In contrast to the CCP’s support network during the civil war, the GMD had a decrease in support because of the government’s inability to fulfill popular aspirations for peace, economic reconstruction, and some form of a responsive government. The corruption of the GMD was noted in 1948 by General Joseph Stilwell (American wartime liaison officer), he reported that what he saw of the GMD was “corruption, neglect, chaos, economy, taxes…hoarding, black market”. This reflected how foreigners saw the GDP government, it was inefficient and had shown their corruption through events such as Manchuria, the GDP were also called “ kleptocracy-a government of thieves and were usually corrupt even by the standards of time.” In contrast, the CCP was honest and efficient in its administration. Which thereby they obtained many supporters that changed sides because of the GDP’s corruption and other problems. The CCP had created effective political structures and administrations which was a vast difference to the corruption of the GDP.
By 1937, prices in China began to rise out of control, to overcome this problem, Chiang borrowed and printed more paper money, consequently the Chinese currency value had an extreme fall. The constant depreciation in the value of paper money undermined all the classes which were dependent on salaries. By 1949 China’s economic system had collapsed and the government was discredited, the nationalist were demoralized. The GDP did not response to the needs of the people and did not effectively tackle the hyper-inflation problems that the country faced, thereby ineffectual and lost supporters from this.
The CCP army’s high morale was another contributing success, the soldiers in the CCP army treated each other with respect, also, they believed in what they were fighting for because of the CCP’s ideologies. An example of the soldiers’ state within the CCP army is a quote from Edgar Snow, “There was very little difference in living quarters of commanders and men, and they passed freely back and forth without any formality.” Because of the poor financial condition of the CCP, they treated each other with much less formality and with more respect. Also, the leaders of the CCP army made sure the troops had recreational activities except work, they had regular broadcast victories to keep the morale of the army high. A network of trust and support was built through these policies within the army, which was crucial for the guerrilla tactics employed later. These tactics were explained as thus, “… When the enemy tires, we attach, when the enemy retreats, we pursue.” A historical event – the Long March in 1934, was an important strategic advantage for the CCP, although it was in effect a tactical defeat militarily as they lost many soldiers, this came with beneficial psychological and organizational effects. It boosted the morale within the army and undermined the GMD’S anti-communist propaganda of naming the Long March as the great retreat, but instead it strengthened the impression of the army as being highly determined, tenacious and courageous.
These tactics were very clear and concise and helped bring strong determination within the army.
In contrast with the CCP army, the GDP army was conscripted, and the basis of conscription was bribery and influence; it angered the poor and middle class that some of the rich never entered the army, thereby these soldiers held a grudge and didn’t want to fight. In addition, there was cruelty within the army and soldiers would be beaten and extremities such as being thrown over trains because of being wounded, they didn’t have the price of a ticket. The condition of the rank-and-file soldiers did not secure their victory at the beginning of the civil war because the soldiers were not committed to fighting for the GDP and weren’t impressed with their ideologies such as ignoring the majority of the citizens which are the peasantry. Because most of the soldiers come from the lower class, they felt that the CCP would be a better government as they implemented policies for the peasants in rural areas. Many soldiers from the GDP defected to the CCP during the civil war because they lost faith in their cause and these men brought their weapons with them to the CCP,
“the army was not popular among the Chinese peasants, observers in China were shocked to see that the locals were treated shamefully by GMD officials that were just freed from Japanese rule.” The GDP army had no regulations on how they should treat the peasants or the people in general, the Officials set a bad example for the soldiers and thus promoting a bad message that the GDP soldiers are cruel, dishonest etc. They had a bad image among the Chinese people, therefore being an army that was easy to penetrate.
The Red Army was better than the GDP army in many ways, they were strong in morale and had grown to 1,000,000 men by 1945 mainly because of peasant support. By 1949 this amount had increased to 4,000,000 and the GMD army had a lot of problems in its structure and had fallen to 1,500,000 due to their lack of commitment, this was the final collapse of the GDP and the victory came for the communists.
The leaders of the two parties- Mao Ze Tung and Chiang Kai Shek had big roles to play in the victory of the CCP. Mao was an inspirational political leader who won the loyalty of a vast percentage of the population. Furthermore, Mao made right decisions such as leading the CCP on the Long March that was significant because it promoted the communists’ spirit and determination. He understood the importance of peasant support, Mao said, “Leadership by the poor peasants is absolutely necessary. To deny their role is to deny the revolution.” The peasantry made up 80% of the China’s population and it was important that his tactics focused on them. The Guerilla tactics he formulated brought back food response from both sides , the soldiers and the peasants, it strengthened morale within his army and increased supporters within the peasantry. Mao was being known to the general public as the one who reached out to them through all that the CCP has done.
Chiang as the leader of the GDP was not a popular leader, he was stubborn and close-minded. He wasn’t able to make decisions based on the peasants but focused on the lesser percentage of the population. Chiang didn’t understand what the soldiers felt being conscripted, mistreated and not being respected as a human being.
Thus the soldiers felt no ties to him and the army and didn’t hesitate to leave the army for a better condition- the CCP. Chiang was stubborn in ways such as in March 1948; Chiang ignored the US advisers’ urge to withdraw from Manchuria and save the remaining forces. He wasn’t making the right decision and it shows that he wasn’t fit to be a ruler, from what happened in Manchuria, it reflects how he couldn’t see what was best for his troops, that the people in his hands are valuable lives, he’d rather risk the lives of millions in a bet.
In conclusion, the belief that a government should exist not only for the people, but of and by them as well, was reiterated time and again, the CCP were wise enough to understand this and laid their tactical decisions with careful planning. There is no one single reason that led to the Chinese Communist Party coming to power In 1949; their success is one of great complexity but In my opinion I think that the most important stepping stone essential for the CCP’s victory in the Chinese Civil War is the support of the peasantry, it is inconceivable that such a massive social transformation could not have occurred without the support of the cast majority of the peasantry in China and they are the ones who sided with the CCP when the CCP believed in equality for all and the CCP not only believed in it but implemented this equality.
Civil War in China, 1999,p.247
Wood John and McManus Andrew, ‘China Revolutionary Leadership’,1998, New Zealand, Macmillian Publishers New Zealand Limited, P.70
China shakes the world’, J. Belden, 1949
C.P. Fitzgerald, ‘Revolution in China’, 1952
Mao Zedong, “selected works”, 1927