china aos 1 quotes

American war correspondent Jack Belden on why the Nationalist Army continued to struggle in the civil war?

'this army was continuously beaten because it had no soul'

Historian Ed Jocelyn on the truth of the Long March?

‘a true story exploited for propaganda purposes’

Historian Edwin Moise on the fall of the Qing dynasty and Sun?

'The final collapse of the Qing Dynasty was to a considerable extent inspired by a revolutionary...named Sun Yat-sen'

Historian Fitzgerald on alienating and losing support?

'If the Communists by their violence alienated the scholars, the [Guomindang] by its blind selfish indifference lost the peasants.'

Historian Iris Chang on the Rape of Nanjing?

'the Forgotten Holocaust of World War II’

Historian Lucien Bianco on the unity achieved in the Nanjing Decade?

'peace and order were relative, just as the unification achieved in this decade was more apparent than real'

Historian Maurice Meisner on the march and Mao?

‘the experience ultimately contributed enormously to the perception of himself as a man of destiny’

Historian Maurice Meisner on the Shanghai Massacre?

'a bloodbath that virtually destroyed the CCP and the workers’ movement in China’s largest city'

Historian Mitter on the May Fourth Movement?

'a sense of real and impending crisis...competing ideas aimed at “saving the nation”, and an audience ready to receive'

Historian Mitter on the New Culture Movement?

'intellectually and socially one of the most promising and exciting times in Chinese history'

Historian Rana Mitter on the Yellow River Floods?

‘Jiang’s government had committed one of the grossest acts of violence against its own people’

Historian Rebecca Karl on the May 30 Atrocious Incident? (usher, social, revolutionary)

'The May 30th Incident and its aftermath helped usher in a new hope for social mobilization and revolutionary upsurge.’

How did American journalist Edgar Snow describe the long march?

'It was one long battle from beginning to end’

How did British journalist Philip Short describe Mao at the Zunyi Conference?

‘Mao engaged in a dazzling, pyrotechnic display of mobile warfare’

How did Edgar Snow describe the Battle of Luding Bridge?

'the most critical single incident of the Long March'

How did General Joseph Stilwell compliment the CCP?

'Practice what they preach’

How did Historian Johnathan Spence describe the march during and later?

'The Long March, later presented as a great achievement in Communist history, was a nightmare of death and pain while it was in progress.’

How did Joseph Stilwell criticise the GMD?

'GMD - trading with the enemy.’

How did journalist Ed Jocelyn estimate the march to Luding Bridge?

‘the equivalent of two marathons, back to back…on treacherous mountain paths’

How did the NY Times describe the Northern Expedition?

'a hopeless folly'

How were Mao's guerilla strategies described (1932)?

'roving bandit ideology’

How were the Long Marchers described?

'a nation on the move'

Jiang Jieshi on controlling the army?

'If I control the army, I will have the power to control the country. It is my road to leadership'

Jiang Jieshi on his New Life Movement?

‘cultivate courage and swiftness, the endurance of suffering and a tolerance for hard work… sacrifice for the nation.’

Jiang Jieshi on the importance of his role?

‘I am the Generalissimo; I do not err. China cannot do well without me.'

Jiang Jieshi on working with the CCP in the Northern Expedition?

“while I was opposed to the oppression of the Communists, I would check their influence as soon as they grew too powerful”

Li Dazhao on peasantry?

'when we estimate the forces of the revolution, we must emphasize that the peasantry is the most important part'

Mao on his political strategy?

‘persevere in the ideas and carry them through, so as to form correct ideas of leadership - such is the basic method of leadership.’

Mao on the Long March (difficulties)?

'we encountered untold difficulties and great obstacles on the way'

Mao on the long march (manifesto)?

'The Long March is ...a manifesto. It proclaims to the world that the Red Army is an army of heroes’

Mao on the long march (victory)?

'The Long March ended with victory for us and defeat for the enemy.

Prince Takamatsu on the Sino-Japanese war?

‘We’re really going to smash China so that it will be ten years before it can stand straight again’

Red Army slogan about political power?

‘Political power grows from the barrel of a gun’

Sun in a letter to Stalin on the China he hopes for?

“I leave behind a party which, as I always hoped, will be allied with you in its historical task of liberating China and other suppressed peoples from the yoke of imperialism”

Sun-Joffe Declaration?

'the most urgent problem China faces today is the successful unification of the republic’

T.V. Soong on his role as finance minister?

'Being minister of finance is no different from being Jiang Jieshi’s dog’

What did General David Barr say about the NRA in 1948?

'There is complete ineptness of high military leaders, widespread corruption and dishonesty throughout the armed forces.’

What did Mao believe about the strength of the peasants?

'These people are capable of fighting very bravely, and, if properly led, can become a revolutionary force'

What did Mao say about compromising with Jiang in the civil war?

'We will give Jiang Yan'an. He will give us China'

What was the communist song to remind them of their objectives in the civil war?

‘Keep men, lose land, land can be taken again

Keep land, lose men, land and men both lost’

What was the PLA tactics early in the civil war according to General Lin Bao?

‘sit them to death’

Yuan Shikai on monarchy?

'Never shall we allow the monarchical system to reappear in China’

Zhou Enlai on the anti-japanese war?

‘The first day of the anti-Japanese war will mean the beginning of the end for Jiang Jieshi.’

Meisner on Yan’an

‘Victory came on the basis of a massive popular social revolution that involved…tens of millions of peasants’

3 main rules of discipline for the red army?

‘Do not take a single needle of thread from the masses’