Mao's rise to power' and the 'Chinese civil war 1911 - 1949

1913 - 1915 Chinese Revolution

10/10/1911 "double tenth rebellion". Led to revolution and the end of the rule of the Manchu dynasty. China became a republic. The young emperor Pu Yi was put under house arrest in the "Forbidden City" in Beijing. Democratic elections for a parliament were held in 1913. Yuan was appointed President. He refused to share power with Parliament and closed it down. He ruled like an emperor, on verge of declaring himself emperor when he died in 1916 (Chinese "died of eating bitterness"). Yuan appeasement of Japan—including acceptance of many of the infamous "Twenty-One Demands" issued in 1915— damaged his popularity and led to unifying his opponents and eventually to his downfall.

1921 - Chinese Communist Party (CCP) - Early Years

1919: Treaty of Versailles, the German colony in China, Shandong, was handed to the Japanese. This infuriated Chinese nationalists. Workers and students protested in the streets of Chinese cities. A movement emerged from these protests - May 4th movement. Out of this movement a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) emerged. Officially the CCP came into Existence in 1921. One of its founders was Mao Zedong. He had a peasant background, he was a librarian at Beijing University. Initially the CCP had 423 members.

1924 - 1949 Chiang Kai-Shek - Communism

1924. He began to build up the Nationalist army, based on methods Chiang observed during a visit to the Soviet Union. During this same time, Chinese Communists were admitted into the GMD. He took party control in 1925 and consolidated control and used the Communist's forces to defeat the warlords. He expelled the Communists in a brutal coup in 1927 (Shanghai Massacre). In 1928, he formed a new central government out of Nanking, with himself as head of state and led a successful unification of China in 1930. Despite a professed focus on reform, Chiang's government concentrated on battling Communism within China.

1937 Chinese Hyper-Inflation (Social and economic problems)

After 1937 mismanagement of economy and corruption led to hyper-inflation.

1915 - 1916 Chinese Republic - Failure

After Yuan's death, the central Government collapsed and Sun attempted to govern the country with very little success. China gradually slipped into anarchy. In the provinces, "warlords" gradually took control. Some of them were generals of the army, important officials, landowners.

1934 - 1935 The Long March - Facts

After enduring starvation, aerial bombardment and almost daily skirmishes with Nationalist forces, Mao halted his columns in northern Shaanxi on October 20, 1935, where they met other Red army troops. The Long March was over. By some estimates, 5,000 or fewer marchers completed the journey, which covered more than 4,000 miles and crossed 24 rivers and 18 mountain ranges.

1934 - 1935 The Long March - Impact

Along the route of the long march, the message and benefits of communism were spread to more remote rural areas. Once established in the mountains of Yenan province, Mao was able to develop CCP tactics and ideology.

Military personnel KMT versus CCP

Although the Nationalists forces significantly outnumbered the PLA forces, by the end of WW2 (August 1945), 3 to 1, in terms of troops (though the PLA could call on some low-trained militia forces (about 2.2 million of them), as Communist forces took more and more land, they were able to recruit more people, and eventually overtook the Nationalists. However, the numbers advantage did not seem to have been decisive for the nationalists, as they were not able to win the war in its earlier stages. The Communists' use of guerrilla tactics, such as mobile defence. Both armies employed the use of conscription, however, the CCP was able to get more 'genuine' and 'enthusiastic' support amongst the population, and therefore its soldiers, as well as treating them better than the GMD. Defection was rampant in GMD forces, especially when tempted by the CCP's better fed and better-treated army life (the CCP encouraged defection from the GMD) as well as bringing prisoners into the army.

Mao Zedong (1893-1976)

Became the leader of China 1949, "Chairman Mao"

Chinese Communist tactics

Between 1930 and 1937 the communists used mainly guerilla tactics against nationalist forces. 1934 Russian advisors advocated stand and fight battles, which resulted in heavy casualties, so these tactics were abandoned. The communists successfully used guerilla tactics against the Japanese. By 1948 the communists had liberated most of Manchuria. By this time Mao did not interfere with military tactics, which he left to able communist generals such as Lian Biao. Land reform, social reform in areas "liberated" by the communists meant peasant support and millions of recruits for the PLA. The communists used conscription of peasants. By 1949, the PLA had 4 million soldiers.

