Sun Yatsen, Chiang Kaishek and the Kuomintang.

Early Stages of Kuomintang 1894-1913

• The Kuomintang began life as the "Revive China Society" founded in 1894 by Dr. Sun Yatsen, a proponent of Chinese nationalism and democracy. 
• In 1905, Sun joined forces with other anti-Qing groups to form the Tongmenhui (Revolutionary Alliance) who planned and supported the 1911 revolution.
• In August 1912, the Kuomintang was formed with Sun elected as Party Chairman.
• It was based on 3 principles ; Nationalism, Democarcy and People's Livelihood.
• That was written by Sun in 1903 as part of the Nationalist Movement. 
• The Kuomintang won an overwhelming majority in elections to the National Assembly in December 1912.
• The Kuomintang was banned by Yuan Shikai in November 1913 and Sun was forced to flee to Japan.

Re-establishment of Kuomintang 1919-1925

• 1919, Shanghai, the Kuomintang was reformed and established its headquarters in Guangdong province.
• 1923, Kuomintang accepted aid from USSR after being denied recognisiton by Western Powers.
• Soviet Comintern advisers like Michael Borodin arrived with aid and weapons, reforming the Kuomintang along the lines of the CPSU with a Leninist structure. 
• Michael created the National Revolutionary Army as the Kuomintang needed their own army.
• Some elements withtin the Kuomintang were landlords or from business classes.
• Therefore, the Kuomintang remained wary of the CCP. 
• 1923, The CCP was instructed by the Comintern to unite with Kuomintang to establish the "United Front" to fight the warlords and reunite with China.
• At the Kuomintang's first party congress in 1924, Sun's political theory was adopted which included the Three Principles.

Victory 1925-1928

• Sun died in 1925 who was replaced with Chiang Kaishek who was the superintendent of the Whampoa Military Academy in Canton. He had near complete control of the military.
• Chiang launched the Northern Expedition in 1926 to defeat the warlords of Northern China and unite the country.
• The Northern Expedition 1926
• He led the Northern Expedition to crush the warlords.
• 50,000 troops of the National Revolutionary Army marched out of Guangzhou.
• In Hunan, peasants flocked to join the army organised by Mao.
• In 1927, a split emerged in the Kuomintang. 
• The left wing under Wang Jing Wei with the CCP and disagreed with Chiang over strategy.
• The right wing under Chinag Kai-shek.
• A power struggle exists within the Kuomintang.
• Chiang responded by massacring Communists in Shanghai.
• Shanghai Massacre 1927
• The CCP organised workers' union in central and Southern China.
• In Shanghai, there was a general strike organised by Zhou Enlai.
• The CCP had paralysed Shanghai in terms of movement due to the strike.
• Foreign troops were ready to crush the CCP.
• Chiang worried about the rapid growth of CCP strength and power.
• As a result, Chiang supported the massacre of CCP in Shanghai.
• By the end of 1927, Kuomintang had reunited and was under his control. 
• Chiang finally took Beijing in 1928 and led a new unified government based in Nanjing.
• It lasted until 1937.