there were still ongoing conflicts across the country. Remaining regional warlords across China chose to cooperate with the Nationalist government, but disagreements with the Nationalist government and regional warlords soon broke out into the Central Plains War in 1930. Northwest China erupted into a series of wars in Xinjiang from 1931 to 1937. Following the Xi'an Incident in 1936, efforts began to shift toward preparation of war against the Japanese Empire. The warlords continued posing problems for the National Government up until the communist victory in 1949, when many turned on the KMT and defected to the CCP, such as Yunnanese warlord Lu Han, whose troops had earlier been responsible for receiving the surrender of the Japanese in Hanoi and had engaged in widespread looting. Although Chiang was generally not considered personally corrupt, his power was dependent on balancing between the various warlords. Although he understood and expressed hatred at the fact that KMT corruption was driving the public to the communists, he continued dealing with warlords, tolerating incompetence and corruption while undermining subordinates who became too strong so as to preserve unity. After the Japanese surrender, warlords turned against the KMT. See also List of aircraft used by both central government and warlord air forces of China Sino-German cooperation until 1941 Chinese nationalism Military of the Republic of China Politics of the Republic of China Warring states period References Citations Further reading Jowett, Philip. Chinese Warlord Armies 1911–30 (Men-at-Arms Series 2010) Lary, Diana. “Warlord Studies.” Modern China 6#4 (1980), pp. 439–470. online McAleavy, Henry. "China Under The Warlords, Part I." History Today (Apr 1962) 12#4 pp 227–233; and "Part II" (May 1962), 12#5 pp 303–311. Michael, Franz H. “Military Organization and Power Structure of China during the Taiping Rebellion.” Pacific Historical Review 18#4 (1949), pp. 469–483. online Military history of the Republic of China (1912–1949) Warlordism 1910s in China 1920s in China