1: Nationalist China, 1936-1946

Question 1

1) When did the Qing dynasty fall and a republic emerge?

Answer 1

1911

Question 2

2) Which movement emerged in May 1919 among students following China’s betrayal at the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 2

May Fourth Movement

Question 3

3) What were the three principles of the GMD?

Answer 3

• Democracy
• Nationalism
• Livelihood of the People

Question 4

4) Name at least three facets of Mao Zedong Thought

Answer 4

Mass mobilisation, learning from the people, class struggle, peasant revolution, national revolution (stage theory)

Question 5

5) Name two reasons the KMT were able to gain control over most of China in by 1928?

Answer 5

• Northern Expedition
• Defeat of communists
  in First United Front
• General dislike of
  Warlord era

Question 5

6) Name 3 reasons why the period 1926-1936 is often described as the ‘Golden Decade’ of Nationalist China?

Answer 5

Relative political stability, economic growth occurred in cities, some renegotiation of one-sided foreign treaties

Question 6

7) Of 100,000 who started the Long March in 1934 how many reached Yenan in 1936?

Answer 6

5,000

Question 7

8) Name two reasons why the Long March has become a heroic myth in the history of the CCP?

Answer 7

Mao secured his control, achievements meant to symbolize dedication and energy of communist cadre

Question 8

9) Which agreement was reached following the Xian incident of 1936?

Answer 8

Second United Front

Question 9

10) Name two ways the Communists modified their policies during the ‘patriotic’ war against Japan

Answer 9

Toned down peasant land expropriation (Jiangxi), appealed to small landowners and middle class, promoted National
Revolution before communist revolution

Question 10

11) In what city has the brutality of the Japanese in 1938 become infamous?

Answer 10

Nanjing/Nanking

Question 11

12) Which offensive did the CCP launch in 1940 against the Japanese?

Answer 11

Hundred Regiments

Question 12

13) Give two bits of evidence to help explain why the Second United Front existed more in name than in practice

Answer 12

The KMT wiped out the New Fourth Army in 1941, Chiang called communism a “disease of the soul”, the NRA and
CCP’s army operated separately

Question 13

14) Which offensive did the Japanese launch in 1944 which wiped out US airbases in China and exacerbated US
General’s Stilwell’s general disdain for the Nationalists (and Chiang - “the peanut”) fighting capability?

Answer 13

Operation Ichigo

Question 14

15) Which mission did the US launch in 1944 to liaise with the communists?

Answer 14

Dixie

Question 15

16) Give three reasons why Soviet support for the CCP was limited between 1936 and 1946

Answer 15

• Mao had fought against Moscow trained ‘Orthodox Bolsheviks’ in the CCP to gain power
• Stalin believed the KMT were a better bet to back as a ‘friendly neighbour’
• Stalin did not want to antagonise America post-WWII because he
  wanted to secure new influence in East Europe

Question 16

17) What was the relative size of the newly formed PLA and NRA by 1946?

Answer 16

1m vs 2.7m

Question 17

18) How did US airlifts play a key role in ensuring the Nationalists would emerge from WWII as the dominant force

Answer 17

Airlifted 500,000 NRA north to secure cities in Manchuria from Japanese

Question 18

19) What was the result of US-led peace negotiations (between KMT and CCP) in August 1945?

Answer 18

A Political Consultative Conference was called where both parties would co-operate

Question 19

20) Name at least three reasons the Civil War between the KMT and CCP broke out in 1946?