Civil War 1937-1945

Reasons for CCP Victory

o Communists practiced a Spartan style of life close to the common people.
o Morale remained high in the army and was continuously bolstered by indoctrination
and effective propaganda. As they had during the war years, Communist troops tried
in many ways to win support of the masses.
o In newly occupied areas, social policy was at first reformist rather than
revolutionary.
o Defeat of Japan different to way expected
Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Had expected
US Armies in China
US Air-force In China
These would have overwhelmed CCP and Japanese

CCP Resisted GMD claim's to liberated areas
Lack of GMD Popular Support Base
Outweighed American resources given to GMD
1945
GMD 5 Million Troops
CCP 1.25 Million Troops
GMD American Resources
Reasons for GMD Loss
o Negative GMD Attributes
Corrupt
Not true nationalists
Despite hardware
Brutal food requisitioning
Detachment from China's real needs
o Economy
65 percent of the budget was met by currency expansion and only 10
percent by taxes
Dependence on Foreign aid
the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
The constant depreciation in the value of paper currency undermined
morale in all classes dependent upon salaries, including troops, officers, and
civilian officials.
Positive CCP Attributes
o Organisations
Controlled
Peasant Associations
"speak bitterness" campaigns
o Morale high
Attack government's rural class base
Labour Unions
Youth Leagues
Mutual Aid Teams
Converted to Guerrilla teams
Able to expand as Japanese pulled out
High Morale and Ideology
"When the enemy advances, we retreat. When the enemy escapes,
we harass. When they retreat, we peruse. When they tire, we
attack".
o Red army respect for peasantry
Determined to win "the hearts of the people"
o Dedication
Greater role in government
Nationalism
o Mao
Leadership
Ruthlessness
Strategy
Civil War 1945-1949

From August 1945 to the end of 1946, the Nationalists and Communists raced to take over
Japanese-held territories, built up their forces, and fought many limited engagements while
still conducting negotiations for a peaceful settlement
o American Support
Japanese to surrender only to Chinese Nationalists
o Attempts made, with their high point in 1947 to call a truce. It involved the
formation of a joint government, however these were eventually stopped following
resistance of conservatives amongst the KMT who feared the dilution of their party
o Both wanted dominance over other
Despite efforts of Marshall
o During 1947 and the first half of 1948, after initial Nationalist success, the strategic
balance turned in favour of the Communists.
o the Communists won smashing victories in the latter part of 1948 and 1949
Struggle for hearts and minds already over.
o 1947 GMD take Nanking
GMD faced growing desertions.
War weariness in GMD areas.
o 1948 Shanghai Scenes
Street-Corner Beheadings.
Splits in GMD
o November 1948 Defeat in Mukden
Meant loss of China north of Bejing.
o December 1948 Defeat in Hsuchow
Railway Junction
1949 Chiang temporarily resigns
Peace negotiations resume
Nationalists control half of china: not prepared to surrender.
Chiang withdraws to Taiwan with Air Force and gold reserves
Early Nationalist and Communist Activity
Nationalist Activity
o Faced by huge area of uncontrolled territory
o Tried negotiations, then launched wars against enemies
o Helped by
Resources from base
Foreign Aid
Revenue from Maritime Customs Service
o Chiang in personal control
Factions between Civil and Military
Balanced so that he retained authority
Reform in Urban China
Education System
Transportation and Communication Systems
Decay in Rural China
Heavy taxation
Declining foreign markets for agricultural goods
Foreign Affairs
o Unequal treaties remain
o Japan
o Incursions into Manchuria (Sept 1931)
But "Unity before resistance"
Communist Party Activity
o Set about creating 15 rural bases
Culminated in Jiangxi Soviet 1931
o Mao's position is strengthened
Mao advocated dissolution of United Front
Official CCP line to accept Mao's judgement at face value
Many historians now view it as possibly being influenced by
Advocated rural rather than urban base
Gained peasant support in areas controlled
o Personality
Ferocious
E.G: Futien incident 1930.
While attempting to crush rival red army faction that were supposed
GMD / Li Lisan Supporters, 3,000 officers executed.
o Given time to expand until 1934
o War around Shanghai 1932
o Japan 1931
Long March 1934-5

