What methods of propaganda did Mao use?
CCP University in Yanan - lectures and speeches on Marxist thought
the Six Principles code of conduct for the Red Army
Rectification of Thought campaign where new joiners + cadres educated on Marxist thought.
Rectification of Conduct campaign party members self criticise - if revisionist arrested, tortured, sometimes executed. Many suicided rather than confess.
Posters used throughout Sino-Japanese war to encourage rivalry, support for Red Army (as well as resentment for Nationalists)
Red Army code of conduct for when seizing land - previous militaries resented for violent behaviour (could be example of Maoâs understanding of the peasantry)
How did Mao control opposition?
âliberationâ of peasants by imposing Red Army, reallocation of land, non-conformistsâ crops and livestock confiscated, taxes
every peasant committee had to have CCP member to veto decisions
28 Bolsheviks and Li Lisan overcome by moral superiority from Long March and in depth knowledge of peasants
rectification of conduct to rid revisionists within the party
Chiang Kai-Shek distracted by Sino-Japanese war in 1945
Maoâs adoption of attacking strategy against Nationalists
How did Mao use force?
Against military:
Futian Incident 1930 - 4,000 Red Army tortured and executed
Against civilians:
Red Army seizing control of neighbouring regions of Jiangxi by driving out/shooting landowners
Non-conforming villagesâ crops and livestock seized, ruinous taxes imposed
Against political opponents:
Mao part of May Fourth Movement in 1919 in rejection of Paris Peace Conference
Rectification of conduct campaign - purged revisionists within the party - imprisoned, tortured for confessions, sometimes executed. 60 suicided rather than confess.
Maoâs attacking of Chiang and Nationalists during Sino-Japanese war in 1945 and overinflation of Communistsâ role in anti-Japanese struggle
How did war impact the communist takeover?
WW1 aftermath
failure of Paris Peace conference in acquiring lost territories
under authority of Qing, then Republic, then warlords - unstable gov.
Japanese occupation 1931-45
Manchuria seized first then spread
Chiang slow to respond - CCP exploited this
Japanese diverted Chiang from CCP bases
Chinese Civil War 1945-49
1947-49 GMD failed to make major vicotries
PLA campaigns broke GMDâs grip on north, central, south
1949 Chiang fled to Taiwan
How did social division provide the grounds for Mao to rise to power?
widespread famines frequent when population doubled in 19th century, agriculture unable to keep up
San Yatsen, founder of GMD, wanted ârevolution against the world to join the worldâ, first step removal of Qing
resentment at failure of Republic and May Fourth anti-government, anti-foreigner protests
Nationalists, GMD, Chiang Kai-Shek vs communists, CCP, Mao - in Yanan cave dwelling standard practice to shelter from GMD air raids
previous armies extremely violent with peasantry, Red Army instructed by Mao to endear the peasants to them
warlords and factionism divided rural peasantry
land allocation between landlords and peasants - reallocated by Red Army forcibly, landlords driven out or shot if not comply
GMD increasingly unpopular during Sino-Japanese war
How did weak political systems enable Mao to take over?
Qing Dynasty
unequal trade treaties with western nations since 1840s, heavily in debt to foreign banks, industry under foreign control
1895 defeated militarily by Japan
not truly Chinese - Manchurian - seen as foreign government
Qing abdicated 1911, replaced by Yuan Shikai and Republican government, 1916 onwards controlled by warlords
1919 failure of Paris Peace conference in regaining lost territory - May Fourth Movement
CCP founded 1921, by 1924 allied with GMD in overcoming warlords
1927 alliance collapsed - CCP moved to Jiangxi
Long March 1934 proved Maoâs military strategy and gave moral superiority within CCP
revisionist and 28 Bolshevik sympathisers exterminated from CCP during rectification of conduct