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Socio-economic factors
China was ruled by the imperial Manchu dynasty. The vast majority of the population were peasants. -
Political weakness and the influence of foreign powers.
The European imperialist powers had humiliated and exploited China and caused the destabilization of China’s ruling Manchu regime. -
The overthrow of the Manchu dynasty.
China was in a desperate condition, and there was a growing feeling that the ruling Manchu dynasty should be overthrown so that China could be Westernized and democracy introduced. -
The rule of Yuan Shikai.
Regionalism continued under Yuan’s rule and became the key obstacle to a united China. -
Political weakness: regionalism-the warlords.
A key cause of the civil war in China was the increasing lack of unity in the country by the second decade of the 20th century -
The May Fourth Movement.
The significance of the May Fourth Movement was that it was dedicated to change and the rebirth ofChina as a proud and independent nation. -
Attempt to unify China: the first united front.
Both the GMD and the CCP wanted a unified China. They agreed that the first step to this was to get rid of the warlords, and in 1922 they formed the first united front. -
Communists and nationalists.
By the time Sun died in 1925, the GMD had made little progress towards fullfilling their “Three Principles”. They had been limited by their lack of power beyond the south, and the fact they had to rely on alliances with warlords due to the weakness of their military power. -
Immediate cause of the Chinese Civil War: the GMD attacks the CCP.
What had united the CCP and the GMD - the fight against the warlords - was over. And ideology divided the two parties. -
Immediate cause of the Chinese Civil War: the GMD attacks the CCP.
The CCP decided that its only hope of survival was to flee into the mountains of Jiangsi. The GMD pursued them, determined to destroy the communists.
