The Chinese Nationalist Party, or Kuomingtang was from earlier organizations formed by Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. Sun helped organize the 1910-1911 Revolution and established the Republic of China in 1919. After Sun's death, General Chiang Kai-Shek (Jiang Jieshi) became leader of the Kuomingtang and the Republic. Chiang led several successful military campaigns against warlords and beginning in 1927 against the Communists, his former allies.
By 1937, the Republic of China, led by the KMT, was the internationally recognized government of China.

When the imperial government broke down, local military commanders and other leaders took control of their regions. Some of these "warlords" controlled large areas, including Manchuria, before 1931.

The Communist Party of China was created in 1921. Its membership grew after the KMT government began receiving assistance from the Soviet Union. In 1927 the Nationalists broke with the Communists, forcing them to withdraw from the cities. In 1934, the KMT nearly succeeded in capturing the main Communist armies, leading to the Long March led by Mao Zedong. Over 90 percent of the army died during the march. In 1935 the surviving Communists formed the Shaanxi Soviet and began rebuilding their forces.