Booklet 3 My Notes 1931-1941 Flashcards
When did Yuan Shikai rule?
1912-1916
Who was Yuan Shikai and what did he do?
A general who turned China into a dictatorship
Failed to make himself emperor in 1914
Who ruled from 1912-1916
Yuan Shikai
What was the 1916-1927 era known as?
The Warlord Era
When was the Warlord Era?
1916-1927
Who were the Warlords and what what their rule like?
. Land lords
. Like gang leadership
. Country was fragmented and separate
What movement took place from 1919-1925
The 4th May movement
When was the 4th May movement?
1919-1925
What was the 4th May movement ?
. Cultural movement which grew from student protest
. Wanted youth to rebel against the government for democracy
When was the CCP founded
1921
Who were the 3 key founding members of the CCP?
. Mao Zedong
. Zhou Enlai
. Zhu De
When did Sun Yatsen lead the GMD?
1920-25
When was the first united front?
1924-1927
Where did Chiang Kai-Shek train?
Whampoa Military Academy
When did Sun Yatsen die and of what?
Cancer in 1925
When was the Northern Expedition?
1926-8
What was the Northern Expedition?
Chinag’s campaign to unify most of China
What was the expedition in 1926-8
The Northern Expedition?
When was the White Terror and Autumn Harvest uprising?
1927
What was the White Terror and Autumn Harvest uprising
A purge on the communists who were arrested and killed
What did Chiang create in 1928?
A new capital in Nanking where western ideas were adopted
When did Mao go to Jiangxi?
1928
Where did Mao go in 1928?
Jiangxi
Why did Mao go to Jiangxi?
. Wanted peasants to rise up against those in charge
What did the GMD do to Jianxi?
. Launched a series of military campaigns there
. Encirclement campaigns 1929-34
. Mao used guerilla warfare
When were the encirclement campaigns?
1929-34
What was the Futian Incident and when was it?
Futian battalion rebelled against Mao - 1930
When was the Long March?
1934-35
What was the Long March?
Military retreat to escape the GMD
How far did the communists walk on the Long March?
17 miles a day average
How many causalities were lost of the road and what what % of the red army died on the Long March?
. 30,000-40,000 causulaties
. 95%
Where did the CCP set up base and when?
Yan’aan in 1935
When was the Xian incident?
1936
What incident happened in 1936?
Xian incident
What was the Xian Incident?
Chiang was kidnapped by one of his northern advisors who tried to convince Chiang to stop attacks on the CCP and deal with Japan
USSR and China similarities in 1920?
. Tsars had absolute power like Qing
. Revolution at similar time to China
. Big peasant pop
. Agricultural economy exploiting workers
Communism
. Forced redistribution by the government or revolution by the workers which is then owned by the workers, state and enterprise
. Dictatorship for control - should be temporary
Membership expansion of the CCP (1922, 1926, 1927)
. From 200 members in 1922
. 7000 in early 1926
. 30,000 by the end of 1926
. By 1927 there were 58,000 members of the CCP making it the third largest in the world.
Adolf Joffe
Senior Soviet diplomat who met with Sun Yat-sen in 1923 to greet that national unity would be key in the united from
Mikhail Borodin
Sent to China for 3 years to transform the GMD
What was Sun named as?
Leader for life
How did the Soviets improve the CCP militarily
. Shipped arms, money and advisors in to create a new GMD military academy (Whampoa Military Academy) and improve their army.
. Chiang Kaishek was appointed commandant
What did the Russians do with their concessions?
Agreed to surrender all Russian occupied Chinese land (e.g. Mongolia) given to the old Russian Tsar’s government by the former Qing Dynasty
What did the Russians publicly condemn?
The special privileges held in the treaty ports by foreign powers.
Why did /Moscow insist the CCP join with the GMD?
Because the GMD was more useful and better established
How much did the Comintern provide to keep the CCP alive?
$5000 per annum
What type of family did Mao come from?
A prosperous peasant family
What did Mao do in his youth?
. Joined an anti Qing army in Hunan
. Trained as a teacher and left for Beijing
. Joined Hunan independence movement
. Worked as an assistant at the university library - where he heard about the Russian revolution
Where was Sun Yat-Sen during the Boxer rebellion?
Exile
Who was Chiang Kai-Shek?
