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The CCP Begins the Long March
Mao Zedong and his communist forces embark on the Long March. Chiang Kai-Shek's Nationalist forces locked down the Chinese Communist Party in Southeast China. They could not receive supplies from other Communist bases. In an effort to retreat to northwest China, Mao and his followers begin the Long March. -
The CCP is Ambushed by Nationalist forces
The CCP is ambushed by 50,000 of Chiang Kai-Shek's men. Though they have around 80,000 men in their forces, outnumbering the Nationalists, they are caught off guard. They were eventually able to drive back the Nationalist forces, but Mao Zedong was killed in the battle. -
The CCP Completes the Long March
The remaining CCP forces reach northwest China. Only about 10,000 men have survived the march through the mountains of western China. Joseph Stalin sends 25,000 men as reinforcements for the CCP. Soviet military officials are also sent to take control of the army. -
The CCP is Defeated
The Communist forces have regrouped under Soviet advisors. Apart from the 35,000 men they already had, they had recruited about 40,000 more, bringing the size of their army to 75,000. They march on the Nationalist capital of Nanking. However, the Soviet strategy fails. Many generals are killed and the CPC suffers heavy losses. They surrender to Chiang Kai-Shek. -
Japan Invades Manchuria
Japan has fully taken control of Manchuria, including the Chinese capital of Nanking. The Chinese are forced to relocate the capital. The Japanese do not push further into China out of fear of spreading themselves too thin. The Nationalist forces, after the civil war with the CPC, is weakened and unable to offer much resistance to the Japanese. -
Japan takes Control of China
The Japanese forces march on the new Chinese capital in early October. The Chinese fight back, but Chiang Kai-Shek's army is eventually defeated after a three week long battle. The Japanese take control of the city and take Chiang Kai-Shek as a prisoner of war. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japanese kamikaze pilots attack the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The naval base was attacked on a Sunday, so the personnel there were caught off guard when the Japanese attacked. US ships suffered heavy damage, and over 2,000 Americans' lives were lost. -
United States Declares War Against Japan
Congress votes to declare war on Japan in retaliation for Pearl Harbor. The United States naval fleet is sent to the western Pacific Ocean to fight the Japanese. Another goal of the United States was to drive the Japanese out of China and reclaim it for the Chinese. -
Japan Fights Back
The US fleet is met with heavy Japanese resistance in the Coral Sea. Japan has diverted their military forces from China to the Pacific Ocean to fight against the United States' fleet. The United States defeats the Japanese at the Coral Sea, but loses about half of its fleet. -
The United States is Defeated
The United States lost much of its army at Guadalcanal, and were forced to pull out of the Pacific theater. Shortly after, President Frankilin D. Roosevelt surrendered to Japan. The United States was forced to pay 15 billion dollars in reparations to Japan.
