The founding father of the Republic soon realized that if they were to have a united country they would have to get rid of the warlords. To eliminate the warlords they would have to develop a true revolutionary army, devoted to the good of the nation.
國父鑑於革命事業之所以未竟全功，十數年來只爭得民國之名，而無民國之實，乃由於「只有革命黨的奮鬥，沒有革命軍的奮鬥」，故而有心建立一支具有正確革命思想的基本武力，以消弭軍閥、統一全國。