. According to school reports he was average and a loaner
. Went to debaters prison at 12
. Rejected from Chinese military school
. Went to Whampoa Military Academy but told he had no leadership skills
Why did Chiang Kai-Shek replace Sun Yat-Sen
. Sun died of cancer
. Unclear who would succeed him
. Chiang made bid for leadership in 1926 - married to Sun Yat-Sen’s sister in law
. Support from party, not communists as he hated them
The northern expedition was successful
Achieved purpose of defeating warlords and reuniting China
The northern expedition was not successful
. Not all warlords were defeated
. Many warlords only accepted GMD’s authority if they could keep their private armies or offered places in the party
. Chiang’s position was weak as he did not fully control China
When did Chiang turn on communists?
1927
Why did Chiang turn on communists?
. As soon as Chiang judged that the Northern Expedition would be ultimately successful his attack on communists intensified
. Chiang only needed communist support to defeat warlords
Why was nationalist China a dictatorship?
Uncertain conditions in China as it struggled to adopt modern ways did not permit Chiang to introduce democracy immediately
Political reform under nationalist rule
. China’s civil service modernised by the creation of special administrative departments
. Improve quality +availability of education
. Setting up country as a dictator
Economic reform under nationalist rule
. Chinese bankers brought under central control of Bank of China
. Shanghai stock exchange
. Modern buses + train commissions
. Government subsidies for film
. Opium brought under control
. Gambling restrictions
Relationship with foreigners under nationalist rule
. Close links between Third Reich and nationalist
. Blue shirts like Gestapo
. Nationalist tactics and discipline based on German model
. Until 1936 Nazis supplied most of Chinese equipment
Political weakness under nationalist rule
. Considerable illicit funding for GMD came from donations from gangsters
. Never a mass party due to social composition of its members
. Members did not care about peasants
Peasant poverty under nationalist rule
. Little in GMD to introduce the land reforms they promised
. More interested in improving countryside conditions than welfare in urban cities
Extent of control under nationalist rule
. Warlords still had a say in many provinces
. Government failed to carry through its policies of land reforms
. At no time did the nationalists control more than 2/5 of Chinese population, only 1/2 land
Out of how many survived the Long March?
Out of 100,000 barely 20,000 survived
How did the Japanese help the CCP survive?
Invaded the north meaning the GMD couldn’t fully deal with communists
How many times did the GMD encirclement campaign fail?
4
% divide between rural and urban
70% rural and 30% urban
Maoism
Communism for the peasants
What was the US role in Japan invading China?
. USA adopted a high tariff policy which restricted the import of foreign goods depriving Japan of a trade outlet
. Without access to the US market the Japanese could not acquire the capital needed for raw materials
Economic climate in Japan which lead to the invasion of China
Economic recession in China encouraged an aggressive policy of expansionism
Why did Japan invade China?
. Wanted control of east Asia and western Pacific - imperial expansionism
. Believed Chinese were racially inferior
. Worried China would become unified and rival Japan’s power
. Wanted to free themselves from their dependence on foreign states for oil and rice
How did China’s weakness warrant Japan’s invasion?
. China lacked a strong central government - only token resistance against Japan
. Disorder from 30th May Incident gave Japan justification for tightening their hold over China
Why did Japan need to invade Manchuria?
For raw materials and for living space for Japan’s expanding population
What % of Japan’s total overseas investment were in China
80%
What fraction of Japan’s international trade did China account for?
1/4
Why was Japan worried about the USSR?
Thought they wanted to exploit China as a base to overwhelm Japan
How was Japan able to invade China? (Japan positives)
Meiji reforms, economic modernisation, military strength, prosperous
How was Japan able to invade China? (China negatives)
Static economy, financial debt, backward military, fragmented
Tanaka memorial
. Probably fake
. Only original copy in Chinese not Japanese
. First seen in a magazine in 1929 in China
. Purpose - to gain western support against Japan
When was the Mukden Incident?
September 1931
Who came up with the Mukden Incident?
Seishiro and Kanji Ishimara devised a plan to ignite war in Manchuria
What happened on September 19th 1931?
Two artillery pieces were secretly installed in secret at the Mukden Officers club with open fire on Chinese garrisons nearby
What did the Japanese army do to start war?
Blew up their own railway and blamed it on China, not until November when the Chinese attacked
How well prepared were the Chinese army
Ill prepared for battle
What did the Japanese army do once war had started?
Made rapid progress across Manchuria’s wide open spaces
What had the Japanese army done within 5 months of the Mukden incident
Overrun all major towns and cities
What did the United States Secretary of State declare?
The US would not recognise any government that was established due to Japanese actions in Manchuria
What did the League of Nations commission find?
. Neglected the Japanese claim that the Manchurian invasion was an act of self-defence
. Found that China’s sovereignty had been compromised but Japan walked out
What did Japan do in 1933?
