HISTORY OF TAIWAN (Republic of China) In 1927, a Civil War broke out in China between the Chinese Nationalists (Kuomintang), led by Chiang Kai-shek, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), led by Mao Zedong. The war continued until 1937 when the Japanese Empire attacked the country. The Chinese people temporarily united to fight the invaders. After the end of World War II, the Chinese Civil War resumed. Throughout the months of 1949, a series of Chinese Communist offensives led to the capture of the Nationalist capital Nanjing. After losing control of mainland China in 1949, the Kuomintang government retained control of Taiwan. Despite the defeat in the Civil War, the UN recognized the government of Chiang Kai-shek as the only legal government in all of China until 1971. Today, Taiwan operates as a democratic republic with its own independent government, economy, and culture.