What events led to the decline of the chinese nationalists? a. soviet forces invaded china's heartland and teamed up with the socially progressive chinese nationalists to liberate the chinese peasants and rehabilitate the communists. b. the hostile chinese nationalists sent an invasion force to japan, prompting the japanese to seek protection from them by forming an alliance with the chinese communists. c. the japanese emperor sent an invasion force from formosa, distracting the power-hungry chinese nationalists from the communist party's escape route to the korean peninsula. d. japan renewed its invasion of china, weakening the corrupt chinese nationalists while the communist party gained strength by radicalizing the peasant class.