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two revolutionary models forming in Asia

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1. Guomindang (GMD)

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also known as: Kuomintang (KMT)

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Chinese Nationalist Party

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current ruling political party in Taiwan

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had started as a revolutionary party in the 1920s

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national conservative

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top-down modernizer

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the restorer of ancient Chinese traditions

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United States takes a lead in sponsoring Nationalist China as a future great power

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China should be a permanent member of the new United Nations

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1943 summit between Roosevelt, Churchill and Chiang

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2. Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

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Mao Zedong

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both of these backed by international power, though the Soviet Union sought relations with the Guomindang as well

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Chinese Civil War 1927-1950

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not very well understood

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which is fairly puzzling since the fate of China, the most populous country on earth, is clearly very important in world history

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an obscure patch of extremely important history

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1947 in the midst of the civil war

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if you had been taking bets, most people would have told you that the communists were a lot of trouble but the nationalists were bound to win

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communists getting some supplies from Soviet Union

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while trying to defeat the communists, the nationalists are moving their capital from Chongqing to Nanjing, since much of China had been occupied by Japan who had subsequently left

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trying to fight war and rebuild state

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lands ravaged by years of warfare

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overextended, economic base is fragile

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not sound basis for currency

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hyperinflation

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background

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Nationalists using American supplies to gain control along the Yangtze River as well as Manchuria with its vital industry

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communists know that the key lies in Manchuria

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Russians have occupied Manchuria through surrender terms with Japan

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communists get Japanese military equipment and arms

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George Marshall sent to China

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received by Chiang Kai-shek

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invites communist delegation

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January 1946: agree to an American suggested truce: federal government permitting the two parties to govern regions currently held, free speech, resolve issue through dialogue and not fighting

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within two months, troops are on the move again

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100 savage skirmishes flare to full-scale war

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Manchuria is the main point of struggle, the industry that Japan had built and left is the prize both sides fought for

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Chiang's troops seize all cities but find a hollow triumph

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Russian occupiers have looted everything factory before withdrawal

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Mao Zedong lead guerrilla bands into formal armies

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said that everyone in future China would have free speech except for enemies of the people, which turned out to mean: anyone who disagreed with him

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1946 Chiang returns government to Nanjing

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historically visits Sun Yat-sen mausoleum

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Chiang convenes congress to write a modern constitution as Sun Yat-sen had advised, but Chiang's power is militaristic

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with American arms, he feels the communists can be crushed

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the turning point of the war

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1947 Soviet Union commit themselves to communist victory

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Marshall had been disillusions with the National government

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stopped supporting the Nationalists as they had been

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continued to sell them arms for cash in a situation where the Chinese didn't have much money

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were giving away simply equipment that they couldn't use

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Wedemeyer report: Nationalists have flaws, but we need to back them with money and arms and strategy

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Marshall quashes this report

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decides to let things play out in China however they will, and concentrate on Europe

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1948 decisive differences

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Moscow ups its play

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Mikoyan's mission to communist China

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Anastas Mikoyan is top Soviet

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Chinese communists lavish him, say Soviet Union is the model for them

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Mao is afraid America is going to intervene soon, which turn out to be unrealistic

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congress is very worried about China

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Marshall says: we need to support Europe more than China, but makes a deal to do both

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but the help is too late

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second half of 1948 Nationalists begin to lose decisive battles

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1949 communists conquer all of China

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you have to think of what a momentous development this is

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if you are thinking about a struggle to contain communism, you've just failed to contain communism in the most populous country on earth

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a country that is a potential pivot in the course of world history

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in addition, it's created a whole model for revolutionary change

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come out of countryside

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organized the peasants

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land reform

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Mao gets together to celebrate Stalin's birthday

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talk about the possibilities

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Korea: low-grade civil war going on with a Soviet-sponsored regime in the north, and an American supported regime in the south

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Taiwan: Chiang has fled here and Mao wants to launch an invasion across the straits

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Indochina: Viet Minh in north are seeking support from China and Soviet Union in battle against South Vietnam and French

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Philippines: American supported government with rebellion of the Huks (Hukbalahap)

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Indonesian: strong communist party

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America's point of view

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hope that the Chinese will become more nationalist than communist and come to disagree with the Soviets

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America's experience with China

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you like the Nationalist government of China, but it is deeply flawed, so what do you do

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1. bolster them hoping to get them to fix flaws

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2. abandon them to their fate

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good arguments for both