Why was the CCP able to achieve victory at the expense of China Kai-Shek in the Civil War?

Reconstructing China

Both parties had a notion of a revolutionary party-state that would lead the Chinese people.

This idea of a ‘Party' state which would mobilise the Chinese people as a whole, both peasants and workers, was the ideal espoused by both parties and seen as the way to build a strong and unified China.

Both the GMD and the CCP were 'revolutionary' parties. They had been partners in the early 1920's, part of the United Front, brought together by the USSR.

Also integral to the idea of the development of China as a 'party' state was that:

-China would gain international recognition on an equal basis with other nations.

-China would achieve territorial unification (including not only Manchuria but also Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan)

Dominant themes

These ideas had achieved legitimacy and gained popular acceptance - to unify and save China.

The party that succeeded in gaining power would need to maintain this sense of legitimacy in both town and countryside.

The ‘power of the gun’ was seen as a necessary component of this control - power was not only wielded by democracy but also by the army - military force was needed to consolidate political control.

 

What happened between 1945-49?

The Sino-Japanese War ended in August 1945 (1937-45) - it played a crucial role in shaping the organisation of Chinese society and the development of both the GMD and CCP.

The GMD was established in Chongqing whilst the CCP was based in Yan’an, a remote and significant haven of refuge.

These bases offered different visions for the reconstruction of China.

At the Cairo Conference, 1943, China was recognised as an 'equal state’ and gained important concessions.

Manchuria and Taiwan were integrated into China and 'unequal' treaties were finally ended.

Chiang Kai-Shek was recognised as the legitimate Chinese leader from 1943.

 Challenges faced in 1945

The Sino-Japanese War had enormous consequences for China:

-       50% of industries had been destroyed (Shanghai, a centre of industrial and commercial development before the war, had been devastated.)

-       96% of railways had been destroyed

-       Devastated cities needed to be re-populated

The CCP and the GMD knew that any truce between the two parties (reformed the United Front in 1936 following Xian Incident) agreed during the war was limited.

'The power of the gun’ was uppermost in the minds of both leaders.

The struggle for dominance would be fought out in military terms

The Cold-war and China

The rivalry between the USA and the USSR shaped post-war policies in Asia - a battle fought between Stalin and Truman.

The GMD relied on the USA for support - its source of revenue was limited and came in the form of loans from the USA.

The USA feared the USSR had designs on China as well as Europe.

Stalin was pragmatic, the USSR bordered China.

The USA and USSR were important in deciding what would happen in Chinas providing loans, military aid and political support.

Chiang Kai-Shek was widely regarded as a 'puppet' of the USA by the Chinese people Stalin had troops in Manchuria.

He withdrew Soviet troops in order to allow the CCP to re-occupy the province, providing a boost to CCP support and prestige

The Nationalist Party and the cities

1.     An incompetent take-over from Japanese rule - CCP had only weak influence in the cities relying instead on peasants in the countryside for support. The GMD in contrast was reliant on the cities for their support. The party's strategy with regard to the re-building of the cities was clumsy and irrational. Their priority should have been to re-establish control in the Eastern cities, regaining the symbolic basis of their power and re-establishing industry on a secure basis. When the Japanese left a political vacuum was created. The GMD didn't send reinforcements in military terms, only government officials, Instead GMD troops were sent northwards to eliminate the CCP. GMD control of the cities was always limited as a result.

2.     Corruption in the take-over of industries - The Japanese had kept the factories and industries working in the cities they occupied. The GMD allowed industries to be taken over by corrupt party members, who were more interested in making quick profits by selling the industries off. This policy undermined the strength of Chinese industry in the cities

Competing political alternatives

The Democratic League made up largely of liberal intellectuals wanted to establish a multi-party democracy in China.

The student movement in the 1940's was active in Chinese politics, a legacy of the May 4th demonstrations in 1919.

During the Civil War (1945-9) there was public staging of opposition to the GMD Student slogans which stated, 'Present government officials cannot reconstruct China’ were paraded on campuses in 1948.

The CCP and the countryside

The vast majority of the Chinese population were peasants who lived in the countryside.

The CCP were successful in establishing control in Manchuria and they rapidly achieved success as the 'politically alternative' to the absent GMD.

The GMD failed to establish control, leaving a political vacuum in much of China - failing even to collect tax effectively.

The CCP offered an alternative society, providing order and stability.

They appealed to a broad section of the peasantry, embraced land reform and created Women's Associations helping to remake the social fabric.

The GMD were unable to appeal to the peasants and in contrast the CCP offered a vision of a new China.

PLA

The CCP introduced the 'militarization' of village society.

They promised to liberate China from the evils off imperialism and the GMD.

Local militia and self-defence units were set up.

These proved key for supplies.

Tipping point 1948

The CCP gathered momentum and there was an erosion of support for the GMD in the cities.

Hyper-inflation and the failure of gold yuan devastated the Chinese economy - speculation was rife and there was a lack of production.

The GMD found themselves losing popularity amongst the middle classes and businessmen.

US financial aid had a limited impact and support for Chiang from the US began to decline.

In contrast the CCP were trusted to bring peace.

The final CCP military offensives

-       Liaoshen Campaign (Sept-Nov 1948) gave the CCP control of cities in the North East

-       PLA troops entered Beijing (Feb 1949) giving the CCP a greater sense of legitimacy

50 years of warfare/chaos had left the Chinese wanting stability.

In the end the CCP offered a better prospect of order and stability.