Failure of foreign intervention

Both Russia and the USA interfered, unsuccessfully, in the Chinese civil war. During the long march, Russian advisors were sacked by the CCP because of the failure of their stand and fight tactics. After this, Chinese communist leaders took control of military tactics. 1948, Stalin urged Mao not to invade Southern China. Mao ignored his advice and invaded. In 1936, Chiang Kai Shek ignored the USA's advice to form a joint government with the communists. The USA regarded Chiang Kai Shek and the KMT as corrupt and scaled back financial aid. In 1948, with the communist winning, the USA increased financial support to the Nationalists, but it was too little too late.

1923-1927 Chinese First United Front

By 1923, membership of the CCP was increasing rapidly. The nationalists (GMD) decided to make an alliance with the CCP. This was called "The first united front". The CCP became incorporated into the GMD. The aim was to work together to solve China's problems and end warlordism in China. Together they formed the National Revolutionary Army and set out in 1926 on the Northern Expedition.

1927 Shanghai Massacre

By 1927 the CCP had 50 000 signed up members. The CCP effectively controlled some of China's industrial cities e.g Shanghai. Chiang Kai Shek (GMD) started to see the CCP as a bigger threat to his authority than the warlords. He ordered a massacre of communists and trade unionists who were working with the CCP. In Shanghai 30 000 were murdered and 1000's more in other Chinese cities.

1935 Mao - Leadership

By 1935 he had emerged as the leader of the CCP. His leadership had been established by the long march against the advice of Russian communist advisors. He adapted communism to Chinese conditions. The peasantry became the revolutionary class rather than the industrial factory workers. In the areas that the CCP controlled, after 1937, these were known as the liberated areas. The communists introduced the peasants to Marxism. They introduced land reform, education and equality for women.

1937 - 1941 Chinese Second United Front - KMT View

Chiang Kai Shek's priority remained the destruction of the CCP. Some of his officers took matters into their own hands. They kidnapped and handed him over to the communists. This became known as the Xian Incident. Chiang was then compelled to make an alliance with the CCP to fight the Japanese "the second united front", suspending the Civil War. The vast majority of the Chinese people approved of this alliance.

CCP

Chinese Communist Party (founded 1921)

1946 - 1949 2nd Chinese Civil War

Civil war broke out in 1946, ending in a victory by Mao Zedong's Communist forces and the creation of the People's Republic of China. The GMD army treated the peasants brutally during the civil war stealing their horses and equipment and never got support from peasants.

Yuan Shikai (1859-1916)

Commander of the Imperial Chinese army in 1911. Became president of GMD.

Second Civil War (1946 - 1949)

Communists managed the Second Civil War more effectively. At the start, the GMD had the more modern military equipment, more men and an air force. The CCP lacked modern equipment. GMD controlled Southern China CCP North, 90 million people. Potential support from Russians in Manchuria. The USA would have preferred a peace agreement between the two sides in 1945 so was not committed to supporting Chiang Kai Shek. Initially, the GMD made considerable gains in the Northern 'liberated areas' aided by transport aircraft provided by the USA. The CCP responded using guerrilla-style tactics called 'Mobile defense'. This placed less emphasis on capturing territory and more on inflicting damage on enemy units. Soviet support for the CCP in Manchuria was limited, they lost control of the cities there to the GMD. However, Chiang's deployment of his army to Manchuria made the GMD more susceptible to guerrilla operations in the South - a tactical error. Fortunately, for the Communists, a truce was agreed in Manchuria, under pressure from the USA. Chiang agreed to it in order not to overstretch his armies, another tactical error. The CCP, using Japanese equipment handed over by the Russians, regrouped, forming into a more conventional force and held back the GMD when fighting resumed. The GMD tended to concentrate on holding key cities neglecting rural areas where the CCP built up its forces. In 1948 the CCP advanced and recaptured the whole of Manchuria. Beijing was surrendered to the Communists in January 1949. Nationalist resistance in Southern China collapsed In total the USA gave about $2 billion to the GMD however this was total aid, not just military. In fact, it may have needed more military aid from the USA for the GMD to defeat the Communists. However poor strategy and leadership did not help the GMD cause either.

What are the reasons for communist victory in the civil war / Mao's rise to power.

