Comparative Causes of the Spanish Civil War and Chinese Civil War

Flashcards on the Spanish Civil War and Chinese Civil War

Latifundia system

Wealthy landowners (2% of population) held uncultivated land in Spain; peasants (millions) faced extreme poverty.

Agrarian Law (1932)

Spanish law where only 12,260 peasants received land out of 2.5 million landless.

Hyperinflation (China)

Currency hyperinflation in China: 1.3B yuan in 1937 → 24.5T yuan by 1948.

CCP vs. GMD

Mao’s populism ('land to the tiller') vs. Chiang’s elitist 'Three Principles'.

First United Front (China)

Alliance between CCP and GMD (1924–27) that collapsed after the Shanghai Massacre (1927).

Second United Front (China)

Alliance between CCP and GMD (1936) that was sabotaged by Chiang.

Calvo Sotelo

Assassination in July 1936 by Republican Guards triggered the Spanish Civil War.

Xi’an Incident (1936)

Chiang kidnapped by his own generals to force an anti-Japan alliance.

Regionalism (Spain)

Catalonia/Basque separatism angered conservatives in Spain.

Dynastic collapse (China)

1911 revolution led to warlord chaos in China.

Japanese invasion (1937)

GMD focus on CCP ('disease of the heart') during the Sino-Japanese War.

Land inequality (Spain)

Root cause of Spanish Civil War; latifundia system exploited peasants.

Hyperinflation (China)

Root cause of Chinese Civil War; extreme inflation damaged the economy & lives.

Ideological rigidity

In both conflicts, irreconcilable ideologies fueled division and hatred.

Foreign Influence

USSR backed Spanish Republicans/CCP; GMD relied on US aid (often misused).

Anarchism (Spain)

Strong support (CNT/FAI); featured anti-clerical violence

Failed Reforms (Spain)

Agrarian Law (1932) only resettled 12,260 peasants (vs. 2.5M landless).

Rise of Fascism (Spain)

Falange Española founded (1933); CEDA’s electoral wins (1933–35).

Military Conspiracy (Spain)

Generals (Mola, Franco) plotted coup from 1935. Triggered by the assassination of Calvo Stetelo.

Peasant Exploitation (China)

80% of harvest taken as rent/taxes.

Collapse of Central Authority (China)

1911 Qing collapse → warlord era (1916–28).

WWII Opportunism (China)

CCP expansion: Grew from 40k (1937) to 910k members (1945).

Post-WWII Power Struggle (China)

August 1945: CCP seized Japanese-held areas; GMD ordered CCP to stand down.

Long term issues (China)

rooted in land inequality and ideological rigidity (Anarchism vs. Falange / CCP vs. GMD).

Short term issues (China)

Immediate trigger = Sotelo’s murder (political violence) and post-WWII territorial scramble (GMD vs. CCP race to occupy Japan’s zones).

Anti-Clericalism

Opposition to the political influence of religious institutions or clergy.

Liberated zones

Areas controlled by the CCP in rural north of China.

GMD

Kuomintang or Nationalist Party in pre-revolution China lead by Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek).

CCP

Chinese Communist Party lead by Mao Zedong.

Land to the Tiller

Slogan of the CCP that supported land reform by giving land to the farmers and peasants.

Three Principles

Political ideology developed by Sun Yat-sen as a philosophy to make China a free, prosperous, and powerful nation. The three principles are frequently translated into and summarized as nationalism, democracy, and the people's livelihood.

Yanan blockades

Chiang's refusal to share power.

Sanjurjo

Famous military coup.

Catalonia

Region in Spain with separatism that angered conservatives.

Basque

Region in Spain with separatism that angered conservatives.

Asturias Uprising

Leftist revolt crushed by Army (3,000+ deaths) in Spain.

Falange Española

Spanish Fascist political party.

Foreign intervention

USSR backed both Republican Spain and CCP, but US support for GMD was ineffective due to corruption.

Inflation & Corruption

China's GMD printed money leading to extreme hyperinflation.

Political Polarization

Anarchism (CNT/FAI) vs. Conservatives (Church, Army) in Spain.

Tax evasion

Committed by many elites in China while under the GMD.

Opium Wars

Humiliating wars in China that eventually led to treaties that resulted in foreign economic domination.

Post-empire stagnation

Spain's economy did not develop since the 16th-century.

Chinese Civil War - Short Term vs Long Term Causes

• Short-Term Causes:

  • Political instability and governmental crises.
  • Socio-economic grievances and unrest.
  • Military coups and uprisings.

• Long-Term Causes:

  • Deep-seated ideological differences (Communism vs. Nationalism).
  • Influence of foreign powers and imperialistic interventions.
  • Inequitable land distribution and peasant discontent.

Spanish Civil War - Short Term vs Long Term Causes

• Short-Term Causes:

  • Assassination of a prominent political leader.
  • Military uprisings and coup attempts.
  • Political polarization and violent clashes.

• Long-Term Causes:

  • Political polarization between Republicans and Nationalists.
  • Socio-economic disparities and worker unrest.
  • Influence of foreign powers and ideological conflicts (Fascism vs. Socialism).

Similarities & Differences - Chinese Civil War and Spanish Civil War

• Both wars involved a mix of short-term triggers and deep-seated long-term causes.

  • Ideological conflicts and political polarization were significant.
  • Foreign intervention and support played crucial roles.

• Differences:

  • The Chinese Civil War was primarily a struggle between Communist and Nationalist forces, while the Spanish Civil War involved Republicans and Nationalists.
  • The Chinese Civil War resulted in the establishment of a Communist government, while the Spanish Civil War led to a Nationalist victory and the establishment of a dictatorship.