CAUSES OF THE CHINESSE CIVIL WAR

By valeeriassalinas

  • QUING DYNASTY

    Was the last imperial dynasty of China. It was established in 1636, and ruled China proper from 1644 to 1912. It was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. The Qing multi-cultural empire lasted for almost three centuries and formed the territorial base for modern China. It was the fifth largest empire in world history.

  • Overthrowing of the Manchu dynasty

    In the 20th century people was desesperate and the Manchu dynasty should overthrow so that China could be westernization and democracy introduced.

  • Rule of Yuan Shikai

    Yuan Shikai was military dictator from 1912 to 1915. His military dictatorship was the key obstacle in uniting China.
    Sun's party reformed to become the Guomindang (GMD) in 1912.
    To win the political battle for China, a military was required; a lesson learnt by the GMD and the Chinese communists.

  • Short-term causes of the Chinese Civil War

    After the abdication and death of Yuan, China lost the final degree of unity.
    China broke up into smaller provinces controlled by warlords which lasted between 1916 and 1928.

  • May fourth movement

    Led by students in 1919, and in response to the Treaty of Versailles, a mass demonstration was held in Beijing, against the warlords, traditional culture, and the Japanese.
    China had joined the Allies in a "rebirth" as an independent nation inspired by the Bolshevik revolution in 1917.

  • Attempt to unify China

    Both the GMD and the CCP wanted a unified China and took up a united front to fight the warlords in 1923.
    Sun Yixan's third principle, 'the People's Livelihood,' otherwise known as socialism, convinced Cominterm that this front could be trusted.

  • communists and nationalists

    The Japanese occupation of Manchuria and an ancillary localized war around Shanghai in 1932 distracted the Nationalists and gave the communists a brief opportunity to expand and consolidate.

  • Mao and revolutionary warfare

    Not trying to defeat GMD, but impose revolutionary ideology onto Chinese people.
    Maoism would reconstruct all of society, economy, and government.