The Chinese Communists were based is the North at this time, while the Nationalists were in Chongqing in the southwest. These two factors gave the Communists the advantage in picking up the spoils of war. The Communist army had been a minor factor during the war with Japan, but its manpower expanded dramatically as soldiers from the puppet armies defected. By late 1947, the military initiative had shifted to the Communists. The Nationalists lost some 550,000 soldiers in the Huaihai campaign of 1948-1949, the climax of the Civil War.