On January first, 1912 the Republic of China was established, signaling the end of the Manchu-dominated Qing Empire. Sun Yat-sen of the Kuomintang, was proclaimed provisional president of the republic. However, Yuan Shikai, a former Qing general who had defected to the revolutionary cause, soon forced Sun to step aside and took the presidency for himself. For the years to come up until the Communist Victory in 1949, the Country of China was faced with various levals of policital distress. Increasing pressure from neighbour Japan, as well as the selfish betrayal of the Republics well bein…