Civil War – 1946-49

Learning Objectives:
Examine the aims of the CCP and the GMD and what they offered to the
people of China?
Explain why the CCP won and the GMD lost the civil war?

Key Words, People &

Places:
Generalissimo
Blueshirt’s
New Life Movement
Rural Service
liberation areas
Rectification of
Conduct
Treaty of Friendship
General George C.
Marshall
Lin Biao
Strong Point Offensive
 The Two Chinas 1945-
LO: Examine the
aims of the CCP

49
and GMD. What
did they offer to the
people of China?
 How did Chiang Kai
LO: Examine the
aims of the CCP

Shek plan to rule?

and GMD. What
did they offer to the
people of China?

Mussolini Hitler Kai Shek

‘Duce’ ‘Fuehrer’ ‘Generalissimo’
‘Blackshirts’ ‘Brownshirts’ ‘Blueshirts’
‘I believe that unless everyone has absolute trust in one man, we cannot
reconstruct the nation and we can not complete the revolution’.
LO: Examine the

GMD vs. CCP Aims?

aims of the CCP
and GMD. What
did they offer to the
people of China?

What were the GMD’s and Chiang Kai Shek’s main aims
& policies for China? How did these differ from the CCP?

Use pages 22-23 to review how these aims effected the

Chinese populous in both the GMD and CCP areas

• Modernise China – Railways, Postal Service and

telecommunications along with developing the
countries industry.
• The ‘New Life Movement’- placed stress on public, self-
discipline and honesty.
• ‘Rural Service’ – Students sent to help peasants with
harvest
LO: Examine the
aims of the CCP
and GMD. What
did they offer to the
Communist Ideology
people of China?

• In Mao’s Red base in Yenan and other ‘liberation areas’

the CCP experiment with putting their ideologies into
practice and draw supporters from all over the country;
• The CCP favour the peasantry and educate and
empower the poor;
• The Red Army gets access to education and training and
grows a fierce sense of loyalty and discipline to the
communist cause;
• The ‘Rectification of Conduct’ campaign is carried out in
1942-4 and solidifies discipline and political correctness
amongst the CCP;
• The CCP become a centralised, experienced and
cohesive force, headed by charismatic leaders.
 Why did the CCP
LO: Examine the
aims of the CCP
and GMD. What
did they offer to the
people of China? succeed?
• Peasants happier:
– Land confiscated
– Rents/taxes reduced
(37.5% to 20% of crop)
– Interest free loans for
peasants
– Outmoded practices
banned
– Women’s Association’s
established
– Red Army is disciplined
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the
GMD lost the civil
war?
China’s Priorities
• 4 million Chinese dead, 60
million homeless
• Chinese casualties
estimated to be
10,000,000
• China ravaged by war,
some towns completely
obliterated
• War weary
• Need for peace and
stability, as well as
economic rebirth
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the Starting Positions 1945:
GMD v CCP
GMD lost the civil
war?

GMD CCP
Legitimate rulers of
Revolutionaries
China

Politically
experienced, could Growing experience but not
offer stability able to guarantee stability
across the whole of China
Support amongst
educated (i.e. richer)
members of society Promised to unleash the power of the
(uneducated) peasantry
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the Starting Positions:
GMD v CCP
GMD lost the civil
war?

Which side would seem more

appealing to you directly after
the War?
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the Was their ever a
United Front?
GMD lost the civil
war?

• 1937 – Second United Front established but this

was not to last. During the war – Civil war still
engaged between communists and
nationalists;
• 1938 armed clashes began;
• 1941 the Communist New Fourth Army was
attacked, 10,000 killed or captured;
HOWEVER
• When the Japanese left the Communists were
best placed to gain more land – WHY?
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the
GMD lost the civil
war?
China Post WW2
• When war ended in Aug 1945,
the CCP controlled most of the
countryside & the GMD was
stuck in Sichuan province.
• The war ended too soon for
Chiang. He was hoping that
the USA would send armies to
China to defeat the Japanese ‘The CCP had
AND communists. effectively won the
civil war by 1945.’
• The CCP was already
accepting the surrender of the Do you agree?
Japanese in many areas and Explain your opinions
taking over. in details.
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the
GMD lost the civil
war?
China Post WW2

• The Allies decided that Chiang

should be reinstated as ruler of
China. Even Stalin agreed to this
signing the ‘Treaty of Friendship’
• US Dakota planes rushed 110,000
GMD troops to the cities and bases
in the north to accept the surrender Why do you
of Japanese troops & equipment think Stalin
before the Communists could do so. agreed to
• In response the Communists moved reinstate Chiang
into Manchuria and captured many rather than Mao
ex-Japanese weapons. as leader of
China?
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the
GMD lost the civil
war?
International Context
• US yet to establish desire to completely eradicate
communism and prioritise the stability of Asia;
• Russia sympathetic to CCP, but do not concentrate on
further campaigns that may lead to more fighting;
• Both wanted to see a unified government with both parties
represented.

