Civil War (1945-49)

Events
1. June 1946: GMD launch offensive in Northern China
  1. March 1947: GMD had won many battles and captured CCP capital of Yanan
2. CCP, led by Lin Bao, avoided pitched battles + used guerrilla tactics
  1. People's Liberation Army (PLA) took control of large areas of Central+Northern China where they had big support
3. 1948: PLA was big enough for a pitched battle
  1. 1948: Battle of Huai-hai -- Guomindang lost 500,000 men+ lots of equipment
4. 1948: PLA now controlled Central China and captured Beijing+ Shanghai
5. January 1949: Chiang + 200,000 troops fled to Taiwan
6. 1st October 1949: Communists set up : People's Republic of China
Background
1. Kuomintang
  1. 3 million american-trained+equipped soldiers.
  2. Held main cities+railways
2. CCP
  1. 1 million soldiers, mostly peasants
  2. Only strong in countryside/ controlled no cities
CCP Strengths
1. Mao's policies ensured peasant support
2. Mao seen as 'liberator' from WW2 fight with Japan
3. Successful guerrilla tactics 1946-48
4. 1945: 1 million men
  1. 1949: 4 million men
GMD Weaknesses
1. Chiang's government seen as corrupt
2. High inflation+ 'blueshirt' brutality --> seen as party of landlords, not peasants
3. American govr. stopped funding Chiang in 1947 when they started losing
4. GMD forces fell from 3 million to 1.5 million by 1947

Resource summary

	Created by g-jacqmin almost 9 years ago