Chinese Civil War and the Rise of Communism

Chiang Kai-Shek and the Civil War

  • Chiang Kai-Shek's Campaign against Warlords

    • Chiang Kai-Shek embarks on a campaign to eliminate warlords in China.

    • His move is indicative of a broader strategy to consolidate power against local military leaders.

  • Initiation of the Civil War against the Communist Party

    • Upon dealing with the warlords, Chiang declares a civil war against the Communist Party of China (CPC), citing the growing threat of communist influence as a catalyst.

Nationalists' Support and Initial Success

  • Initial Support for Nationalists

    • The Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) garners support from various societal strata, including:

    •  Peasants: Initially willing to support the Nationalists based on promises of stability and relief.

    •  Wealthy Classes: Landowners and businessmen back the Nationalists out of fear of communist land redistribution policies.

  • International Support

    • The United States supports the Nationalists because:

    • They oppose communism and seek to contain its spread in Asia.

    • The Soviet Union's position:

    • The Soviets are wary of any contenders in communism, preferring to maintain a dominant influence in the communist world and are concerned about China's potential to rival them.

The Role of Violence in the Civil Conflict

  • Graphic Violence

    • The discourse includes imagery of violence, such as public executions and beheadings of communists, illustrating the brutality of the conflict.

  • Nationalists Targeting Communists in Hunan

    • The Nationalists launch attacks in Hunan province where a significant number of communists reside.

    • They aim to eliminate communist presence in this critical area.

The Long March and Mao Zedong's Rise to Power

  • The Long March

    • Described as a strategic retreat by the communists, who cover a distance of approximately 6,000 miles.

    • Led by Mao Zedong, the Long March serves as a defining moment for the CPC.

  • Casualties During the Long March

    • Out of 90,000 participants, only 20,000 survive, denoting a 75% casualty rate.

    • Not only reinforces Mao's leadership but also helps in gaining peasant trust as they perceive him as their protector against Nationalist brutality.

The Japanese Invasion and its Impact

  • Japanese Aggression

    • In 1931, Japan invades Manchuria, escalating conflicts in China further.

    • By 1937, Japan intensifies its invasion, leading to horrific atrocities in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanking.

  • Temporary Alliance between Nationalists and Communists

    • During the Japanese invasion, the Nationalists and Communists momentarily join forces to resist the external threat, illustrating the flexibility of alliances during times of crisis.

  • Guerrilla Warfare

    • The CPC employs guerrilla warfare tactics effectively, which include:

    • Surprise attacks, ambushes, and night operations.

    • These tactics provide them with an edge over the more conventional Nationalist forces.

Aftermath of World War II

  • Post-War Civil War Dynamics

    • The civil war continues post-WWII, despite alliances formed during the Japanese invasion.

    • The balance sees shifts as nationalists are weakened by corruption and military losses.

  • The Fate of Chiang Kai-shek

    • Chiang Kai-shek eventually flees to Taiwan, leading to the establishment of a separate government.

Reasons for Communist Victory

  • Popular Support

    • The CPC gains significant popularity due to their active role during the invasion and better treatment of the peasants.

  • Corruption of Nationalists

    • The Nationalists face widespread criticism for corruption and inefficacy in governance and military operations.

  • Guerrilla Warfare Success

    • The success of guerrilla warfare tactics, which are pivotal to the communists’ military strategy, helps solidify their victory.

Mao Zedong's Policies Post-Revolution

  • Mao's Views on Wealth and Landowners

    • Mao Zedong harbors deep-seated animosity towards landowners and intends to redistribute land from wealthy classes to poor peasants.

    • This involves persecution and violence against landlords as part of the communist ideological commitment to class struggle.

  • Five-Year Plans and Economic Policies

    • Mao adopts a five-year plan strategy inspired by Joseph Stalin's earlier initiatives, intending to conduct rapid industrialization and collectivization.

  • The Great Leap Forward

    • Although termed a "Great Leap Forward," it may more accurately be described as a disastrous move resulting in severe economic setbacks and famine for China.

The Korean War

  • Background

    • The Korean War (1950-1953) sees China intervening on behalf of North Korea against South Korean and UN forces.

    • Approximately 300,000 Chinese troops are sent to support North Korean efforts.

  • Stalemate and Continuing Tensions

    • The conflict results in a stalemate, with continuing tensions and military presence along the 38th parallel, which marks the division of Korea to this day.

Concluding Remarks on Historical Context

  • Continued Sino-Japanese Hostility

    • Historical animosities between China and Japan persist, impacting modern political relations.

