Chapter 2 - The Triumph of Mao and the CCP - 1934/1949 Flashcards
When was the Long March
October 1934 - October 1935
Who lead the Long March
1) Otto Braun = caused heavy losses
2) Mao Zedong = New tactics which worked
How many Marchers were there
Beginning & End
Beginning = 80,000
End = 10,000
Why was the Long March significant?
- The CCP needed to move from their hiding spot and escape the GMD.
- They used a variety of directions to confuse the GMD.
- They had to go over different and difficult terrains
- There were extreme conditions
- Brave Myth of survival
- Propaganda was made to show their self-sacrifice
When was the Sino-Japanese War
1937-1945
What did the start of the Sino-Japanese War cause to be formed
The Second United Front
Role of the CCP in the Sino-Japanese war
- The CCP membership grew to 1.2 million
- Gained more assistance because they treated the peasants with respect
- They were able to destroy 965km of Japanese railways
- Increased military size
- Western Countries trusted them more
CCP growth 1937 - 1945
40,000 -> 1.2 million
Limitations of the GMD during/after the war
- The GMD did not want to use guerrilla tactics and were old school.
- They couldn’t recover from the heavy bombing
- Lacked the will to fight and broke under pressure
Time period of the Civil War
1946 - 1949
What was the GMD controlling compared to the CCP in 1945?
GMD = South and Central China
CCP = Northern and Eastern China
When was the first stage of the Civil war?
July 1946 - May 1947
Who had the Upper hand during the first stage of the Civil War (July1946-May1947)
The GMD because they had the USA’s support and forced the CCP out of Yanan
What was formed on the 1st of August 1947 by the CCP
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
What did it mean that the PLA was formed
- The CCP had more successful tactics and they were able to secure control over Northern Manchuria.
- They were able to launch full on attacks with better guerrilla warfare tactics
When was the second stage of the Civil war?
May 1947- November 1948
Who had the Upper Hand in the Second Stage of the Civil War (May1947-Nov1948)
The CCP and the PLA because there were rapidly gaining more land and cut off the GMD power
When was stage three of the Civil war?
December 1948 - October 1949
When was the Battle of Huai-Hai
November 1948 - January 1949
Who had the Upper hand in the third section of the Civil War (Dec1948-Oct1949)
- The CCP because they started getting GMD/NRA deserters as they got more power.
- Mao ordered the destruction of the GMD’s surroundings = no food 2 months
- GMD lost 200,000 men
- USA stopped supporting GMD - already spent US$ 3 Billion
- Mao declares new Government
What New government does Mao declare?
The People’s Republic of China
(PRC)
When does Mao declare the new PRC government?
1st of October 1949
CCP Military Strengths
- Skilled leader with detailed strategies with guerrilla warfare
- Wide range of tactics that had freedom to adapt
- Disciplined and motivated army
- Treated the locals with respect = more support
CCP Political Strengths
- More political success = more support = more local assistance
- Unity with one leader = secure chain of command
- ‘Democratic Dictatorship’
CCP Economic and Social Strengths
- Support from all classes
- Land reforms to equally share the rich land
- Support - due to GMD fear
GMD Military Weakness
- Chiang was a poor military leader without skills and real authority
- Many tactical errors (troops in Manchuria without other control in area) - lost 1/2 million men
- NRA was conscriped, poorly supplied, men treated poorly = higher death and desertion rates
GMD Political Weakness
- Corrupt and unskilled gov.
- ‘Three Principles of the People’ not implemented = dictatorship = no support
- Rich population was favoured
GMD Economic and Social Weakness
- Poor management
- Inflation due to Chiang printing more money
- Useless reforms
- Taxes raised = lost middle class support
Why does Chiang declare war on Japan?
- Japanese had strengthened their position in occupied Chinese land.
- At first Chiang allowed it because he didn’t think a country as big as China could be occupied.
- This approach made Chiang unpopular
Why was a second united front formed?
Because although the Communists were the larger threat to the GMD, they needed to focus to get the Japanese out.
