CHINESE CIVIL WAR—PART I

1. 1946-1949 CHINESE CIVIL WAR—PART I

2. To determine which factors contributed to the ultimate victory of the CCP over the Nationalists in 1949 Objectives

3. Despite the fact that the CCP had added to its numbers and strength during the war, the Guomindang remained the more powerful of the two groups at the end of WWII The Situation at the End of WWII

4. During this period, the United States and the USSR were engaged in the Cold War. Still, both superpowers had reservations about their Allies The US had severe misgivings about Chiang while the USSR, although favorable towards having a Communist ally, did not necessarily want Mao to become too powerful THE COLD WAR CONTEXT

5. After the war, the CCP’s greatest strength was in the North When the Japanese are defeated in Manchuria, the Communists are the ones hoping to accept their surrender; they begin moving troops into the region in an attempt to cement their control However, the US airlifts GMD troops into the region to give Chiang’s forces that honour instead Manchuria

6. Mao and Chiang Meet in Chongqing

7. In late August 1945, the US arranges a meeting between Chiang and Mao in Chongqing Although Mao is initially reluctant to attend, the Soviets insist that he go In terms of achievements, Mao and Chiang accomplish little The two disagree over the autonomy of the CCP Army, as well as whether the Communists should be given political control over certain areas of Northern China Mao and Chiang Meet

8. Following the meeting between Mao and Chiang, the GMD begins to move forces into Manchuria At the same time, US marines occupy major northern cities such as Beijing and Tianjin Stalin orders the CCP to move out of the cities in the region GMD Attempt to Take Over the North

9. Truman sends George Marshall into China to help negotiate a settlement He insists that Chiang stop his assault on Communist positions Some historians contend that this helped to give the CCP a second life George Marshall

10. GEORGE MARSHALL

11. The CCP and the GMD, along with other smaller political groups in the country, decide to set up the Political Consultative Council as a prelude to a constitutional government with a national assembly However, it ultimately fails when the GMD refuses to concede its ultimate control over the government Also, there is dispute over the permitted size of the CCP and GMD military forces Political Consultative Council

12. In the early phase of the 1946-1949, the GMD seems successful in its attempt to consolidate power in Manchuria They also are able to take over Yenan, Mao’s home base In retrospect, however, the victory at Yenan seems to be more of a cat and mouse game on the part of Mao GMD CAPTURES YENAN

13. Although Chiang’s forces controlled most of the cities in Manchuria, they failed to control the countryside At the same time, the Communists had captured a significant amount of weaponry from the Japanese; as well, captured Japanese military personnel helped to train the CCP army In addition, Manchuria was located between the USSR, Mongolia and North Korea—a situation which proved advantageous to Mao and his forces. Mao referred to these countries as his armchair The GMD lost favor in the region by bringing in Southerners rule Manchuria Overall, the GMD stretched itself too then by focusing on the defeat of the Communists in Manchuria Weakness of GMD position in Manchuria

14. Military commanders were often inept Soldiers were poorly trained and poorly equipped for the most part Communist moles within the GMD political and military structures kept the Communists informed of GMD plans Inflation and generally poor economic conditions throughout the country Chiang’s preference for loyalty over competency Chiang tried to micromanage the military situation Failure to deal effectively with rural issues, especially land reform Corruption within the GMD government, particularly Chiang’s own in-laws Failure to gain the wholehearted support of the US Weakened capabilities caused from defending the country against the Japanese during WWII Other GMD Weaknesses

15. While the Communists implemented policies that benefited the peasants, they also carried out a series of violent actions in the rural areas that brought the peasant population under submission After WWII ends, the Communists reinstitute their earlier policy of land redistribution, which had been replaced by land rent controls during the war This results in a reign of terror in the peasant areas that lasts until 1948 Peasant Terror

16. In a series of major battles—Jinan, Changchun, Jinzhou, and Mukden—the People’s Red Army (Communists) defeat the KMT The role of Lin Biao as the commander of the Communist forces is important to the ultimate Communist success, as is the relative weakness of the KMT military leadership The role of the peasantry also played a vital role in the GMD success as well Communists Capture Manchuria

17. Framed by the personality cult and the ideology of revolution as defined by the Chairman, the political-military-peasant triangle fused into a blunt but finely calibrated instrument to which the Nationalists had no reply. The Communist victory was no spontaneous affair. It had been carefully honed over the years, and could now draw on all the elements put in place by the supreme leader during the long quest for ultimate power, including the weapons of terror and repression sharpened in Yenan. Quotation from Fenby

18. Greatly helped by the Soviet handover of between 700,000 and 900,000 rifles, 14,000 heavy and light machine guns, artillery, mortars, anti-aircraft weapons, boats, and 700 vehicles, including tanks, the PLA was no peasant guerilla army. Japanese prisoners of war were put to work, training soldiers and forming an air force. Russian advisers set up military schools in the area between Harbin and the Siberian frontier to teach the Chinese the use of modern weapons and the tactics of large-scale warfare Fenby Quote:

19. Following the Communist victory in Manchuria, they confront the Nationalists in the single most important battle of the 1946-49 Chinese Civil War—the Battle of Huaihai This Battle demonstrated that the PLA was no longer a guerilla force and was a crushing blow to the main GMD army It also gave the Communists firm control of the North and Central areas of China, allowing them to march towards larger cities such as Beijing and Shanghai Total GMD casualties were 555,000, while the Communist PLA lost only Battle of Huaihai

20. Following the reelection of President Truman in 1948, the United States decides to cut off all military assistance to the Chiang Later, a proposal by the GMD government to have the United States patrol the Yangtze River as a dividing point between the Communists and the GMD is also rejected US CUTS OFF ASSISTANCE TO CHIANG

21. Chinese troops during the Battle of Huaihai

22. Following the victory at HuaiHai, the CCP capture territory and major cities at a rapid rate of sweep Bejing and Tianjin fall to the Communists, as does Nanjing, the Nationalist capital The CCP SWEEPS THROUGH CHINA

23. Chiang resigns as the president of China and is replaced by Li Zongren; however, the Generalissimo continues to hold onto real power There are last ditch attempts to initiate land reform in the rural areas; however, they might best be described as “too little, too late.” Chiang’s son, Ching-kuo, tries to pressure the wealthy to turn over their gold and silver for new currency as a means to deal with inflation; however, this strategy fails Last Ditch efforts by the GMD to Hold onto power

24. As the Communists sweep through China, Chiang and about two million Nationalists supporters flee to Taiwan NATIONALISTS FLEE TO TAIWAN

25. The Generalissimo and Madame Chiang in Taiwan

26. Proclamation of the People’s Republic of China—Oct 1, 1949

27. How was the Communist military strategy different during the 1946-49 phase of the Chinese Civil War, as opposed to the 1927-1937 period? What were the key factors that accounted for the success of the Communists in the Chinese Civil War? How, in some ways, were the GMD and the Communists similar? Question