civil war the long march many had looked forward to more peaceful times with the removal of the...

CIVIL WAR & THE LONG MARCHCIVIL WAR & THE LONG MARCH

• Many had looked forward to more peaceful times Many had looked forward to more peaceful times with the removal of the warlordswith the removal of the warlords

• But it was not to be as a civil war broke out But it was not to be as a civil war broke out between the KMT and the CCP in the 1930s and between the KMT and the CCP in the 1930s and lasted until 1949lasted until 1949

• For much of this period, China was also involved in For much of this period, China was also involved in a bitter struggle with Japana bitter struggle with Japan

• After the CCP retreated to the Jinggang mountains After the CCP retreated to the Jinggang mountains in 1927, they created for themselves a small state in 1927, they created for themselves a small state in Jiangxi provincein Jiangxi province

• CKS saw this as a threat to his authorityCKS saw this as a threat to his authority• He tried to surround the Communists with his own He tried to surround the Communists with his own

troops to either defeat the CCP or force them to troops to either defeat the CCP or force them to surrendersurrender

• Eventually 500,000 KMT troops took part in this Eventually 500,000 KMT troops took part in this operationoperation

THE LONG MARCHTHE LONG MARCH

• Mao, leader of the CCP, decided to break out Mao, leader of the CCP, decided to break out of this encirclement and search for a safer of this encirclement and search for a safer basebase

• The route which the CCP took after breaking The route which the CCP took after breaking through the KMT is known as through the KMT is known as THE LONG THE LONG MARCHMARCH

• Mao did not intend to go as far as he didMao did not intend to go as far as he did• He was forced to do so by the KMT attacks He was forced to do so by the KMT attacks

which drove the communists further from which drove the communists further from JiangxiJiangxi


• The Long March was an extraordinary historical eventThe Long March was an extraordinary historical event• Large numbers of Communist soldiers, women and Large numbers of Communist soldiers, women and

children were involved [100,000 broke out]children were involved [100,000 broke out]• They crossed 18 mountains ranges, 24 rivers, canyons, They crossed 18 mountains ranges, 24 rivers, canyons,

swamps and desertsswamps and deserts• They suffered cold, hunger and diseaseThey suffered cold, hunger and disease• Hey passed through 12 different provinces and broke Hey passed through 12 different provinces and broke

through armies of 10 different provincial warlordsthrough armies of 10 different provincial warlords


• All the time they were faced with attacks from the KMT All the time they were faced with attacks from the KMT as well as remote tribes who hated all Chineseas well as remote tribes who hated all Chinese

• It was a wonder that they managed to keep goingIt was a wonder that they managed to keep going• The majority perished in the Long March [nnly 20,000 The majority perished in the Long March [nnly 20,000

survived]survived]

THE LONG MARCHTHE LONG MARCHThe Red Army fears not the trials of The Red Army fears not the trials of the Long March the Long March And thinks nothing of a thousand And thinks nothing of a thousand mountains and rivers. mountains and rivers. The Wuling Ridges spread out like The Wuling Ridges spread out like ripples; ripples; The Wumeng Ranges roll like balls of The Wumeng Ranges roll like balls of clay. clay. Warmly are the cliffs wrapped in Warmly are the cliffs wrapped in clouds washed by the Gold Sand; clouds washed by the Gold Sand; Chilly are the iron chains lying across Chilly are the iron chains lying across the width of the Great Ferry. the width of the Great Ferry. A thousand acres of snow on the Min A thousand acres of snow on the Min Mountain delight Mountain delight My troops who have just left them My troops who have just left them behind. behind.

Mao Zedong September 1935

(Source : David L. Weitzman, Mao Tse-tung and The Chinese Revolution )


• In Mao’s view, the Long March was a victory for the In Mao’s view, the Long March was a victory for the CommunistsCommunists

• They had managed to survive against all odds – against the They had managed to survive against all odds – against the many dangers and the KMT efforts to destroy themmany dangers and the KMT efforts to destroy them

• The Long March was a considerable achievement considering The Long March was a considerable achievement considering the great number of people involved, the distance they were the great number of people involved, the distance they were able to cover in a year and the dangers they went throughable to cover in a year and the dangers they went through

• Reports of the bravery and endurance of the Long March Reports of the bravery and endurance of the Long March participants put the CCP in good lightparticipants put the CCP in good light

• Won them many supportersWon them many supporters


Oct. 25, 1935 - China: The Long March ends in north Shensi (photo: a small group of the survivors) with 7,000 survivors out of 90,000 who started the march 368 days ago. The average age of the soldiers is 19 and that of the officers is 24.

http://www.kimsoft.com/korea/jp-hist3.htm

MAO & COMRADESMAO & COMRADES

Nov. 7, 1931 - Mao Zedong is elected chairman of the Chinese Soviet Republic

CONTINUATION OF THE CIVIL WARCONTINUATION OF THE CIVIL WAR

• The Long March helped to spread communist ideas to parts of China where communism was unheard of

