Chinese Civil War in Colour

Daniel Guiney

23 Dec 201811:06

Summary

TLDRThe video script narrates the tumultuous period of China's civil war between the Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek and the Communists under Mao Zedong. It details the strategic military campaigns, the suffering of civilians, and the eventual victory of the Communist Party. The script also touches on the propaganda, the Long March, and the pivotal moments that led to Mao's rise to power and the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

Takeaways

⚔️ The defeat of Japan in China did not bring peace but led to the outbreak of a catastrophic civil war between the Nationalists and Communists.
🤝 During the Japanese occupation, there was a temporary truce between Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists and Mao Zedong's Communist forces, but this ended with Japan's defeat.
🖼️ Nationalist propaganda depicted communism as a threat, while Communist posters urged peasants, workers, and soldiers to resist the Nationalists.
🚶‍♂️ Mao Zedong's legendary 'Long March' in the 1930s, though partly mythologized, solidified his leadership of the Communist Party.
🎖️ By 1948, the tide in the civil war was turning in favor of the Communists, with major battles in northeastern China being decisive.
💀 The siege of cities like Changchun led to mass civilian deaths from famine, with reports of widespread suffering and starvation.
📣 Mao's strategy involved offering Nationalist soldiers food, clothing, and a place in the Communist army if they deserted.
🏙️ Key cities like Beijing, Nanjing, and Shanghai fell to the Communist People's Liberation Army between December 1948 and May 1949.
🚩 By May 1949, the civil war was effectively over, with the Communists in control of mainland China, while Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan.
🇨🇳 Mao Zedong and the Communist Party became the new rulers of China, establishing control over the country and its 550 million people.

Q & A

What event led to the outbreak of the Chinese Civil War?
-The defeat of Japan in China led to the outbreak of the Chinese Civil War, as the temporary truce between the Nationalist armies and Communist forces ended with Japan's defeat.
Who were the key leaders during the Chinese Civil War?
-The key leaders were Chiang Kai-shek, leading the Nationalist forces, and Mao Zedong, leading the Communist People's Liberation Army.
What was the significance of the Long March in Mao Zedong's rise to power?
-The Long March consolidated Mao Zedong's position as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, symbolizing his heroic leadership, although some historians dispute certain events surrounding the march.
How did Mao Zedong use propaganda to strengthen his image?
-Mao Zedong used the Long March as a foundation for his heroic image, proclaiming the Red Army as an army of heroes and positioning himself as the leader of China’s path to liberation.
What strategy did Mao use to turn the tide in the civil war against the Nationalists?
-Mao ordered his field commanders to offer food, clothing, and a place in the ranks of the People's Liberation Army to Nationalist soldiers if they deserted, a risky tactic that began to work.
What was the human cost of the siege in Changchun during the civil war?
-The siege of Changchun resulted in over 400,000 Nationalist soldiers dead and at least the same number of civilian deaths, many from starvation.
Who was Lin Biao, and what role did he play in the Chinese Civil War?
-Lin Biao was Mao Zedong's most trusted general, leading key military campaigns, including the decisive battles that helped the Communist forces secure victory in the civil war.
How did Mao Zedong consolidate power after the civil war?
-After winning the civil war, Mao Zedong began to assert supreme authority over China by introducing strict censorship laws and ensuring that the Communist Party maintained control over the state.
What happened to Chiang Kai-shek after the Communist victory?
-After the Communist victory, Chiang Kai-shek fled to the offshore island of Formosa (now Taiwan), where he established the Republic of China.
How did the Chinese population initially react to the Communist victory in Shanghai?
-Many people in Shanghai initially celebrated the Communist victory, as they hoped for an end to corruption and violence, though they were unaware of the changes that would follow under Communist rule.

Outlines

00:00

⚔️ The Outbreak of China's Civil War

After Japan's defeat in China, peace does not follow. Instead, a brutal civil war erupts between the nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and the communist forces led by Mao Zedong. The two factions had briefly allied against Japanese invaders, but now the conflict between them is unavoidable. Propaganda on both sides fuels the divide: the nationalists depict communism as a threat, while the communists rally China's peasants and workers against the nationalists, western imperialists, and warlords. Mao’s leadership and his 'Long March' from the 1930s helped solidify his position, although there are debates about the accuracy of his heroic image. Nonetheless, Mao uses this narrative to elevate his revolutionary persona.

05:03

💥 Turning Points in China's Civil War

In 1948, during China's civil war, Mao gains a significant advantage as his forces surround key nationalist positions in Northeast China. Chiang Kai-shek orders a devastating tactic, turning cities into death zones. As a result, severe famine ravages the population, with civilians resorting to eating grass and leaves to survive. The horrors of this strategy shock even the communist soldiers, who witness widespread suffering. Despite the hardship, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) gains the upper hand, dealing massive casualties to Chiang's forces and further weakening his position in the war.

10:07

🏳️ Defection and the Fall of Chiang Kai-shek

Mao strategizes to win the war by encouraging defections from Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist army. His commanders, initially skeptical, are ordered to offer nationalist soldiers and POWs food, clothing, and a place in the PLA. This risky tactic works as entire units, including senior commanders, begin to switch sides. Meanwhile, PLA victories mount across China. The communists capture key cities such as Calgon and eventually Beijing in early 1949. With Mao operating behind the scenes, General Lin Biao and other military leaders oversee the triumphant PLA as it takes control of the capital.

