war with japan. events 1931 attack in manchuria 1932 attack in shanghai and brief occupation 1932...
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War with Japan
Events
1931 attack in Manchuria 1932 attack in Shanghai and brief occupation 1932 Set up Manchukuo with last Emperor Pu yi Negotiations with CKS Communists declare war on Japan 1933 Japan occupies Jehe 1933 Tanggu Truce with China 1935 Japanese take over Hebei 1936 Formation of the Second United Front 1937 Marco Polo Bridge incident
The Spark: A missing soldier
Background: Why did Japan attack China?
Causes of WW2 in the Pacific
Military:
Japan unable to control military Parliament and Military conflict Assassination of moderate Japanese politicians Depression and its effects In September 1931 the Kwantung army precipitated
the crisis Japanese govt. unable to deal with the crisis In 1932, Japan occupied Shanghai briefly Jiang Jieshi ( CKS) response also
emboldened the Japanese
Rise of Chinese nationalism
Manchuria and China proper became very important areas for Japanese investment
These threatened by periodic riots, boycotts and attacks on Japanese concessions
May 1928 attack on Jinan
Assassination of warlord Zhang Tso-lin Son on Zhang Tsolin a committed
Nationalist
Tanggu Truce 1933
What were the implications China withdraws from Manchuria and
Hebei province is demilitarized This leaves Beijing and its entry point
Tianjin defenceless In 1935 Japan encroaches on Hebei
Chinese response to Japan
Ironically Chiang Kai Shek would refuse to confront them, preferring to negotiate until 1936
Chinese communists protested and the protests led to the punitive action of Japan ….invasion of Jehe
Chinese nationalist protests, march to Beijing to protest ineffectiveness of CKS
CCP claimed that it did much to incite protests against Japanese Chinese intellectuals formed the Shanghai National Salvation
Association to protest Japanese invasions in 1935 This was followed by a National Salvation Association and criticized
CKS This group demanded a United Front of all peoples and parties to
stop Japanese aggression.
National Salvation Association
Demanded new United Front Authorised a series of strikes in
Japanese owned textile factories Japan demanded the arrest of the
‘seven gentlemen’ or leaders of the NSA Zhang Zueliang who was sent by CKS to
deal with Communists in Shaanxi was now involved in deal.
Second United Front Kidnapping of CKS in Xian Zhang called for a coalition government
and end civil war Called for a National Salvation
Conference CKS agreed to Second Front after two
weeks CKS released, Zhang court martialled and
arrested and under house arrest till 1990
Why Second United Front?
In March 1936 the CCP demanded called for a suspension of the Civil War and formation of a United Front to resist Japan
Allegedly NSA’s were communist fronts Zhou En Lai is believed to have had discussions with
Zhang Zueliang Zhou not involved in the Xian incident but negotiated
CKS’s release Zhou is believd to have indicated to CKS that the
CCP accepted CKS as leader providing he committed to resistance to Japan
Evaluation of Xian Incident
A turning point in Chinese history Nationalist writers say it saved Communists from annihilation For communist it was an opportunity to strike back against the
Japanese In a sense CCP agreement at Xian marks the Comintern directive
to involve itself with non fascist groups to resist Fascism In 1937 the Second Front was confirmed. Both sides made
concessions CCP agreed to drop the name Red army and place its troops under
CKS command The Soviet republic of China ( CCP controlled areas) would
become a special region, confiscation of land from lanldlords to stop
GMD concessions to CCP
In return for agreement to place CCP troops under central command
CCP areas were special regions GMD agreed to stop civil war , release
political prisoners GMD agreed to hold a joint National
Salvation conference with CCP to discuss resistance to Japan
Marco Polo Bridge: Accident or Attack?
The missing soldier prompted aggression between Japan and China
Japanese demands for GMD forces to withdraw from Beijing were met with resistance.
Resultant massacre of several towns around Beijing
This time CKS offered no concessions
War comes to China in 1937
Fall of Beijing followed by Shanghai and then Nanking
Attack on Shanghai was an attempt by CKS to draw the Japanese deeper into the conflict
A failure for CKS but it failed to provide a clear victory for the Japanese either.
Gradually this developed into a war of attrition for both sides
Attack on Shanghai Aug-Nov ‘37
CKS aimed to attack Japanese warships
Bombs failed to reach target
This led to a bitter engagement between Chinese and Japanese forces
Huge casualties on both sides
GMD forces fell back on Nanjing
Nanjing December 1937
Next major stand at Nanjing Japanese took control of this city in
December 1937 Followed by the ‘Rape of Nanjing’ It is believed that this was retaliation
for the attacks on the Japanese consulate in 1926-27
GMD forces retreat further
Move towards Chongqing
Li Zongren inflicts a defeat on the Japanese but CKS fails to capitalise on it.
