Chinese Revolution and Civil War

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Table of Contents

Imperial China

For more than 2000 years China was ruled by imperial dynasties
In 17th century , Qing dynasty came to power

The century of Humiliation

Major defeats for a big imperial power
 Opium wars with Britain
 Sino- French war
 Sino Japanese war (1894)
 Boxer rebellion

Decline of Qing dynasty

 Weakened central power
 Did not modernize
 High influence of western imperialist powers
 Rising Japan
 Aristocratic – archaic rule

The 1911 Xinhai Revolution

In October 1911, united efforts of antimonarchists and reformists led to overthrow of dynastic rule
Republic of China established
A democratic National assembly with limited franchise
6 year old emperor PUYI abdicated
North/Beijing – Power in hands of Yuan Shikai (general)
South/Nanking – Provisional govt under Dr.Sun Yat-sen
Sun left presidency and handed power to Yuan in order to unite China

The KMT

KuoMinTang/GuoMinDang of China- Nationalist party founded by Dr.Sun Yat-sen
3 principles of Sun–
Nationalism
Rights of people/Democracy
People’s livelihood/Socialism

Fate of the Republic

Yuan Shikai soon became an autocratic leader
1915-Declared himself as ‘emperor’
Expelled KMT from govt/national assembly
1916 – Shikai dead
Chaos ensues- fragmentation of power
Warlord Era in China (1916-1928)

The Return of Sun
1921- Sun Yat-sen returned and established a govt a Guangzhou
Military raised with the help of Soviet Union
Joined forces with the newly formed Chinese Communist Party (CPC)
He died of cancer in 1925

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek

After Sun’s death ,his trusted general , Chiang Kai-shek rose to prominence in KMT

Northern expedition 1926-28

Successful military campaign against the warlords of the North , to unify China
Successful campaign helped him rise in prominence and stature in KMT

The Civil War 1927-49

KMT/Nationalist (Nationalist army-NRA) vs. CPC/Communists (Red Army) The CPC was trying to start a socialist revolution in areas where it was dominant (Shanghai,Wuhan)
Chiang was against Communists and their ideology and led their ouster from KMT in 1927
The purge of CPC cadres from KMT by Chiang led to beginning of war
Phase I – 1927-37
CPC driven from its urban strongholds to rural areas
Insurgency by CPC – Guerrilla warfare
In 1934,Surrounded by all sides – communists narrowly escaped to north in what came to be known as ‘The Long March’
10000 km in 1 year
Established base in northern YAN’AN

The United Front (1937-45)

Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931-occupied it till 1945
Another large scale invasion in 1937 – 2nd Sino-Japanese War
To fight imperialist neighbour, CPC and KMT formed a united front and ceased fighting amongst themselves in 1937

The two front fight with Japan and CCP had weakened KMT govt and drained a large number of men and resources.
It could not sustain without help of western powers.
After the fall of Nanjing and Wuhan- nationalist§ govt retreated to interior – Chongqing
They used scorched earth tactics
Heavy casualties against the main Japanese forces
The CPC/CCP used the isolation of hills to§ develop and propagate its ideology- land reforms, socialism
Guerrilla tactics against Japanese helped them win popular support
Mao and CPC gained large public support in North and Manchuria during this time – promise of land to landless poor farmers

Phase II – 1946-49

After Japan surrendered, the United Front§ truce broke down. USA tried to broker talks- failed§ USSR left Manchuria and a large part of§ Japanese armaments to CPC – upper hand to communists. The Red army gained ground rapidly and pushed back KMT using their newly acquired weaponry. By December 1949 they captured all of China and Nationalist retreated to the island of Formosa(Taiwan).

October 1,1949 – Mao Zedong declared the People’s Republic of China (PRC)

Reasons for Communist Victory

Chiang centralized administration too much
War with Japan cost nationalists heavily
Corrupt nationalist govt
Scorched earth tactics of Nationalists
Unity of command in CPC ,propaganda and Mao’s leadership qualities
Mao told every group what they wanted to hear (ex:promise of land to landless farmers)