Resigned from the league
When did Japan resign from the League of Nations?
1933
What was secured for Japanese shipping?
Port of Mukden
What had Japan created in Manchuria?
A puppet state controlled from Tokyo
What was proclaimed on February 18th 1932?
The Manchu state of Manchuko
When was the Manchu state of Manchuko proclaimed?
February 18th 1932
Who did Japan invite to be head of state in Manchuria?
Puyi
How did Chiang describe Japan and the communists?
Said the ‘Japanese are a disease of the skin’ and ‘the communist are a disease of the heart’
Lytton commission
Wrote a report for the league which took months
What action did the league take against Japan?
None
What did Chiang hope the league could be used for?
To protect China from Japanese invasions which would allow him to take on the communists
What was the League of Nations set up to do?
Prevent another war and use the armed forces of its member states to prevent foreign aggression
When was the Treaty of Tanggu signed?
May 1933
What was signed in May 1933?
Treaty of Tanggu
Main terms of the Treaty of Tanggu? (5 terms)
. Recognised Japanese control of Manchuria, Rehe, Hopei
. An area encompassing Tianjin and Peiping was demilitarised
. Japan had secured its interests in northern China
. Official recognition of Manchuko as a state
. China had surrendered sovereignty to avoid full scale war with Japan
What effect would the Treaty of Tanggu have on China?
. Humiliation
. Was signed under the presence of Japanese warships
. Achieved peace in the short term but only by bowing to Japanese demands
. Northern Chinese angry but southerners relieved Japan had been dealt with
What effect would the Treaty of Tanggu have on Japa?
. Unlikely that Japan was satisfied
. Japan’s growing reliance on China’s resources
. Emperor loses influence as the army control the government
. Could not afford to loose Manchuria’s resources and space
Long term causes of all out war?
. Japanese imperialism
. Chinese instability
. Great Depression
. Manchuria
. Ching’s appeasement (worked in 1933-35)
Short term causes of all out war?
. Marco Polo Bridge
. Chiang’s decision to mobilise for war - appeasement vs total war
How did the Japanese cabinet feel about war?
Wait as war would make Japan vulnerable or neutralise China
What did the Japanese do on the 26th July 1937?
Attacked and captured Beijing and Tianjin
When did the Japanese attack and capture Beijing and Tianjin?
26th July 1937
What did the Kwangtung army do to the Chinese?
Killed all Chinese on sight
How quickly did Japan think they could crush China?
Within 3 months
Medium term causes of all out war (international developments)?
. Rise of dictators in Europe
. Ineffective League of Nations
. USSR threatened by rise of Nazi Germany and Japan
. Great Depression
Medium term causes of all out war (internal developments)?
. Xian incident
. Chiang’s national defence planning council Nov 1932
. NRA reform
. 5th encirclement campaign and long march - feels like CCP are defeated
When was the second united front?
1936
What was decided at the National Defence Planning Council and when was it?
November 1932 - secret war preparation to modernise China and move valuable industry to the west
Medium term causes of all out war (developments in Japan)?
. 1/2 government spending on military
. Clashes with USSR on the Manchurian border
. Red army attacks Japanese troops
. June 1937 - hardline government
. Neither side was economically or militarily prepared for full scale war in 1937
What was the Marco Polo Bridge Incident?
Clash occurred between Japanese soldiers Ona night exercise and Chinese troops around Marco Polo
Marco Polo Bridge was an accident
. Neither side’s government sought a full scale war
. Japanese general had a heart attack leading to an experienced colleague replaced
. Japanese troops not looking for trouble and were searching for a lost soldier
Marco Polo Bridge was not an accident
. Inevitable consequence of the Japanese determination to achieve further dominance in China
. Impossibility of Chiang’s government to accept further humiliation
What was the result of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident for the GMD?
. Chiang announced the limits of endurance had been reached
. Chiang’s military suffered defeat after defeat
What was the result of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident for the CCP?
. GMD was weakened by the Japanese and it was easier for the CCP to talk after
. Clear winners as they could survive and expand
What was the result of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident for the Japanese?
. In Japan a debate ensued between hardliners and those wanting to avoid conflict - hardliners won
. Japanese occupied Beijing and attacked several major towns
When was the fall of Beijing?
8 August 1937
What happened on the 8th August 1937?
Fall of Beijing
When was the second Sino-Japanese War?
1937-41
What war took place between 1937-41?
Second Sino-Japanese War
What happened to Beijing in the war?