• Based on your knowledge of Chiang Kai

Shek and Mao’s relationship, how likely do
you think a coalition would be after WW2?
• In Dec 1945, the USA sent General George C.
Marshall to try to prevent a civil war in
China. He failed and war broke out in early
1946.
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the Which group was
stronger!
GMD lost the civil
war?

The Communists had 1.2m GMD had 2.7m

members, 900,000 soldiers, soldiers, 39
19 base areas, 90m newly trained
population but lacked divisions, x10
heavy military equipment artillery and
and only 600 artillery pieces. large air force.
CCP GMD
Strengths Weaknesses
How did the CCP live up the
Sun Yatsen’s 3 principles and Political
how did the GMD betray
them? How was this translated
Military
into military success?
The Final Struggle
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the The struggle for Manchuria
July 1946 – May 1947
GMD lost the civil
war?

• The GMD immediately took the

initiative by launching an offensive
which captured most of the cities
of Manchuria except for Harbin in
the far north.
• The CCP even lost their base at
Yenan. GMD numbers, resources
and air power helped dramatically.
Chiang committed ½ million of his
best troops to capture Manchuria.
• A renewed offensive by the GMD in
Oct 1946 failed to break through
the CCPs defences.
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the
GMD lost the civil
war?
July 1946 - May 1947
• After October 1946, the now
Peoples Liberation Army
(formerly Red Army) led by Lin
Biao, began to adopt an
effective guerrilla warfare
strategy against the GMD.
• From rural bases, the PLA
ambushed GMD units, forcing
them to remain in the cities.
• Railway lines were then blown
up to cut the cities off from
supplies and reinforcements.
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the
GMD lost the civil
war?
July 1946-May 1947
PROBLEMS IN THE CITIES ‘To tell the truth,
never, in China or
• Civilians suffered in Guomindang abroad has there
held cities – inflation (money lost its been a
value, wages bought less in shops) revolutionary party
workers went on strike as decrepit and
• 1kg rice rose to 1 million Chinese degenerate as we
dollars are today; nor one
• Riots and disorder rose and lacking in spirit,
people joined the Communists discipline, and
even more,
• ‘Blueshirts’ tried to restore order – lacking standards
Censorship of press, black lists of right and
drawn up and systematic murder wrong’ CKS 1947
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the The ‘Strong Point Offensive’
May 1947 – Nov 1948
GMD lost the civil
war?

Why was it
• US Govt. given US$200mil in important to
military aid since 1945, but move from
could now see the GMD were guerrilla warfare
to conventional
finished – cut further aid warfare?
• During this period, the PLA
moved from a strategy of
guerrilla warfare to one of
conventional battles with
massed forces of infantry and
artillery - Strong Point Offensive
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the
GMD lost the civil
war?
Dec 1948 - Oct 1949

THE BATTLE OF HUAI

HAI
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the
GMD lost the civil
war?
Dec 1948 - Oct 1949
• Jan 1949 - Chiang Kai-Shek How do you think
realised all was lost and fled to Chiang would
the island of Formosa and explain his defeat?
What is the legacy
established a GMD
of this history
government and set up today?
Taiwan.
• Took 200,000 GMD soldiers as
well as of of China’s gold
reserves.
• From then until 1975 Chiang
Kai Shek ruled Taiwan as the
‘Republic of China’
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the
GMD lost the civil
war?
Dec 1948 - Oct 1949

• After a rest, in April 1949, the PLA

attacked key cities on the Yangtzi
River, capturing Nanjing on 23rd
April and Shanghai in late May.
• Wuhan was captured in May and
the way to the south was now
open. The army then divided:
• Xi’an & Lanzhou captured in
August.
• Guangzhou captured in October.
• Chongqing captured in November.
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the The People’s Republic of
China (PRC) Established
GMD lost the civil
war?

• By late Sep 1949, most of China

was under Communist control.
• Mao called a conference in
Beijing. 14 political parties were
represented and the
conference elected members
of the new central government
of the People’s Republic of
China (PRC).
• On 1st Oct 1949, Mao
proclaimed the founding of the
PRC and he was elected
Chairman.
The Chinese People have Stood up!

1st October 1949, Mao officially announces the founding of the PRC
from the Forbidden City.
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the Chiang – ‘Why have you
failed?
GMD lost the civil
war?

Which of these reasons for the victory of the Communists

refer to the CCP and which refer to the GMD. Write CCP
or GMD in the column on the right.
LO: Explain why the
CCP won and the Why did the Communists
win the civil war?
GMD lost the civil
war?

Use the information in the previous slide to write a bullet

point plan for the the above question.

Lay out your points under the below headings:

• Introduction
• Strengths of the CCP
• Tactics of the CCP
• Weaknesses of the GMD
• Tactics of the GMD
• Peasants
• Conclusion
Timeline – Ensure your
timeline is up to date,
complete and as
Homework TIMELINE This is the
detailed
other major taskas
too. possible.

There will be a test on

this next lesson!