Washington recognizes the Nanjing government as China's legitimate authority

For sixteen years, foreign governments had dealt with whichever warlord controlled Beijing, treating the Beiyang regime as China's legal government despite its shrinking real power. On September 27, 1928, the United States recognized the Nationalist government at Nanjing, led by Chiang Kai-shek, as the legitimate authority over China. The Northern Expedition had driven the old warlord government out of Beijing three months earlier, but Manchuria still stood outside Nanjing's control. Washington's recognition came before the reunification was even complete…