    • Unit 731: Notable for human experimentation conducted by Japanese military on Chinese civilians, exemplifying grave wartime atrocities and ethical violations that punctuate Sino-Japanese relations to the present.

  • Sino-Soviet Relations

    • Post-revolution, relations between China and the Soviet Union are complex, marked by competition and ideological rivalry despite shared communist foundations.

NOTES

Reaction versus Revolution and the Communist victory

  • Nationalists received help and support from

    • The richest and most powerful social groups in China

      • Urban businesspeople and merchants, most intellectuals, most university students, rural landlords and military

    • Chinese bureaucrats and police

    • Peasants

      • Willing to wait and see if the nationalists would act to alleviate their problems

    • The U.S. for being against communists

    • soviet Union

      • Perhaps preferred a weak China led by Nationalists

      • No support from urban workers ← would support communists

  • late 1920s - center of communist operations south central province of Hunan

  • Long March:

    • Mao led more than 90k communist party loyaltists of Hunan

    • Traveled to Shaanxi in northwestern China → spread communist along the way

      • Shaanxi become the center of the communist movement until the mid - 1940s

    • Mao 20k survived trip

    • Firmly established Mao as the head of the Chinese Communist party

    • peasants support Mao

  • 1937 - Japan invaded China

  • 1931 - Japan conquest Manchuria

  • Japan quickly captures beijing + Shanghai

    • Chiang reluctantly formed a military alliance with the communists

    • Until 1945 - war against Japan took priority over the civil war

    • advantageous for the Chinese Communist party

      • japanese invaders captured chinese coast, business and commercial backers of the Nationalists (nationalist lose support in south)

        • Lowered their standing in the eyes of the Chinese people

      • Chiang’s military forces pummeled

      • suspension of Nationalists extermination campaigns against the Communists

    • Communist guerilla warfare more effictive against japanese

    • Guerilla → surprise attacks, ambushes, night attacks

  • Rape of Nanking - japanese kill hundreds of thousands of chinese

  • league of nations cant stop japan

  • UNIT 731: Live Human Dissections - fatal human experiments to develop weaponds for germ warfare

  • The end of WW2

    • Balance of power within China shifting in the communists’ favor

  • Jiang jieshi → Chiang kai-shek

  • 1945 - 1949: Civil war in China

  • Similar to Russian Civil war 1917 → Lenin (communist)

    • Communists vs nationalists

    • Chiang fled to Taiwan

    • Mao proclaimed The people’s republic of China in Beijing

  • Communist win → 1. peasant support 2. corruption in nationalist party 3. communist guerrilla warfare tactics

maos China and beyond

  • Korean war → 1950 - 1953

  • 1950s - Chinese intervened military in the Korean war

    • Forced U.S. out of North Korea stalemate

  • China wants to defend their border

  • China → 300k troops

  • Communist party in China

    • Periodically threatened to Invade the nationalists’ refuge on Taiwan

    • important role liberation←(fighting against french) struggle of the vietnamese - communist

      • Border disputes

      • Chinese refusal to be number two to Russia

  • japan no longer important in Chinese politics

planning for Economic Growth and social Justice

  • Between 1950 and 1952, the landlord class in China was eliminated and the government redistributed land to peasants

    • 3 million members of landlords class executed

  • 1953 - Five-year plan = compare to J. Stalin

    • Industrialization, particularly in Steel → industry

    • collectivization of agriculture → great leap foward

  • Mao

    • deep hostility toward elitism, Confucian system

    • Distrusted intellectuals, favored the peasants rather than the workers as the driving force of the revolution

    • Marxism → favored urban workers

    • 1955 - Introduced the Mass Line approach

      • Formation of agricultural cooperatives = Communes → sin to mandr

      • accounted for 90% of China’s peasant population

    • 1957 - Encouraged professors, artists, and other intellectuals to speak out on communist

      • Led to angry protest and criticism of communist policies

        • Communist party responded with prison sentences and banishment to hard labor on the collectives

Changes to China under mao

  • Elimination of the “Capitalist Class”: Landowners, factory-owners, village leaders, better-off peasants “capitalist class”, killed

  • Reeducation: communist beliefs became required learning in all universities and schools. newspapers books control government promote Communism. Art, music direct supervision of the government

  • The Family: Family authority was replaced by the authority of the Communist Party. Children obey the state, not their parents. Ancestor worship forbidden. weakened father’s traditional role as family leader/

  • Discouraged confusianism

  • Eliminate counter revolutionaries against communism

scholars on top of social hierarchy