• Mao used his new base in Shaanxi to carry out attacks on the KMT

• Within Shaanxi, Mao set up a communist government• Peasants were encouraged to get rid of their landlords• Local govt was handed over to workers’ councils• When war broke out with the Japanese in 1937, CKS was

forced to join forces with the Communists against the Japanese

• Both sides were suspicious of each other’s intentions despite their cooperation

• There were times when CKS seemed more worried about the communist threat than the Japanese

• Inevitable that civil war would resume in the event that the Japanese were defeated

LAST STAGES OF THE CIVIL WARLAST STAGES OF THE CIVIL WAR

• After WWII, the CCP received much support from USSR

• USSR entered the was against Japan at the last minute

• They took over Manchuria, linked up with Communist troops in northern China and provided them with military aid

• Meanwhile, CKS received more support from the US

• US concerned that China might fall to the communists

• Although US did not approve of CKS government which it thought to be dictatorial, they preferred it to the Communists


• 1947 : KMT succeeded in capturing the communist capital of Yunan in Shaanxi

• Later in 1947, Communists began to regain back their losses

• 1949 : many major battles, including one at Xuzhou involving a million soldiers fighting in a snowstorm

• This and another battle near Beijing led to further communist advance

• Mao drove CKS forces across the Yangzi River and captured Nanjing and Shanghai

• By now, the KMT controlled only parts of southern China


• In Beijing, Mao aanounced that a People’s Republic of China had been formed

• By Dec 1949, the whole of mainland China was under communist control

• CKS and his loyal followers fled to Taiwan where they set up a nationalist Chinese government which has continued ever since

WHY DID THE CCP WIN THE CIVIL WAR?WHY DID THE CCP WIN THE CIVIL WAR?

1.1. Support of the peopleSupport of the people2.2. Guerrilla WarfareGuerrilla Warfare3.3. Poor morale of KMT Poor morale of KMT

troopstroops4.4. InflationInflation


1.1. Support of the peopleSupport of the people– Poverty of peasantsPoverty of peasants– Resentment of landownersResentment of landowners– Communists won peasants over Communists won peasants over

by taking away landlords’ landby taking away landlords’ land– CCP had strict rules about not CCP had strict rules about not

lootinglooting– Did their best to persuade the Did their best to persuade the

people that life was better under people that life was better under the communiststhe communists

– Some element of fear and threat Some element of fear and threat was present in the way the was present in the way the communists severely punished communists severely punished their opponentstheir opponents


““Eight rules for the soldiers in the countryside” issued by the Eight rules for the soldiers in the countryside” issued by the Communist Army in the 1930sCommunist Army in the 1930s

1.1. Replace all doors when you leave a houseReplace all doors when you leave a house2.2. Return and roll up the straw matting on which you sleepReturn and roll up the straw matting on which you sleep3.3. Be courteous and polite to the people and help them when Be courteous and polite to the people and help them when

you canyou can4.4. Return all borrowed articlesReturn all borrowed articles5.5. Replace all damaged articlesReplace all damaged articles6.6. Be honest in all transactions with peasantsBe honest in all transactions with peasants7.7. Pay for all articles purchasedPay for all articles purchased8.8. Be sanitary and, above all, establish latrines a safe Be sanitary and, above all, establish latrines a safe

distance from people’s housesdistance from people’s houses


2.2. Guerrilla WarfareGuerrilla Warfare– Guerrilla warfare was used Guerrilla warfare was used

effectively by the communist effectively by the communist troopstroops

– Involved frequent surprise Involved frequent surprise attacks on the KMTattacks on the KMT

– Refused to be drawn into an Refused to be drawn into an open battle knowing that they open battle knowing that they might be defeatedmight be defeated

– They depended on the locals’ They depended on the locals’ supportsupport


3.3. Poor morale of the KMT TroopsPoor morale of the KMT Troops– The KMT troops suffered poor The KMT troops suffered poor

morale, especially after 1945morale, especially after 1945– Many desertions from CKS armyMany desertions from CKS army– Generally, the KMT was not Generally, the KMT was not

popularpopular– CKS secret police was CKS secret police was

sometimes brutal and much sometimes brutal and much hatedhated

– Corruption among senior KMT Corruption among senior KMT officialsofficials


4.4. InflationInflation– KMT printed far too much moneyKMT printed far too much money– Value of money went down – Value of money went down –

inflation (sounds familiar?)inflation (sounds familiar?)– Cause great poverty for a large Cause great poverty for a large

number of peoplenumber of people– Made CKS very unpopularMade CKS very unpopular

civil war the long march many had looked forward to more peaceful times with the removal of the...

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