. It was garrisoned by 3000 troops and Chinese given ultimatum to withdraw forces
. Neighbouring towns overrun and Japanese told to kill all Chinese on sight
Where did Chiang choose to launch an attack in August 1937
Shanghai
When did Chiang launch an attack on Shanghai?
August 1937
How many troops attacked Shanghai?
Chiang ordered 50,000 troops where they outnumbered 20,000 Japanese
Casualty rates at Shanghai attack
Estimated 300,000 Chinese dead compared to 70,000 Japanese
Rape of Nanking date
December 1937
What massacre happened in December 1937
Rape of Nanking
How long did the Rape of Nanking last?
7 weeks
After the Rape of Nanking how many Chinese surrendered?
24,000
What was the capital from 1938-45?
Chongqing
When did Chongqing become capital
1938
Why did Chongqing become the capital
It was inland and not under immediate Japanese threat
How many art treasure were moved to Chongqing?
15,000
How many factories were moved to Chongqing?
150
How many enterprises were moved to Chongqing?
2000
What was the problem with Chongqing??
It was backward, poor, produced little, did not have much transport
When did the Battle for Shanghai end?
November 1937
Why did Chiang invade Shanghai?
. To establish a second front in Shanghai and engage Japan in the east
. Protect Yangtze and road to Nanking
. Delay Japanese advance giving time to move the government and industry inland
. Trading space for time
. Wanted international sympathy
Japanese preparation for Shanghai
. 3,000 naval troops to support
. 32 vessels
. Tanks
. Anti-tank artillery
Chinese preparation for Shanghai
. Deployed central NRA
. Propaganda
. New tanks
. ROCAF (airforce)
. Ordered 500,000 troops in Shanghai
What held back China?
Refugee crisis
What was the main tactic of China with Shanghai?
With superior numbers, surprise Japanese and push to the coast then blockade reinforcements
What was the Chinese hit rate like?
The Chinese only hit 1 ship and they missed the other ship
What did the Chinese attack at Shanghai?
. Surprise ground attack focussed on Japanese strongholds
. Aerial attack on Japanese interests
What did China lose in the battle of Shanghai?
. Loss of surprise due to poor weaponry and training
. Refugee crisis
What happened on Black Saturday?
China accidentally bombed Nanking Road + Avenue King Edward VII - thousands of civilians killed
What was the Japanese response to the battle of Shanghai?
. Naval and air bombardments on Chinese barracks, defences and civilian areas
. Waves of reinforcements (200,000 troop)
. A naval landing put 30,000 Japanese troops in the rear of the Chinese
How many troops did China loose in the Battle of Shanghai?
187,000
What did China do at the end of the battle?
Withdrew to Nanjing to save ‘Shanghai’ from future damage but was left to Japanese mercy
What was the Chinese retreat like?
. Poorly organised and defences fell easily, Hindenburg line fell in two weeks
How did the world react to Shanghai?
. President Roosevelt gave a speech
. Britain called for a Power Treaty review in November but achieved nothing
What did the USSR sign
A non-aggression pact and sent aircraft and money to China
What did Tokyo’s decision to march to Nanking do for Chinese morale?
Increased Chinese resistance and encouraged propaganda
At Shanghai what was Chinese facilities compared to Japanese?
Chinese lost 300,000 compared to 70,000 Japanese
What did Chiang succeed with Shanghai?
Chiang succeeded in diverting Japan from consolidating its northern possession and Japan did not beat China but instead was drawn into all out war
How many died in the Nanking Massacre out of how many?
300,000 out of 600,000 civilians
How long did the Rape of Nanking last?
6 weeks
What preceded the invasion of Nanking?
Battle at Shanghai
What had the Japanese bragged they would do at Shanghai and what surprised them?
Bragged they would conquer China in three months and were shocked at the resistance by Chinese troops
How many Japanese soldiers marched in towards Nanking?
50,000
What were Chinese soldiers at Nanking like?
Poorly led and loosely organised
What were the Japanese soldiers like at Nanking?
. The Chinese greatly outnumbered the Japanese
. But the Japanese had plenty of ammunition and the Chinese engaged in chaotic retreat
What ordered did the Japanese have in Nanking?
Kill all captives
How many Chinese soldiers had surrendered?
90,000
What did the Japanese think of the surrendered soldiers?
. They wanted to eliminate their threat
. To the Japanese surrender was an unthinkable act of cowardice and looked upon the Chinese as less than human
What did the Japanese soldiers do to the Chinese?
