Chinese Civil

War
1927- 1949
The two fractions
Communists Chiang forces
- Communist Party of - Kuomintang (KMT)
China (CPC) - Kuomintang of China
- Chinese Communist - Guomindang
Party(CCP) - Chinese National
- People’s Republic of People's Party
China (PRC). - Chinese Nationalist
Party.
Introduction
● The Chinese Civil War was a civil war in China fought
between forces loyal to the government of the
Republic of China led by the Kuomintang (KMT) and
forces of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

● Ideological split between the Communist party and

Nationalist party.
Kuomintang (KMT)
● The KMT was founded by Song Jiaoren and
Sun Yat-sen shortly after the Xinhai Revolution of 1911.

● Yuan Shikai was the first president of the KMT and after
his death China was divided up by warlords.

● The KMT only controlled a small portion of Southern

China.
Kuomintang (KMT) Cont’
● In 1928 the Kuomintang formed a military under the
control of Chiang Kai-shek and regained control of
China.

● The Kuomintang ruled China from 1928 until 1949.

● Kuomintang translates to the

National People’s party.
Communist Party of China (CPC)
● Mao Zedong was the President of the CPC from 1943
until 1976.

● The CPC supported

Communism.
Type of War
● The Chinese Civil war was a Civil War, a war between
two fractions of the same country.
● It was a limited war. A war in which the weapons used,
the territories involved, and the objectives pursued are
restricted.
● The KMT did use Guerilla Warfare tactics such as:
ambushes, sabotages, and raids.
Origins
● The initial split between the KMT and CPC was in 1927.
● The two parties had different views on how China
should be ruled.
● The KMT and CPC fought for control over China for the
next ten years.
● Both of the fractions wanted to control the areas Japan
had occupied.
 Second United Front
● Stopped the fighting 1937
● Alliance to resist the Japanese
invasion during the Second Sino-
Japanese War
● Suspension of the war from 1937-
1946.
WWII
● During WWII, the Chinese Civil War was put
on hold due to the Second United Front and
interference by the Soviets in their attempt to
capture surrendering Japanese troops.
Negotiation and US involvement
- December 1945 President Truman sent George Marshall
to prevent a civil war.
- The Truman administration was hoping that the
Communist would accept Chiang’s authority
- USA shared their Air Force and flew the KMT to Nanjing,
Shanghai and Beijing. They then seized other major ports.
- The hope for a democratic China failed when the truce
broke down in 1946 and civil war broke out in China.
Two sides of Government
- The Communist side of China was most
appealing to the poorer people. (this made up
the majority)
- The Kuomintang was supported by the US
- KMT won many battles from June 1946-
March 1947 such as Yanan, their capitol.
1946-1949
Kuomintang-held cities: experienced severe
inflation - By August 1948, Chiang’s currency
inflated to 67 times what it had been earlier in
January and by February 1949 Chiang’s
currency inflated 32,000 times what it was
before.
1947- USA cut off aid to Chiang Kaishek.
Battle of Huai-Hai
- The KMT lost more than half a million men.
- Communists captured Beijing, Shanghai, and
Guangzhou.
- Chiang Kaishek retreated with his 200,000
troops and China’s gold reserves
- The People’s Republic of China was formed.