Causes
o German military advise encirclement and starve policy - deny resources
o Use pill-boxes
o Manned road blocks
Supposedly to resist Japanese
o Nature
Encompassed
6,000 Miles (Equivalent to marching from London to Lagos)
15 Battles
24 Rivers
o Effects
Brotherhood, Suffering, Selflessness, Determination inculcated into
Communist Party members.
Mao rises
Exposes urban communists as abandoning successful guerrilla
tactics.
Position weak before
Voted in as chairman Politburo session
o Zhang Guoato chooses westward route (as it is nearer Russia). Fails, and rejoins Mao.
Mao strengthened.
o CCP Survive and grow
o New Strategy
United Front against Japan almost universally popular
"Chinese don't fight Chinese"
o Abandon Class warfare
War Against Japan 1937

Causes
o Began as militaristic Japan attempted to extend its influence from Manchuria into
China
Nature
o Alliance with Russia after first year of resistance against Japan 1937
o Russia sent munitions, advisors and supplies
o 1938
Japan controls most of the northern Chinese railways
Most of the munitions, resources and tax base in Japanese Hands
Government had lost the best of its armies.
o 1939-43 Stalemate
Repeated bombing of free china
o 1940 Rival Government set up in Nanking
Massive foreign aid, which subsequently dried up as war broke out
Massive inflation
Red army united with National Army carried out guerrilla attacks on isolated
Japanese garrisons; growth rapid.
o 1941 Renewed Conflict
January 1941 - New Fourth Army Incident
Government orders Red Army north, while it actually moves south
In Kiangsu, fought with government for control of area
Many killed, 2,000 communists captured
Unwilling to risk all out war
Economic blockade on CCP
GMD Ally America post 1941
Aim to deter Japanese expansion
Japanese incursions on Hong Kong and the problems along the Burma Road
meant supplies were difficult to come by.
Japan second priority vis--vis Germany
o 1943
Allied strategy shifts to approaching Japan from south-west
o 1944-5
Japan under pressure in Pacific and on supply lines
Response
Capture Chinese airfields
Capture North South Airfields
Chinese collapse under Ichigo Campaign
Hundreds of thousands of men unable to resist Japanese attack on
Rail
Peasants attack army after defeat
Wranglings between America and China over
Training
Command
Lend-Lease supply usage
Nationalist Deterioration
Inflation
Paper money produced as fiscal deficits mounted
Fixed wages decrease
Hoarding increased corruption
Spread through govt and army
Failure to manage economy
Inflation
1937 Price Index=100
1948 Price Index= 287,700,000
Secret Police Activity
Against CCP
And all dissidents
Ends August 14, 1945
Xian Incident Dec 1936

Causes
o GMD General Zhang persuaded by CCP to use his contacts to turn Chiang against
Japanese
o Massive discontent over GMD war policy
Chiang - selling space to buy time.
Nature
o Chiang captured and made to fight against Japanese
o Russia and China clamoured for his release
o Both feared country split
Effects
o Compromises
o Chiang
Made to fight Japan
o CCP
Abandon Soviet Government, replaced with democracy
Affirmation of commitment to Sun Yatsen's three principles
Abandon armed opposition to KMT
End to forcible confiscation of Landlord's property
Reorganisation of red army as component of national government
CCP true nationalists
Forgoes party advantage (not assassinating him) for the sake of the
country
Yanaan 1936-45

CCP detached from outside influence. Developed own strategy.
o Sinification of Marxism
Revolution comes from the peasants
Red Army Instrument of propaganda.
Code of conduct.
Tactics for seizing control of countryside
Village seized / infiltrated
Landowners driven out/shot
Land reallocated to peasants
No government official allowed any
Party Membership grows
o 1937 - 40,000
o 1945 - 1,000,000
1942 Self Rectification campaign.
o Unless party maintained constant against error revolution would be betrayed from
within.
o Party membership engaged in public self-criticism
o Obliged to study texts
1949 Immediate Actions