. Inflict maximum pain
. Decapitating them
. Shot
. Burned alive
. Raped women as old as 70 and girls younger than 8
. Stabbed
. Pregnant women had bellies torn open
How many females were gang raped by Japanese soldiers?
20,000
How did the public react to the Nanking Massacre in America?
. Skepticism
. Seemed to fantastical too believe
. Not interested in Asia, more focussed on Europe
What did Chiang introduce in 1936?
Conscription
What city fell in October 1938?
Guangzhou
When did Guangzhou fall?
October 1938
What did the GMD do in 1938 and why?
Broke the Yellow River dykes to stall the Japanese - over 30,000sqkm flooded
How many casualties did the GMD forces inflict at the Battle of Taierzhuang
10,000 Japanese casualties
What battle did the GMD inflict 10,000 Japanese casualties?
Battle of Taierzhuang
What had Chiang successfully induced Japan into doing?
Committing more troops and resources than it could sustain indefinitely
What way the only way a Chinese victory could be achieved?
Through endurance and waiting for Japan to exhaust itself
How many refugees were at the battle of Shanghai?
4 million
How many bomb shelters did Chongqing have?
1000
By 1941 what fraction could be protect by shelter?
Only 2/3
How long was the blitz on Chonqing?
5 years
How many were killed in the Chonqing blitz?
12,000
What happened in 1942?
A famine - 5 million Chinese starved
How many drowned during the Yellow River flood?
500,000
How many were made homeless during the Yellow River flood?
3 million
What port did the Japanese seize?
Port of Tianjin
What supremacy did Japan have?
Naval supremacy occupying all the major ports and the coast
What did the CCP provide and what did this increase?
A constant anti-Japanese nationalist rhetoric which increased their support
What could the CCP have done to Chiang in 1936?
Assassinate Chiang but they instead pushed for a united front to repulse Japan
What did the CCP recognise in Chiang?
He was the only figure with enough prestige to lead a national resistance
Who was the safety of Nanjing entrusted to and what did he do?
Tang Shengzi - he swore to protect the city until his last breath but after 3 days of heavy bombardment he fled
Where did the Chinese go from 1941?
To the US to train
What did the USSR form to help the nationalists?
A volunteer air force - inflicted significant loses but Wuhan still fell
What did Chiang turn to the USSR for?
Military aid
What did Germany do to China?
Recalled their advisors due to the anti-Comintern pact between Germany and Japan
What did the Soviets provide China?
. 50,000 rifles
. 10,000 machine guns
. Nearly 100 tanks
. 900 aircraft along with instructors and pilots
What did the US issue to help the Chinese economy?
Loans ranging from $25 million to $50 million to stabilise the economy
P-40 fighter planes
100 of the latest P-40 fighter planes which were known as the ‘flying tigers’ - they were incentivised by a $500 bonus for every Japanese plane shot down
What did the US impose on Japan?
Economic sanctions and in 1940 they froze Japanese assets in US banks and stopped exporting oil, iron and technology to Japan
From the outset how did the US feel aout the Sino-Japanese war?
. Opposed rise of Japanese militarism in the north
. But no vital interests in China were worth going to war with Japan
What did the US and Japan do in 1940?
Sign an uneasy truce
What did Japan sign with Germany and Italy and when?
Tripartite Pact - 27th September 1940
What did Japan sign with the Soviet Union and when?
The Neutrality Pact in mid 1941
What did the USA send into China?
Supplied along the Burma road
What did Japanese planes fo to the US and when?
Bombed the US fleet at pearl harbour on December 7th 1941
How did the US respond to the pearl harbour bombing?
Declared war on Japan
What did Chiang believe about Japan?
They could not defeat all of China and needed to hold out for foreign intervention
Where and how were US interests put at risk by Japan?
Japan’s growing navy and determination to be a dominant power in south east Asia put US interest in the Philippines at risk and naval bases in Hawaii
Who was the US advisor to Chiang?
Claire Chennault
Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbour?
Japan needed to take over islands for resources and by attacking Pearl Harbour they could protect these islands from the US fleet
What was the total amount of aid provided to China by the US?
$1 billion
What % of Japanese troops were stuck in China?
40%
What was China’s best option to deal with Japan?
. To wait for Japan to self destruct
. To attract international sympathy
. To repel and fight Japanese forces
How did the refugees hamper the war effort?
. They clogged the roads
How many refugees moved west?
90 million
What to the Chinese do in Manchuria?
. Boycotted Japanese goods which cut Japanese sales by 2/3s
. Strikes in Japanese factories
. Volunteer guerrilla campaigns to target foreign garrison
What % of peasants were illiterate?
80%
