With the Communist Party continuing to foment insurrection internally, the Japanese in Manchuria became increasingly aggressive. Echoing Feng Guifen’s predicament during the Taiping Rebellion, Chiang was forced to choose where to allocate his forces, and he chose the communists.

A patriotic warlord in the western city of Xian took issue with Chiang’s decision and decided to take matters into his own hands. Zhang Xueliang kidnapped Chiang, refusing to release him unless he resumed cooperation with the Communists under a Second United Front in order to deal with the Japanese aggression. When Chiang agreed and was released, he received a hero’s welcome back in Nanjing.

Just when it seemed like momentum was turning in China’s favor, with Chiang unifying the country and starting to put economic affairs in order, the Japanese aggression brought progress screeching to a halt.

Patriotic warlord Zhang Xueliang