After the revolution
o Consolidation
o First Actions
Nationalisation
Banks
Public Utilities
Assets of those that fled to Formosa
Offered compensation to those willing to work with PRC
o Administrative Structure
Divided into Six Regions
Led by 4 officials
Chairman
Party Secretary
Military Commander
Political Commissar
Central Government
Central People's Government Council
56 Leading Members
6 Vice-Chairmen
1 Chairman of Council
o Reunification Campaigns
Assert power over regions that might declare independence. . three armies
dispatched.
Areas
North
South (Xinjiang)
West (Tibet)
Acts:
o 1950 Marriage Law
o 1950 Trade Union Law
o 1951 Agrarian Reform Law
Land confiscated
o Traitors repressed
bureaucrat capitalists
"four big families" of the Nationalist Party
K'ungs
Soongs
Chiangs
Ch'ens
o Many foreign nationals
Effects
End the power of many industrialists
Provided an economic basis for industrialization.
Wars
o Korea October 1950
o Translated spirit of external threat into spirit of sacrifice
1949-1952 Consolidation

o 1951 Three Anti-Movement
Attacks
Waste
Corruption
Inefficiency
o 1952 Five Anti-Movement
Attacks
Industrial Espionage
Tax Evasion
Bribery
Fraud
Theft of Government Property
Aims to destroy remnants of Bureaucratic Capitalist Class. Turned against
those who had helped stabilised the CRP initially, but who now were
expendable.
o Opposition
1949 10 Political Parties
1952 All Gone (including Left GMD, Democratic League)
Campaign against Counter-Revolutionaries and Imperialists
I.e. enemies of the state
o Underworld Gangsters
28,000 Killed in Shanghai
80,000 in Guangzhou
o Religion
Churches closed
Christianity, Buddhism and Confucianism denounced
o Youth Organizations taken over
o Propaganda
Wall Posters
Loud Speakers
Slogans Everywhere

1953-7 First Five Year Plan

Aims
o State Directed Growth of Heavy Industry
Nature
o Establishment National Resource Committee
o Take advantage of doubling in urbanisation rate
o Took control of inflation
1949 = 1,000%
1951 = 15%
o Achieved by
Slashing Public Expenditure
Raising Taxation
Dollar Renminbi
o Show Projects
Road and Rail Bridge across Yangzi at Nanking
o Development of Industry
Coal
Steel
Petro-Chemicals
Automobile and Transport
Effects
o Massive growth in output across the board.
o Much financed by Russia (95% loans)
o Deterioration in relationship
1957 Hundred Flower's Campaign

Causes
o Mao felt that he was in touch after travelling widely in China
"Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of though contend".
Nature
o Policies and individuals attacked
On grounds of lack of realism, corruption, inefficiency
o After initial hesitation, much criticism followed.
o Eventually stopped
Effects
o Critics forced to retract
o Critics forced into re-education
o Best minds lost
1958-1962 Great Leap Forward

Collectivisation
o Complement to industrialisation. Peasants had been encouraged to collectivise in
1949.
Causes
o Lack of labour
o Increase in production
Nature
o Division of China
o China's land divided into 70,000 commmunes.
o Each commune divided into 750,000 brigades
o Each brigade made up of 200 households.
Centralisation
o Methods, Sales and Prices dictated by CCP.
o Presentation
Presented as response to the peasant's wishes
o Had the state become the ultimate landlord?
Effects
o Famine
Greatest Ever
o No incentives
o Use of Lysenkoism
Made official policy in 1958
Universally enforced, even where unsuitable
All Chinese made to kill sparrows
Make noise
Sparrows die
Pests population grows exponentially
Eats crops
Rats Multiply
o 20% Population of Tibet Wiped out
o Exports Increased
o Party officials reported that in fact production had increased, so exports followed
suit.
Motivation
o Crassness?
o Enforce Control?
Industry
o Backyard furnaces
o Idea that mass labour could result in mass production
o Primitive inefficient, poor quality furnaces and inputs used.
o Good will did not produce steel.
1962-1966 Power Struggle

