The term '''Republic of China''' refers to an era of Chinese history that extended from 1912 until 1949. It was preceded by the [[Qing dynasty]] and followed by the [[People's Republic of China|People's Republic]]. The era is linked to the Nationalist Party, or KMT, which ruled from 1928 to the 1949. The Nationalists were defeated by the Communists in the Chinese Civil War (1946-1949).
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The term '''Republic of China''' refers to an era of Chinese history that extended from 1912 until 1949. It was preceded by the [[Qing dynasty]] and followed by the [[People's Republic of China|People's Republic]]. The Nationalist Party, or KMT ruled from 1927 until 1949. Much of the country was occupied by Japan from 1937 until 1945. The Nationalists were defeated by the Communists in the Chinese Civil War (1946-1949).