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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

Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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Page 1: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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

Page 2: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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.

Page 3: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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.

Page 4: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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

Page 5: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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

Page 6: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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

Page 7: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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

Page 8: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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

Page 9: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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

Page 10: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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

Page 11: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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

Page 12: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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

Page 13: Summary of the Chinese Civil War (1937-1945)

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.