3. the origins of the civil war 1936-1946 Flashcards
what happened at the Marco Polo Bridge Incident
July 1937 Japanese vs Chinese Marco Polo Bridge Incident
Japanese had the right to guard and control South Manchuria
At a railway 1 solider went missing
Japanese used this as an excuse to cross the boarder to Chinese territory
Chinese shot first
conflict
Japanese ultimatum: chinese should withdraw from the area
Japanese attack Beijing
Jiang declares the limits of endurance have been reached
Jiang prepares for a full-scale war against the Japanese
what did jiang say to describe the threat of the communists vs the japanese
described the japanese as a ‘disease of the skin’ compared to the communists as a ‘disease of the heart’
means communists are an internal threat so will be prioritiesed to defeat over the japanese
Jiang’s feelings towards the communists at the start of the civil war
kidnap incident
Jiang didnt want to restore a united frount to fight the japanese with the communists
communists wanted to restore it to fight japan
not all of Jiang’s advisors agreed with him eg Zhang Xueliang known as the Young Marshall a military commander in Shaanxi
under his command Jiang was captured
communists in touch with Xueliang wanted him executed
stalin pressured them to change their approach saying Jiang was the only leader able to fight Japan in the war but had to agree to a second united frount
agreements and what happened with the Second United Frount
said:
CCP would accept Jiang’s leadership and would have control of the NRA= never fully took place due to mutual suspicion
GMD would cease operation against Communists in Yan’an and elsewhere
GMD would end political repression of the CCP, Jiang announced the establishment of a National Political Constitute Council
Jiang refused to sign agreement but verbal assured he would in order to escape
about the National Political Constitute Council(NPCC)
to ‘unite all forces… to benefit the formulation of national policies’
200 members
120 of them CCP and other political parties
in practice they had very little power as Jiang still had autocratic power
civil war Japan capturing cities timeline
Marco Polo bridge Incident
Japan occupies Beijing
extend into northern China
Jiang launches attack on Japan in Shanghi 1937
war spread to central China
Japan capture Shanghi
then advance to Yangzi River
Japan capture Nanjing Jan 1938
Jiang moves capital to Wuhan
Japan capture Wuhan october 1938
Jiang moves to Yangzi
capital now in Chongqing
Japanese establish air bases in central China to be able to bomb Chongqing
Communist timeline against the Japanese
August 1940 launch of the Hundred Regiment Offensive led by Peng Dehuai and Zhu De, a campaign of the NRA against the Japanese
battled till December
heavy loss for CCP 22,000 dead vs 3-4,000 Japanese dead
last time the CCP did all-out attacks
Japanese release ‘Three All’ campaign: kill all, burn all, loot all against the communists in the Shaanxi area
CCP had many casualties and had to give up large amount of occupied terrritory
america japan china timeline
December 1941 Japan attacks Pearl
America and britain alliance with Jiang
America give aid to Jiang
airbases set up in China, USA flies in supplies
American advisers help train NRA
Japan are now over extended in conflict
1944 America bombs Japan from airbases
Japan launches major offensive to capture airbases in the South
was successful and American advisers were appaled with lack of fighting spirit
what was America doing when helping the Chinese became a lower priority
then to USSR
1944-45 were focused on capturing islands close to Japan to invade
at the end of WW2 USSR alliance with GMD
1945 America drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Japan retreat
what happened during the Second United frount
didn’t workout
Communists too suspicious to take Jiangs orders
Jiang never abandened his goal to erradicate the CCP
each side knew their fight for struggle would resume after Japan was defeated
1941 Jiang breaks United Front, orders attack on Communist New Fourth Army in south China when Ye Ting wouldn’t move troops north as Jiang commanded
communists lost 7000/9000 men and had to regroup in the north
Jiang established line of defensive position around the CCP base in Yan’an
United front broken but not completely abandoned
what was the New Fourth Army
established December 1937 from left over Communist troops of the Long March led by Ye Ting
what was the Ichigo Offensive
Japanese operation to destroy American airbases in China
