Chinese Revolution Lecture Note

Cold War Conflicts HIST 1301 | History Chinese Revolution The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Guomindang (GMD), sometimes known as the Nationalist Party, have been at odds over who would rule China since the 1920s. While Mao Zedong's CCP kept watch from its stronghold in Yan'an, a town in northern Shaanxi Province, the GMD, commanded by Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi), sought to combat the Japanese from Chongqing, their wartime capital. 1. The CCP and the GMD also engaged in conflict, with the exception of a temporary truce between the two groups. The United States had tried to mediate a settlement between the Guomindang and the CCP following Japan's surrender, hoping that this would result in a peaceful, undivided China. Following early successes, a deal was made to establish a parliamentary constitutional government in China. But Chiang's attempts to expand the GMD's responsibilities caused the accord to fall apart, and fighting resumed between the two parties. While the United States backed Chiang and the Nationalists, the Soviet Union secretly supported Mao and the CCP. At first, it looked like the GMD would prevail. It possessed a far larger military than the CCP, greater resources, and authority over China's main cities. But by 1947, things had started to change. Much of the populace disliked the GMD despite its apparent benefits. One reason was that the Nationalists retained authority over the industries, residences, and companies the Japanese had taken from Chinese owners after the war, which alienated the urban middle class that had previously backed them. Furthermore, by refusing to reopen a large number of these companies and firms, the Nationalists exacerbated the postwar unemployment issue and further alienated urban workers who already supported the Communist Party. The stresses of city living were exacerbated by a devastating hyperinflation that the GMD was powerless to stop. Many Nationalist army enlistees fled or defected to the CCP as a result of their superiors frequently underfeeding and mocking them. Peasants in the countryside also showed scant support for Chiang's army, recalling the heavy taxation the GMD had placed on them during World War II. Land reform aimed at depriving landlords and rich peasants of their property by cutting taxes and rents and empowering landless peasants in the regions they governed. By chasing the bandits who preyed on the peasants, the CCP helped establish stability in places where the majority of peasants already owned land and rents were cheap. In addition, CCP troops received discipline and training on non-abuse of individuals. They were clearly superior administrators to the Nationalists, even to those Chinese who did not support them. The GMD's soldiers were soundly routed in 1949 by the CCP's People's Liberation Army, forcing them to retire to the island of Taiwan. In a ceremony held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on October 1, 1949, Mao declared the People's Republic of China (PRC) to be established. The Nationalist-led Taiwanese government was considered the "real" China by the United States, which refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the CCP's administration. Mao remained unfazed. He promised land reforms for peasants, equality between the sexes, economic growth, universal education, and civic rights for all, including freedom of speech. Giving peasants control of the land they worked was the first job Mao and the CCP tackled after making their pledges. The people living in Tibet were among those most impacted by the PRC's formation. Both the Qing and previous dynasties had claimed Tibet as part of their empire, but with the collapse of the Qing and the founding of the Republic of China in January 1912, Tibet was granted independence. The Tibetan administration notified Mao in 1949 that it was not interested in rejoining China. However, after its attempts at negotiation for independence were unsuccessful, the PRC invaded in October 1950 and quickly routed Tibet's meagre and ill-trained army. The area was once again a part of China after the PRC and the Tibetan government signed the Seventeen Point Agreement in 1951; the CCP referred to this as the "liberation of Tibet." The head of Tibet and the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama, escaped to India in 1959 along with other officials from the Tibetan administration, claiming that pressure had forced them into making the deal with China. Tibet gained more autonomy when it was designated as an Autonomous Region of China in 1965. Mao charted a new route for China's foreign policy in addition to altering the country's internal policies. The Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance was signed in February 1950 between the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union. As per the agreement, they were to oppose any resurgence of Japanese aggression, strive to promote their shared interests, and avoid forming any coalitions that would be antagonistic to each other. All of this was a part of China's new foreign policy stance, known as "Lean to One Side," which called for the support of communist countries and those attempting to break free from imperialist rule. China quickly discovered that its newfound pledges were put to the test when it had to defend its borders in Korea from a danger posed by another communist country.