Failure of 1911 revolution; China's social and economic problems; Mao's Leadership and ideology ; Long march 1934 - 1935; The war against Japan 1937 - 1945; Communist tactics; Failures GMD (nationalists); Failure of foreign intervention; Corruption; Poverty; Famine; Landlord exploitation; Social Injustice; Backwards; Rural; The additional problem of foreign influence

Support - GMD Civilian Population

Hardships in the cities worsened the popularity of the nationalists, and they were also perceived as corrupt, by many. The popularity of the nationalists was declining compared to the CCP. Both factions used harsh methods as well. People were conscripted, high taxes were placed on them, and peasants were often used for unpaid labour.

1934 - 1935 The Long March - Reasons

In 1931, Chiang Kai Shek decided to exterminate the soviets and launched a series (5) of military campaigns "Extermination campaigns" against the Chinese Soviet Republic. The communists were successfully able to repel these campaigns using guerilla tactics. The GMD started to reduce the soviets by encircling them with defensive positions called "block houses". After an internal debate it was decided that the CCP would break out of the soviets encirclement and then march 7000 miles to the mountainous Yenan province and set up a new CCP base. This became known as the long march. The long march provided the CCP and importantly, Mao, with an inspiring legend for propaganda purposes, establishing Mao's leadership of the CCP.

1931 Japanese Invasion of Manchuria

In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria, renaming it Manchuko. They set up the former emperor of China Pu Yi as puppet emperor Manchuko.

1937 - 1941 Chinese Second Front - CCP View

In 1935 the Communist International (Comintern) in Moscow urged communist parties to form alliances with non-communist governments and groups, in order to combat fascism and militarism. In China, the CCP began calling for national unity against Japanese military aggression. Slogans circulated included "Chinese must not fight Chinese" and "Immediate war with Japan; stop fighting Communists". In the mid 1930s the communist foothold in northern Shaanxi was very fragile and threatened by the nationalist military forces. By representing their actions in 1936-37 as a commitment to the anti-Japanese resistance, the CCP won further support from the peasants.

1937 Marco Polo Bridge Incident

In 1937, after an incident on the Marco Polo Bridge, near Beijing, the Japanese army invaded the rest of China starting the Sino-Japanese War.

1930 Unified China

In Beijing a new leader of the government emerged from the Governments top military academy - Chiang Kai Shek. He led a series of successful military campaigns against war lords forcing them to accept his leadership. By 1930, he had united most of China under his control. However, Chiang never introduced democracy or popular policies to improve the lives of the peasants.

Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925)

Leader of 1911 revolution in China. Founder of Chinese nationalist party GMD.

Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi)

Leader of the Guomindang Nationalists; when he lost the Chinese Civil War he had to flee to Taiwan

PLA

Peoples Liberation Army (communist army)

GMD (Guomindang)

Sun Yet Sen's revolutionary party founded on the three principles, nationalism, democracy and people's livelihood (which mostly appealed to the middle and upper class) and the opponent of the CCP in the CCW. Sun Yat-Sen was the first president of China and some of the errors of the Party led to the rise of Chinese communism.

1911 - 1930 Chinese Revolution - Failure

The 1911 revolution never gave the mass of the Chinese people what they wanted or what they needed. It resulted in anarchy under the war lords and then dictatorship under Chiang Kai Shek. The revolution failed to achieve its aims and never succeeded to achieve a more social/economic equality or a democratic China.

1927 - 1934 Chinese Communist Party (CCP) - Peasantry Movement

The 1927 surviving CCP members were forced to leave the cities and move out into the countryside. Here they set up soviets. The biggest was in Jiang Xi province in rural South East China. Here they introduced land reforms and education for the peasants and started to win over the support of the peasantry. Propaganda and and patriotic songs were taught to the villagers, emphasizing that the CCP were fighting a war to make the lives of ordinary Chinese people better (through the much needed social reforms). For example, their land distribution policy gained much peasant support. In the meantime, Mao was keen not to alienate moderate landowners, and did not confiscate their land. Nevertheless, there was class warfare at a local level.

Chinese Civil War

The Chinese Civil War fought between the Communists and the Nationalists was to restore control over China. It formed two parts, starting in 1927-1930, separated by the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, and started again in 1946 after the war with Japan was over

Support - CCP Civillian Population

The Communist policy towards civilians aimed to not be excessive on the people, i.e. moderate landlords allowed to keep their land, as well as Mao requiring the PLA to act with discipline and restraint when carrying out reform. Furthermore, Communist ideas such as land reform had popularity with the peasants. Prisoners were also treated relatively well, some accounts stating that they would not execute their prisoners, and "treated well", which resulted in many of the captured GMD soldiers joining the Communist forces. Both factions used harsh methods as well. People were conscripted, high taxes were placed on them, and peasants were often used for unpaid labor.

