However, China was far from united and after a few months in office Sun resigned in the hope that this gesture might make the rival factions in China pull together to put the country first rather than their own individual claims. The gesture did not work and China became a nation run by warlords in their own region. Central government, if it did exist at this time, centred on Canton where Sun remained an influential figure.

　　Between 1922 and 1924, Sun adapted the beliefs of the Guomindang so that they appeared more acceptable to the Chinese Communist Party that had been founded in 1921. This conciliatory gesture brought Sun some help from Russia who sent Michael Borodin to Canton. He helped to create a more effective structure for the Guomindang in Canton. He created a system of local Guomindang cells all over southern China and made the party far more disciplined.

　　The Guomindang's army was also reformed into a more effective fighting force. A military academy was founded at Whampoa to train young Guomindang officers. This academy was lead by Chiang Kai-shek - personally selected by Sun. Chiang was sent to Moscow for an intensive course on military and political education. Chiang's task was to ensure that the Guomindang could defend itself if attacked but also to be able to take on the warlords so that the Guomindang could expand its power base away from Canton.

　　When Sun died of cancer in 1925, China was ruled by the warlords but the authority of the Guomindang in and around Canton continued to grow. In later years, the Guomindang and the Communists were to become bitter enemies culminating in the civil war from 1945 to 1949. Ironically, Sun's widow, Song Ching-ling, became vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Republic in 1950.