CKS moves into Wuhan enroute to Chonqing 1500 kms east
1938 CKS ordered dykes to be broken to check Japanese advance towards Chongqing
Immense hardship to ordinary Chinese who had no warning
This left a legacy of bitterness and reduced support for the GMD
1937-1938
CKS aided by CKS Red Army under Marshal Georgy
Zhukov stationed in Manchuria Japanese take Wuhan and Canton CKS cut off from access to the sea Japanese forces now seriously
stretched from Manchuria to Central China
Chongqing 1937-1945
CKS base till the end of the War Factories dismantled and moved up there Teacher, students and intellectuals move there Chonqing government was corrupt inefficient Since CKS lost control of key cities such as Shanghai andNanjing The loss of revenue meant CKS needed wealthy landlords for
support Also warlords tried to take advantage of the situation Rising inflation since CKS could not find the money he resorted to
printing more Extortion from peasants Land taxes reached their highest level and this at a time of
widespread famine In 1941 the United Front shows signs of break up CKS waited for intervention of foreign powers
Role of the Communist Party in the conflict? How did they benefit?
The war with Japan led to the rise two power centres
CKS based in Chongqing Mao develops an alternate base at Yanan
Eliminates or neutralises rivals such as Zhang Guotao and late Wang Ming
Mao paid lip service to aid from Moscow By 1941 Mao was gradually able to establish his
domination of the CCP It is during this time that Mao clearly establishes
himself as the leader of the Chinese Communist party
Yanan Decade: A contrast
More organised form of government at Yanan Mao attempts education reforms Specific Marxist elements were played down Landlords no longer the target Confiscation land abandoned in favour of
lowering of rents Anti Japanese themes encouraged Use of Guerrilla warfare to defeat Japanese
Life at Yanan
Mao’s flexible policy encouraged a steady growth in CCP membership
Likewise recruitment for the Red Army as the CCP was encouraging action against the Japanese
Now the CCP controls 8th Route Army under Peng Dehuai and Zhu De
New 4th Army In areas under Japanese control several
Communist controlled guerrilla groups sprang up
Communist successes
Unlike the litany of failure of the GMD CCP troops were better organised. Lin Biao won a victory in 1937 Hundred Regiment offensive launched
against the Japanese but causalties affected Communists and Japanese
Japanese response: Three All Kill All, Burn All, Loot All
Fighting between CKS and Mao
By 1941 United Front shows signs of disintegrating
The 4th Army attacked by CKS troops While this offensive led to serious
communist casualties it worked for the Communist
It worked as a propaganda message :Communists were willing to fight the Japanese while the GMD would fight the Communists
Foreign aid for CKS
Rising tensions between the US and Japan Embargo on export of scrap metal to Japan Sanctions on Oil
1941 the attack on Pearl harbour leads to US entry into the war CKS was appointed Supreme Commander of the China theatre Aid to CKS over the Himalayas, a dangerous and difficult task General Stilwell sent to help. Stilwell referred to CKS as the ‘Peanut’ Stilwell unimpressed by CKS’s dilatoriness In 1944 Stilwell replaced by Wedermeyer “ Chennault’s Flying Circus”, an attempt to provide airpower to CKS
ICHIGO OffensiveJapan’s last stand?
Took place in 1944 Exposed the military weakness of the
GMD. Emboldened the Communists to start
operating in areas held by the GMD Communists introduce mass mobilizations
and class struggle activiities which so far had been confined to border areas.
US Role in China So far US had only supported the GMD but
clearly there was a better trained force available
Also FDR policy had focused in getting the USSR involved in the Pacific War
GMD collapse before Operation Ichigo made the US consider the Communists in China as a potential ally against the Japanese.
Dixie mission sent to Yan’an in July 1944
Negotiations begin with GMD
USA anxious to get the Communists on board.
Mao presents his case as Agrarian reformers to avoid a repeat civil war.
Troubles with GMD start even then because CKS will not negotiate with Communists unless they disbanded their army which they refused to do
Yalta and CHina At Yalta, Stalin agreed to support CKS and
enter the war against Japan three months after victory in Europe
In return Stalin granted concessions in Manchuria Lease on naval base at Lushun Control Dalian an industrial centre Control of Manchurian railways
This increased communist suspicion of the US.
Post FDR Truman support for CKS and condemned
the Communists When bomb was dropped Truman no
longer needed the support of Stalin However CKS and Stalin negotiate to
from a Sino Soviet treaty of friendship In return for Soviet support to the
Nationalists, USSR would with draw from the Manchurian region after Japanese surrender
End of the War Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
ended the war one year earlier. Both CCP and GMD wanted to control
the territory controlled by the Japanese Japanese to surrended to Russians in
Manchuria and Chinese in China proper US flew Chinese troops into N. China to
accept surrender ( GMD troops were in the south
Confusion prevails Communists try to force surrender to them Nationalists encourage Japanese to fight
the Communists USSR occupies Manchuria and proceeds
to strip it as reparations In November when USSR had to withdraw
the GMD knew that they did not have adequate control and asked USSR to stay on.
Stage is set for the Civil War to follow….