Yuan Shirkai and the KMT

In 1913, Yuan Shirkai had what has become known as the Second Revolution. He appealed directly to American Protestants to please pray in their respective churches for China's newly formed Republican government and for its newly convened parliament. The British gave their support to the new government, but at the cost of Yuan offering autonomy and Tibet. Sun Yat-sen knew he needed military support without an army or any kind of muscle from his KMT party.