The Chinese Civil War Outcomes – Nationalist or Communist?

CCP – Chinese Communist Party The Two Sides Led by Chiang Kai-shek Backed by the United States Led by Mao Zedong U.S. opposed Mao Backed by the Soviet Union Nationalists KMT - Kuomintang Communists CCP – Chinese Communist Party

The Long March - 1934 90,000 Chinese began 7,000 Chinese finished Feeling threatened, Chiang launched a massive campaign against the Communist army Outnumbered, Communists begin to flee Result: The communist party is left strengthened in spirit and the will prevail against the nationalists

Traveled 6,000 miles from Southeast China to Northwest Province of Shaanxi The Long March 1934

Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945) In 1937, Japan attacks and captures China’s capital city at the time, Nanjing. Massacre of Nanjing (Rape of Nanjing)

Temporary Cooperation Communist Party (Mao Zedong) and Nationalist Party (Chaing Kai-Shek) work together 1. To rid China of European Imperialists (“Foreign Devils”) 2. To fight back against invasions by Japan (1937-1945)  Once Japan surrenders to the Allied Powers at the end of WWII this alliance ends CCP was strategically placing themselves in position to work along side the Nationalist Party Gain power from within

Japanese Soldiers March into Nanjing December 9, 1937

Japanese Soldiers March into Nanjing December 9, 1937

Japanese Invasions

Japanese Bayonet Practice

Public beheadings of Chinese criminals and than displayed to the public

Outcome Japan is defeated in WWII 1945 Communists and Nationalists are cooperating, but keeping watch on each other 1945 Mao’s communist forces held most of northern China Nationalists retained southern China

Civil War (1946 – 1949) KMT: Kuomintang (Nationalist Party) Chiang Kai-shek (President) CCP: Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong

Communist Advantages Strong resolve after the Long March Low morale Soldiers under-paid and under-fed Corruption in Chiang’s officials Strong resolve after the Long March Highly disciplined armies Had control of most major cities Nationalists Communists

“War of Liberation”

Mao Zedong A revolution to remove “3 big mountains” imperialism feudalism bureaucrat-capitalism A “United Front” of … workers peasants

Communist victory October 10, 1949 – Communists take Beijing Mao announces the creation of the People’s Republic of China in Tiananmen Square The KMT retreats to Taiwan Sets up a government-in-exile there, but vows to take back the mainland

Reasons for Mao’s Victory Won support of huge peasant population by promising land and food Won support of women by promising to reject traditional beliefs of Confucius Many people across the country blamed the Nationalists for allowing the “foreign devils” to dominate in China

New Communist Order Communists wrote a new Constitution National People’s Congress Free elections Democratic rights China became a one party dictatorship and totalitarian state Communist members had important jobs and controlled government and economy Critics were silenced by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) On paper… In reality…

The Communist PARTY Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Castro, and MAO

Mao’s Leadership - Propaganda Let us follow closely Chairman Mao in the storm! Chairman Mao is the red sun of our hearts.

Propaganda Chairman Mao will be with us forever. Read Chairman Mao's works, listen Chairman Mao's words, Obey to Chairman Mao's orders. Chairman Mao will be with us forever.

Mao’s Goals for the Communist Revolution Promised a better life for the poor Called for development of a modern economy Pledged to restore China’s position as a major world power

Obstacles to these goals Needed to be fed, clothed, housed, and educated Years of war destroyed many industries and disrupted farming Huge population Limited land to produce food Floods, earthquakes, droughts Geography China lacked technology and capital to industrialize quickly Modernization? Isolation from the world community

Communists’ Solutions Destroy old class system to build a strong economy Wanted means of production to be in central government’s control instead of landowners Hoped to end inequality and increase production If this happened, goods could be sold to invest in industry

Reorganizing Agriculture Land Reform Communists took land from large landowners and divided it among landless families 1950’s – End of private ownership of land altogether Collective farms were formed Farmers worked for the state and got a share of the harvest – the rest went to the government

The Great Leap Forward - 1958 Effort to achieve modernization through one “Great Leap Forward” Divided China into Communes Villages, land, and thousands of people To mobilize the people to build bridges, dams, irrigation systems, etc. To increase food output

Life in the Commune Commune controlled the land and peasants’ lives Families split up Men and women slept in separate dorms Ate in large dining halls Jobs assigned to each worker Workers provided with food, clothing, housing, medical care, child care, schooling, and recreation

Outcomes of the Great Leap Forward Peasants resisted the communes and sometimes even destroyed crops Failure Food production fell Farm workers were unskilled at building projects Many didn’t work very hard because they were guaranteed a living Floods, droughts, and famine

Cultural Revolution 1966-1976 Many blamed Mao for the failure of the GLF Led to power struggle in communist party Because Mao was concerned with rival groups… Launched the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

Methods of the Cultural Revolution Urged young people to root out followers of capitalism (really any critic of Mao) The Red Guards Young factory workers Held rallies to support Mao Traveled around China attacking those who did not fully support Mao The Little Red Book Quotations from Chairman Mao Citizens punished for not carrying it People were forced to confess to “crimes” against Mao Sent to labor camps in distant rural areas

Effects of the Cultural Revolution Chaos Schools closed Production slowed Many tortured or killed Disruption of lives Loss of faith in Mao and Communist party 1969-Chinese army restored order Sent many Red Guards to rural work camps