Causes
o With the failure of the great leap forward, mao's reputation and standing in the
party was damaged.
o In 1962 President Liu Shaoqui and General Secretary Deng Xiaoping were invited to
take over and correct the damage.
o Their Solution
Restoration of capitalist system
Admission that communism had failed
o Mao worried about their threat within the party
Regretted giving up Chairmanship in 1958
Regretted making less public appearances after 1958
Wu Han Crackdown
Play set in early dynasty
Called The dismissal of Hai Rai from office
Story about a courageous government official and his defiance of a
corrupt dictator
Solution
o Compiled little red book
o Politicised army
o Prescribed for every school and curriculum.
o Slogan "Learn from the PLA"
Necessary to have it with you all the time
o 1963 Diary of Lei Feng
Truck driver
Socialist Martyr
Fabricated
o Jiang Qing urges action against opponents
1966-70 Cultural Revolution

Motives
o Reassert authority over CCP
o Extension of permanent revolution
o Old guard had lost their fervour
o Preserve revolution as a peasant one
o Criticism of Stalin and Cult of personality in Russia, with Kruschev
o Viewed Kruschev as a traitor to the revolution by compromising with the west and
adopting revisionism.
o Convinced that the west would attack
Course
Phase 1
o Mao encourages students to put up posters attacking educational institutions for
their divergence from the revolutionary past
o Deng and Liu Shaoqui want peace: send emissaries to calm down students
o Mao appears near Wuhan in the Yanghtze, swimming
Press print it
Downgraded Lio Shaoqui and Upgraded Lin Bao (who helped write
the little red book etc).
Deng and Liu accused of being the "spearheads of the erroneous
line"
o Posters denounce them
Liu dies in his own faeces in 1973
Deng shouted at by 3000 red guards; son thrown from a window a
paralysed.
o Mao withdraws to the country. Red guards surround Zhongnanhai (the equivalent of
Whitehall), and, as directed by Jiang Quing and Lin Bao, jeer / maim / kill rightist
officials that had betrayed the revolution and become soviet style revisionists.
Phase 2 - "The Red Guard Terror"
o "To Rebel is justified"
o No departure from Confuscious - merely new master
o Art desecrated - labelled as "Confuscius and Co."
o Anyone with decadent tendencies manhandled etc.
o Radio and TV stations taken over
o Most action officially directed and sanctioned.
o Victimisers became victims
Some sickened by occurrences, then accused
o Intra-faction wars
Workers Vs. Students
Regional Students Vs. Other Regional Students
o General Change in Culture
Taken over by Jiang Qing
Destruction of Four Olds
Thought
Culture
Customs
Habits
o Reinterpretation of history into Good and Bad
Any nuance could be misinterpreted ; therefore much banned
Underlined by Marxist idea that culture is symptomatic of the political and
social circumstances
Or can possess any intrinsic value away from its class circumstances
o Proletarian art only art that could exist
"Children made to trample grass and knock the heads off flowers to show
their rejection of the notion of bourgeois beauty"
o Most artists sent to re-education camps
Final Phase
o Late 1960's Mao calls an end to the revolution and brings in the PLA.
Replaced by a call for the students to go into the countryside and learn from
the peasants.
To experience the dignity of labour
To enhance their understanding of the revolution
o 1972 Death of Lin Bao
Growing power means he is submitted for reeducation
Plots Mao's assassination
Discovered, boards plane to flee for Russia
Shot down over Mongolia
o Rememergence of Zhou Enlai and Deng
Zhou Enlai
Foreign Statesman
Lifts bamboo curtain
Gets Nixon in 1972.
Dies 1976
Demonstrations in support of policies, after funeral.
o Deng
Party Secretary by 1975
Despite an attack by Jiang Quing on the "pragmatist clique"
o Mao 1973 in a permanent "coma" only sustained by drugs.