Oct. 6

The primary focus of this discussion is to explain the emergence of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the world view adopted by its leaders.
Understanding the events before the establishment of the CPC in July 1921 is crucial for comprehending their alignment with a Marxist-Leninist perspective and their motivations for forming a communist party.
The Marxist-Leninist viewpoint of the CPC matured and evolved significantly between 1927 and 1949 due to their revolutionary experiences.

This period starts with the 1911-1912 revolution resulting in the collapse of the dynastic and imperial system in China.
The abdication of the last emperor, Puyi, on February 12, 1912, set the stage for the republic's formation, following a critical agreement between Sun Yat-sen (Tongmenghui) and warlord Yuan Shikai.

The formation of a republic prompted debates on what type of republic China should adopt, with a general consensus favoring a liberal democratic structure influenced by the United States and France.
The temporary presidency was negotiated to transition from the old dynastic order to a new republican governance.
Yuan Shikai’s contradiction of these agreements led to a short-lived republic as he sought to consolidate power, including attempts to restore the imperial system, which ultimately ended with his death in 1916.

Following Yuan Shikai's death, China fragmented into a Warlord Era (1916-1927) characterized by chaos and power struggles among provincial warlords who controlled their armies and provided local governance.
The warlords were politically entrenched, raising taxes, providing services, and maintaining military power, rendering the central government ineffective.

The discontent with the ineffective republican governance and the warlord chaos led to the formation of the Communist Party of China in July 1921.
Disenchantment among the left in China contributed to the shift towards Marxism-Leninism, resulting in the establishment of the CPC as an opposition force to established parties.

The CPC entered the First United Front with the Kuomintang (GMD) to combat the warlords and restore order in China.
This agreement was arranged with the help of Soviet officials from the Communist International (Comintern) to ensure unity in their revolutionary efforts.

The First United Front was not a formal alliance but represented a temporary tactical cooperation among the CPC and GMD, united mainly by their mutual interest in defeating the warlords.
Ideological differences persisted; the CPC aimed to organize the proletariat in urban centers while the GMD had broader nationalist goals.

The CPC began to develop essential institutional structures during the First United Front, adopting aspects of Leninist organizational principles, including a Politburo and Central Committee.
The establishment of Sun Yat-sen University in Moscow aimed to train revolutionary leaders and advance the skills necessary for organizing and leading revolutions in China.

Established in 1924, the Wampoa Military Academy aimed to strengthen the military capabilities of both the CPC and GMD, facilitating the training of personnel able to conduct warfare.
Chiang Kai-shek emerged as a key figure and commandant, cementing his power within the GMD.

Sun Yat-sen's death in 1925 created a power vacuum within the GMD, leading to factional struggles and ultimately the breakdown of the United Front.
From 1927 onwards, Chiang Kai-shek's decisions marked a shift from collaboration to confrontation against the CPC, initiating armed conflict.

The Northern Expedition aimed to unify China and eliminate warlord control, initially engaging the CPC in its coordination.
The alignment in urban centers is crucial where the CPC's presence was established to lead revolts against warlords.
However, in April 1927, a violent purge of CPC elements in Shanghai by the GMD marks a critical rupture in the United Front, leading to the CPC's suppression.

The GMD's violent crackdown on the CPC in 1927 led to massive casualties and severely weakened the Communist Party's influence in urban areas, resulting in a need to retreat to rural bases.

The August 7 Conference was convened to address failures in the CPC’s strategies and leadership in the aftermath of the April 12 incident.
Internal criticisms of the CPC leadership resulted in a shift towards a more radical approach, including a new focus on rural insurrections.

The Nanchang Uprising and subsequent uprisings (including the Autumn Harvest Uprising) attempted to ignite armed revolts but ultimately failed, pushing the CPC to retreat further into rural areas.

The remnants of the CPC, after failing urban uprisings, established the Jiangxi Soviet as a stronghold for organizing and strategizing in the rural landscape, encompassing revolutionary activities until its collapse in 1934.
The formation of the Jiangxi Soviet indicated a pivot from urban-centered revolutionary strategy to a rural-focused approach, reflecting the lessons learned from their setbacks in urban arenas.