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Civil War results - Coggle Diagram
Civil War results
Strengths/Weakness of CCP
Military
A smaller but more tightly knit force around 800,000
Controlled much smaller area
CCP troops were well disciplined and believed in their cause
Commanders were tactically astute
Guerrilla tactics
Experience of fighting e.g Lin Biao in Manchuria, 1948 Zhu De in Xuzhou, 1949
Weaken the (NRA) morale and slowly deplete their forces.
Mao referred to this approach as "wear and tear tactics"
more cohesive, flexible, and people-focused.
Mao exploited Chiang's impatience and arrogance- using this to CCP ad
In 1947, Mao deliberately allowed Yan’an to fall, viewing it as a symbolic sacrifice to bait the GMD.
'“We will give Chiang Yan’an. He will give us China.”
By surrendering Yan’an, Mao manipulated Chiang into overconfidence, encouraging strategic overreach.
Mao commented: “Chiang thinks that when he seizes the devil’s lair, he will win.”
Rittenberg 'sardonic cat and mouse game'
Politcal
CCP claimed to be the party of the people
Built key alliances with influential CCP figures: Zhou Enlai and Kang Shen
The Yan 'an rectification campaign in 1942-3
Launched a purge to eliminate critics and rivals within the Party
Consolidated control- gave party direction + direct leader
Claimed to be patriotic in the fighting the Japaehind Mao's leadership
Involved peasants in the local government in areas which they controlled
Reached out to 'national bourgeoisie' to join a popular revolution
CCP troops spread communist propaganda in areas under their control
Chiang assistant chief of staff, Liu Fei and head of GMD war planning board were communist spies
Enforcement of loyalty: Struggle meeting, self criticism sessions, used tortue by Kang Sheng
Propaganda
Fostered a narrative of himself as a visionary and heroic leader, particularly around his role in the Long March.
Songs like The East is Red and the first official portrait in 1937, which depicted him as a figure illuminated by sunlight.
They ended the practice of arranged marriages and gave women more freedom and choice
Literary was improved amongst the peasants
Use of social reform e.g land reform lacks with Giang
Foreign aid
Given large quantities of weapons and ammunition by Red Army in Manchuria taken from Japanese
Allowed Mao to gain propaganda advantage in claiming that GMD were in hands of US imperialists
Damaged Chiang reputation as unpatriotic image + reliance on foreign aid goes against Sun principle
PLA was trained by CCP- transform into stronger fighting force
Strengths/Weakness of GMD
Politcal
GMD claimed to be the one true national party
Had control of the central governement
GMD divided by factional rivarly
The regime was plagued by corruption and inefficiency
GMD had not fulfilled Sun Yat Sen's there principles
Suspicion of colleagues: Jiang refuses to use Young Marshal to control Manchuria as of his role in kidnap in 1936
The GMD’s political structure lacked democratic elections but gained support from business elites and rural landowners
Strict censorship was imposed on the press, books and cinema
Jiang established an Opium Suppression Bureau with the aim of cracking down on drugs trade
However, the Bureau allowed gangster who controlled drug trade to continue work if they shared their profits with the GMD
He created the GMD central political institute that trained young men to become future leaders
Jiang was in close contact with criminal gangs of the green (Du Yeshang) strengthening control over city
Military
Experience of fighting in conventional warfare
A large well equipped force of 4.3 mil troops with aircraft and heavy artillery weapons
Controlled large areas of China
GMD troops were ill disciplined poorly trained and many lacked the will to fight
Many GMD commanders were tactically weak as had been appointed through nepotism
Deep corruption, inefficient command, and brutal enlistment practices.
Chiang repeated tactical errors, notably overextending supply lines in Shaanxi, exposing GMD vulnerability.
Local commander frequently purloined their troops pay
Regional governors frequently failed to pass on tax revenue- impossibility to continue war effort
Wealthy business owners were forced to provide loans to the government
Signs of radicalisation amongst students were brutally supressed
The bureau of statistics used torture to extract information and carried out political assassinations
Economy: By 1945 prices were 785 million times greater than in 1937
Foreign Aid
GMD initially backed by the U.S., the world’s most powerful nation.
Chiang’s poor diplomacy caused a breakdown in U.S. relations — he admitted this caused “irreversible damage”.
General Marshall was impressed by the CCP at Yan’an and lost faith in the GMD.
In 1946, U.S. imposed a military aid embargo due to Chiang’s hostility.
Truman condemned GMD officials as “crooks” and “thieves” due to corruption and incompetence.
Soviet- GMD friendship treaty strengthened GMD as only legitimate government
Aid had limited impact on military and political actions
Breakdown of Nationalist/Communist alliances
Outbreak of civil war