1930 - 1949 Lack of Reforms by KMT (social and economic problems)

The GMD (nationalists) under Chiang Kai Shek never introduced the land reform or more rights for women - so peasantry were always looking for someone who could fulfill their needs.

1911 Chinese Revolution - Objectives

The aim of the main revolutionary leader, Sun Yat Sen, who had a western education, was to form a republic based on three principles, ideas. They were: 1) Nationalism - end foreign interference in China; 2) Introduce democracy - western idea; 3) Livelihood - create a fairer society

1937 - 1945 Chinese war against Japan

The communists under Mao (CCP) fought an effective guerilla war against the Japanese. The Japanese often retaliated by murdering whole villages that had supported the communists. The nationalist army under Chiang Kai Shek (GMD) retreated deep into the interior of China and was largely ineffective against the Japanese. It was the communists who took the leading role in resisting the Japanese and communists gained more prestige. Especially in their 'Liberated areas'. In 1945, Japan surrendered despite attempts at negotiation, the united front collapsed and the civil war resumed. CCP vs GMD.

Support - CCP Armament

The food and weapons supply was crucial for the military success, however, both sides had to rely on foreign supplies as they didn't manufacture significant armament. Communists - The communists heavily relied on armaments manufactured abroad. A lot of their weapons were captured, initially from the Japanese and later from the Nationalists themselves. In the first few months of the war when the Japanese surrendered, the Communists were able to gain access to huge stockpiles of Japanese weapons in both northern China and Manchuria. Additionally, the Russians: Assisted with the transfer of 900 Japanese aircraft, 700 tanks, almost 4000 artillery pieces and nearly 12,000 machine guns to the Communists, many of them from Korea. Provided training in Russian military schools. The CCP always lacked airpower and armoured vehicles, which the Nationalists had a lot of.

Support - GMD Armament

The food and weapons supply were crucial for the military success, however, both sides had to rely on foreign supplies as they didn't manufacture significant armament. Nationalists - they relied on armaments from the USA. The US gave them a $2 billion aid between 1945 and 1949. However, the $2 billion aid included all the US supplies to China, not just the military aid which was just $798 million (the number is argued by historians). The US Secretary of State said that the assistance provided by the USA should have been enough for Nationalists to succeed, and it was just the incompetence of the Nationalists themselves that didn't allow them to ensure victory. However, many of the supplies sent by the US actually arrived late and the Americans imposed an embargo on arms sales to China (1946-1947) - limiting Nationalists and their ability to obtain weaponry at a crucial time. So despite, Nationalists having the advantages at the early stages, they weren't as successful as the CCP.

Failures of the Chinese Nationalists (KMT)

The nationalist government under Chiang Kai Shek became increasingly oppressive and corrupt. They formed the secret police to deal with political opposition. Chiang Kai Shek did not think democracy was appropriate for the Chinese people because the masses lacked education. The GMD never introduced land reform for the peasants and the treatment of women remained traditional. Most KMT soldiers were conscripted often brutally. They were badly treated by brutal GMD officers, who were corrupt. By 1948 - 1949, 70% of GMD soldiers deserted. Many often switched to the PLA sometimes in whole units. In 1949 Chiang Kai Shek and his remaining supporters crossed to the island of Taiwan where they set up a Nationalist government. October 1st 1949 in Beijing, Mao declared communist victory and the creation of the Peoples Republic of China.

1916 - 1928 War Lord China

They ruled their provinces like kings often using brutal force with their own private armies. Many war lords exploited the local peasants. They increased taxes, treated them brutally. The war lords fought each other for territory and power.

1911 - 1949 - The social and economic problems of China

Up to 1911 under the Manchu dynasty, the peasantry in China (90% population) had suffered badly. In any one year there were famine in the provinces. The peasants were subject to increasing taxation from government officials, rising rents from landlords. Landlords treated peasants brutally and women suffered incredible hardship in this "traditional" society. There was very little industry in China. That which existed was mainly foreign owned. After 1930, Chiang Kai Shek failed to solve many of China's problems. His government supported the landlords, society remained traditional and they also supported rich businessmen. The peasantry, despite the 1911 revolution, remained uneducated and illiterate.

Establishment of the Chinese Republic

Uprising in 1911 that overthrew the Qing Dynasty