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The Civil War (1946-49) - Coggle Diagram
The Civil War (1946-49)
Japanese surrendered August 15th, 1945
Nationalists = 3.5 million soldiers armed with American weapons (aircraft, tanks and artillery)
Communists = 900,000 lightly armed soldiers on China's north-west
Prior to the Civil War
Aug-Oct 1945: U.S General Hurley attempted to organise a peace agreement between the CCP and Nationalists
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US Intervention
- US ordered the Japanese commanders to surrender to Nationalists
- US transported 500,000 of Chiang's finest troops to the cities of the north and north-east
- US landed 50,000 American marines in key ports and cities to await the arrival of the Nationalists
- They loaned the Nationalists $500 million
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Course of the Civil War
CCP - guerrilla warfare/sympathetic peasant population (political and military strength) - CCP troops were motivated by an ideological commitment to the struggle - Political indoctrination of communist troops - Won over the population to the communist cause
Disciplined behaviour by communist troops Three main rules of discipline: 1. Obey all orders in all your actions 2. Don't take a single needle or piece of thread from the masses 3. Turn in everything captured
Eight points for attention:
- Speak politely
- Pay fairly for what you buy
- Return everything you borrow
- Pay for anything you damage
- Don't hit or swear at people
- Don't damage crops
- Don't take liberties with women
- Don't ill-treat captives
Land Reforms - Land confiscated from landlords and wealthier peasants and redistributed - they were also denounced violently
Lin Biao - Mao's military commander, outstanding ability, intensive training in the use of weapons captured from the enemy and political indoctrination
- The GMD were allowed to occupy more land than they could handle
- Garrison duty spread the troops thinly, which made them vulnerable to attack and open to infection by Communist propaganda
Strengths - Nationalists controlled more territory than the CCP - control not effective, enjoyed foreign support (USSR, US)
Weaknesses - Failure of the Nationalists to fulfil Sun Yet-Sen's Three Principles and failure to defend national interests, created a dictatorial regime and didn't do much to improve the livelihood of the people. They were corrupt and inefficient. Taxes were not collected fairly and Chiang was forced to borrow heavily.
Chiang's Leadership: His regime was weak and divided, hard working but couldn't delegate to his subordinates, poor judge of character, did not act decisively to stamp out corruption or to remove incompetent officials
Nationalist Errors: - Lost Manchuria in 1948 to the CCP - Conscripted soldiers went days without food or water - Communist officials infiltrated the Nationalist forces - Mismanaged the economy: 1946 - price had risen 1000% from 1945 and 1947 - inflation reached 3000%
Consequences
- October 1st 1949 - Mao proclaimed the People's Republic of China to cheering crowds at Tiananmen Square
- The CCP inherited a divided, unstable and economically devastated nation
- Approx 2.5-6 million people died during the 1945-1949 Civil War
Quotes
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'in 1940, 100 yuan bought a pig, in 1943 a chicken, in 1945 a fish, in 1946 an egg, and in 1947 one third of a box of matches.' (Michael Lynch)
'Communist military progress was helped by the progressive deterioration of the Nationalist regime.' (C.P Fitzgerald)
'In the end the Nationalist revolution failed because it did not aspire to fundamental social change.' (Colin Mackerras)
'On 1 October 1949 Mao Tse-tung proclaimed the foundation of the People's Republic of China.' (Jean Chesneaux)
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Effect on the People
- Collapsed the economy (hyperinflation and corruption)
- Displaced millions of refugees