Interesting. If they continue to hold off the Guomindang, I wonder if the Japanese actually end up allied w(ith the Guomindang in this TL, given their mutual interest in keeping the Kuominchun from taking over all of China.BTW, where are Mao and his bros in all this?
It is entirely possible for the Guomindang to ally themselves with the Japanese Empire, given how the Guominjin was, ITTL, able to control Beijing and Manchuria, making themselves the legitimate government in the eyes of the world. They would also be implementing their ideology into the provinces they controlled, not to mention that they would be undergoing a policy of military expansion to keep up with their conquests. However, if the GMD is able to maintain a leftist leaning instead of being broken into the Left-GMD and the Right-GMD, then I could see them allying with the Guominjun. However if the Right-GMD manages to win, then they could easily ally with the Japanese. The death of Sun Yat-Sen really shook up the GMD, and ended the necessary alliance with the communists. I'm still pondering on if ether the Left or Right faction win, since that'll affect cooperation with the Guominjun.
BTW, where are Mao and his bros in all this?
It really depends. I'm thinking of having him and his bros (that being the CCP) break off from the Guomindang given how it happened after Sun died and the
Shanghai massacre split the Guomindang up into left and right factions. If the Left-GMD survives and is able to eventually overpower Chiang's forces, then we could see the CCP be included into this new GMD. If the Right wins, then we will have the usual bouts of brutal suppression, murder, and uprisings. It depends on what route I take with the Guomindang, and that will affect the CCP's future.