Although its significance was not at first fully recognized by Chinese observers, the October Revolution would eventually have a profound effect on China.

According to orthodox Marxist theory, countries like China lacked the material conditions (such as a large proletariat) to successfully transition to socialism.

Anti-imperialist movements had the potential of destabilizing the worldwide capitalist system and in that way could hasten the revolution where material conditions were right.

Soviet advisors helped Sun reorganize the Kuomintang along Leninist lines, making the party significantly more effective.

Material aid from Russia was good enough for Sun, who had previously shown flexibility when the question was about the promotion of the republic.

The initial aim was to help defeat the warlord threat (through the Northern Expedition of 1926–28), but both parties actually had ulterior motives with this alliance.

The CCP formed it mainly so it could spread communism within the KMT and its members, while Chiang's aim was to control the Communist Party from the inside.

Having said that, he was also the main reason the relationship fell apart, due to his desire to control the Communist Party, ultimately leading to the disintegration of the First United Front.

After purging the Communists and Soviet advisors from Whampoa and his Nationalist army during the 1926 "Canton Coup", and following a series of armed workers strikes in 1926, and organized also by Zhou Enlai in 1927,[10] Chiang went on to kill a large number of Communist forces in mid-1927, an event known as the Shanghai massacre.

The massacre occurred about halfway through the Northern Expedition, ultimately ruining the First United Front and resulting in the Chinese Civil War.