Emergence of Power- Mao edition
Conditions
Weakness of Political System
Economic Factors
Impact of war ft. Social
Division
Chiang Kai Shek started a
Reign of terror when he
assumed power: White Terror.
1941 the National Front was
broken and Nationalists
attacked Communists.
Workers were exploited and
child labour: 17h/day.
Key to revolution: Appeal to
the countryside since they
were 80% of China.
Events + data
1911 the Chinese Emperor is overthrown.
Modernisation Program of Chiang Kai Shek involved foreign powers,
something that people didn’t want (foreign devils).
Chiang had to battle both Communists and Japanese. Disease of the skin
and disease of the heart (J and Communists).
Many officers in the army sympathized with the communist slogan
“Chinese don’t fight Chinese”; they preferred to fight Japan, a sentiment
particularly strong in the homeless Manchurian army. “Go home and don’t
make trouble” (some didn’t fight the communists willingly).
The tactics used by the Nationalists led to Chiang being “the best supplier
of American weapons for the communists”. The communists used guerrilla
tactics and counted with the advantage of knowing the environment
(mountains).
In an attempt of preventing J. Invasion, the dikes of the yellow river were
broken and 11 cities were flooded with millions left homeless. They
migrated to the North with the communists.
1.5 million died of starvation. “Only when one has food and clothes they
know ethics”- Communists giving resources to the poor, gaining their
support.
Chiang relied on the Americans for the weapons, but economic interests
deteriorated their relationship because the US also wanted to sell
weapons to the Commies.
People cut their queues (braids) as a sign of revolution. Hair was very
important: “Keep your hair or loose your head”.
Ideological battle: Chiang Kai Shek vs Mao Zedong. Communists knocked
down Buddhist statues and urged women not to bind their feet.
Warlords and China divided by foreign powers, called Foreign Devils-> US,
Germany, France, England and Japan. Foreigners lived in concessions.
1919 demonstrations against imperialist powers and warlords.
Sun Yat Seng (President of the Republic) wanted to defeat the warlords
and unite China. He appealed for foreign help but none of them helped
him. He commanded the Northern Expedition.
Sun died and there was a struggle for power in the Northern Expedition,
he was “the father of china” (he had united China! ). Chiang Kai Shek
took power in 1926.
Methods Events + data
Role of leader And Propaganda Only 8k out of 100k survived the long march. He said that the ones that
were left were made out of gold.

“the Party instead of being weakened actually becomes stronger”- Mao

addressing the Long March. Mao focused on mobilising the masses.

Mao's determination during the Long March solidified his eventual

position as Chairman of the New Republic of China. – Kolata.

Red Army Protocol when they were living in the countryside helping
peasants:
- Put back all doors when leaving a house.
- Be polite. Help people when you can.
- Give back everything you borrow, even if it is only a needle
- Pay for all things broken, even if only a chopstick.
- Don't help yourself or search for things when people are not in
their house.

Ideology After suffering under an Empire, the idea of living in a communist utopian
country appealed to the workers who were currently being exploited by
Chiang Kai Shek.

Students, newspaper editors, and intellectuals protested against Chiang’s

Nationalist government. They demanded an end to the civil war and the
creation of a government that included the Communists. The Nationalists
responded with censorship, beatings, mass arrests, and even
assassinations. This repression drove many to the Communist cause.

Mao’s peasant policy won the support of peasants, by ‘Liberating’

villages or regions, taking forcefully from landowners and reallocating
them to the peasants.

From 1937 to 1945 the CCP membership grew from 40k to 1 million
Persuasion and coercion ft Ruthless to opposition: Rectification of Conduct campaign 1942-44:
force opponents from the CCP by subjecting members to public self criticism.
Over 1000 imprisoned or tortured.
It began as a series of reflective study sessions. In reality, its aim was to
identify, marginalise, intimidate and remove party members opposed to
Mao’s leadership and policies. Through this process, Mao was able to
establish himself as the undisputed leader and figurehead of the CCP.

In the spring of 1942, participants were also invited to point out mistakes
in the party. When these volunteer critics emerged they were identified,
rounded up and attacked for their individualism, for putting themselves
before the party and the masses.