🎉 The PLA's Final Victory and Mao's Rise to Power

As battles continue, the People's Liberation Army rapidly gains ground, with significant victories like the fall of Nanjing and Shanghai in early 1949. Chiang Kai-shek’s government retreats to the south and eventually to Taiwan, where he establishes a new government. Meanwhile, the PLA is celebrated as heroes by citizens, though many remain unaware of the harsh realities that will follow under communist rule. With the civil war effectively over, Mao Zedong becomes the new ruler of mainland China, marking a profound transformation of the country under communist leadership.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Civil War

The Chinese Civil War was the conflict between the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) after Japan's defeat in World War II. This war is central to the video, highlighting the struggle for control over China, leading to Mao Zedong's victory and the establishment of Communist rule. The civil war's brutality is illustrated by the devastating battles in places like Changchun, where civilians suffered immensely.

💡Nationalist Army

Led by Chiang Kai-shek, the Nationalist Army represented the Kuomintang (KMT) faction, which opposed Mao's Communist forces. In the video, the Nationalists are portrayed as fighting a losing battle against the People's Liberation Army (PLA), with many soldiers eventually defecting to the communists. Chiang’s army suffered significant defeats in key battles like those in the northeast industrial region of China.

💡People's Liberation Army (PLA)

The PLA was the military arm of the Communist Party of China, led by Mao Zedong, and played a crucial role in winning the civil war against the Nationalist forces. The video depicts the PLA as both victorious and pragmatic, using tactics like offering food and shelter to defectors from the Nationalist side, ultimately consolidating Communist power in China.

💡Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong was the leader of the Communist Party of China and is depicted in the video as a revolutionary icon who led his forces to victory during the civil war. His rise to power is symbolized by the Long March and his leadership in the brutal conflicts of the late 1940s. Mao’s influence is cemented after the civil war, where he asserts control over mainland China.

💡Long March

The Long March was a strategic retreat by Mao Zedong's forces in the 1930s, escaping encirclement by Nationalist troops. In the video, the Long March is mythologized as a foundational event in Mao's leadership, cementing his status as a hero among the Chinese Communist Party, despite some historical controversies about its actual events. The march becomes a symbol of endurance and Communist resilience.

💡Chiang Kai-shek

Chiang Kai-shek was the leader of the Nationalist forces and the Republic of China. In the video, he is portrayed as the adversary of Mao, leading a beleaguered military campaign against the communists. His forces eventually crumble, and he retreats to Taiwan (then known as Formosa), establishing a separate government there after losing control of mainland China.

💡Changchun

Changchun was a major city in northeast China that became a focal point during the civil war, particularly in a devastating siege that led to famine and massive civilian casualties. The video depicts Changchun as a city surrounded and turned into a 'city of death,' where Mao's forces succeeded at a high human cost. This highlights the war's devastating effects on civilians.

💡Deserters

During the civil war, Mao's forces strategically encouraged Nationalist soldiers to defect by offering food, shelter, and the opportunity to join the People's Liberation Army. The video explains how this tactic, despite initial resistance from Mao’s commanders, became a crucial factor in the communist victory, as many Nationalist troops and even senior commanders surrendered.

💡Yan'an

Yan'an was the base of the Chinese Communist Party during a significant period in the 1930s and 1940s, where Mao Zedong consolidated his leadership. The video references this location as a key point in Mao's rise to power, showing an iconic image of him in this region during the Long March. Yan’an became a symbol of the Communist movement's endurance and eventual triumph.

💡Censorship

After Mao's victory, he introduced strict censorship laws to control information and consolidate power in the new Communist regime. The video mentions how, even as Mao stayed in the background during the civil war, he quickly moved to assert political authority, including by censoring opposition. This reflects the authoritarian nature of Mao’s rule post-civil war.

Highlights

The defeat of Japan in China leads to a catastrophic civil war rather than peace.

China is divided between the nationalist armies led by Chiang Kai-shek and the communist forces led by Mao Zedong.

A truce existed between Mao and Chiang during the Japanese occupation, but civil war becomes inevitable after Japan's defeat.

1930s nationalist propaganda poster depicts the defeat of communism by a traditional Chinese hero.

Communist poster urges resistance against the Nationalists and Western imperialists.

Mao Zedong is an iconic leader among the Chinese peasantry, waging war since the early 1930s.

A 1935 painting of Mao at 42 years old is the earliest known color image of him.

Mao's legendary Long March consolidates his position as the leader of the Communist Party.

Historians claim that many events of the Long March may not have happened as portrayed.

Mao uses the Long March as the foundation of his heroic image.

The tide turns in Mao's favor in the brutal civil war of 1948.

Chiang Kai-shek orders the transformation of cities into 'cities of death' during the siege.

Lin Biao, Mao's trusted general, oversees the military campaign in Liaoning province.

The blockade results in great famine, with civilians resorting to eating leaves and grass.

Chiang Kai-shek's army suffers over 400,000 dead, with a similar number of civilian deaths in Changchun alone.

Mao relies on deserters from Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist Army to win the civil war.

Mao orders field commanders to offer food, clothing, and a place in the PLA to deserters.

The PLA storms Beijing on January 22nd, 1949, marking a significant victory.

Mao asserts the supreme authority of the state and introduces strict censorship laws.

The PLA is welcomed into Shanghai as conquering heroes on May 25th, 1949.

Chiang Kai-shek escapes to Formosa, establishing the new Republic of China, now known as Taiwan.

Mao and the Communist Party become the new rulers of mainland China, leading 550 million people.