ABSTRACT
With the capture of Peking in June 1928, China appeared to be unified. One flag now waved over much of China and no warlord could match nationalist military forces. The nationalists controlled the political centers of the country, had gained foreign recognition, and organized a government on behalf of China. But this was a paper unity. Although now under the nationalist umbrella, many warlords still commanded their armies and believed themselves largely independent. They in fact, although not in theory, remained warlords. The nationalists actually controlled only about half of the provinces.
