Could China have been as successful as it is today if the Communists did not win?

[Quinkana]

Well China under Chiang-Kai Shek wouldn't be worse than China ruled by Mao Zedong. A situation where the 2nd Sino Japanese War somehow doesn't expand across the Pacific would definitely be worse for China than Mao Zedong. Even if Japan never manages to get effective control of the country, which they probably won't, it's going to be even more of a bloodbath than OTL.

True, but I think the US will go to war with Japan at the end as they both want control over the Pacific, and for the Japanese to think it's a good idea to rule China I'd think the politicians would be nutjobs anyway, which makes a war between the US and Japan a likely event.