Throughout the early Twentieth Century, each defeat of the CCP provided an opprotunity for their strengthening, eventually leading to their success.
-
Birth of Chinese Communist Party (Long Term)
The first 13 organizers of the praty elected Chen Duxiu, editor of New Youth and author of "The Way of Confucius and Modern Life". Mao Zedong attended. The party's goals included national unification, and expulsion of foreign imperialism. Long term because the CCP survives and strengthens over the course of the coming decades. -
First United Front Forms (Long Term)
Guomindang (Nationalist Party) Accepts CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Members in Military. The Soviet Union begins support of Guomindang to oppose the increasing Japanese prescence in Manchuria and Mongolia. CCP and GMD unite in for China's sake to form stronger military forces against Japan. Long term because they United front ends up reviving in the future. -
Establishment of Whampoa Military Academy (Long Term)
Military Academy in Guangzhou established by 1st United Front uses Russian techniques and tactics of modern warfare. Chiang Kai-Shek becomes commandant upon returing from training in Moscow. Long term because this establishment permanently influences nationalist strategy. -
Sun Yat-Sen Dies :( (Short Term)
As a result, Chiang Kai-Shek rises through the ranks of Guomindang.
Short term event, but long term consequence with Chiang maintaining power for decades later. -
Period: to
Northern Expedition Begins (Long Term)
Guomindang army marches from Guangzhou to eradicate the Warlords of Southern China. CCP peasant organizers, like Mao, instigate strikes in areas of warlord control, encourgaing them to "break through all the trammels that bind them and rush forward along the road to liberation," (Mao). The sucess of the expedition gives Chiang Kai-Shek confidence to break ties with CCP in defense of Chinese/confucian traditional values. Long term because the trek lasts months. -
Shanghai Purge (Short Term)
Chiang's soldiers turn on CCP members and attack labor unions. Soldiers killed CCP supporters, many of whom were poor wokers, and violently terminated any communist demonstrations. Short term because it lasted a day, but this event causes the formation of the Jiangxi Soviet later. -
Period: to
Guomindang forces cover China in search of communists.
Communist leaders scatter themselves and form small, disconnected communes. Mao follows CCP soldiers into mountians between Hunan and Jiangxi -
Chiang Kai-Shek declared commander-in-cheif of Guomindang (Long Term)
Guomindang now free of communist allies. Nanjing becomes capital. Goverment funds are scarce. Long term because Chiang holds absolute power until he is put under house arrest. -
Guomindang forces unite with warlords and march once again, this time towards Beijing (Short Term)
Troops enter predominantelty Japanese-controlled land surrounding Beijing. Japanese forces combat Guomindang and force Chiang off-course. Zhang Zhoulin, warlord of Beijing, is betrayed by Japanese soliders and assassinated before Guomindang's arrival. Zhang's son, Zhang Xueliang, allies with Guomindang. Short term because it is caused by Guomindang march. -
Guomindang attacks Jiangxi Soviet, a large communist cell. (Short Term
Jiangxi Soviet becomes self-sufficient and calls itself independent, although there were "three million peeple in half a dozen counties" and it was "hemmed in on all sides by...Nationalist troops," (Drain the Pond). Guomindang fails at encricling Jiangxi Soviet four times, unable to outsmart guerilla warfare by the communists. Short term because these attempts are faliures on the nationalists part and have no lasting affect besides being precursors to eventual nationalist suscess. -
Fifth Encriclement Campaign is successful in invading Jiangxi Soviet (Long term)
Chiang's troops invade CCP territory with Nazi German war tactics and completely occupy settlements. Guomindang enforces New Life Movement, a political program to compliment Chiang's anti-communist goals with an emphasis on Confucian tradition. Blueshirt organization helps enforce anti-communist policies. Long term because the occupation lasts after this defeat and causes the Long March. -
Period: to
Long March of CCP (Long Term)
CCP members elude Guomindang power and 80,000 troops and supporters slowly move northwest, avoiding Guomindang power. Mao takes back power and commands Long March with "thourogh education and strict enforcement" (Mao) of his Three Main Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention. The march is successful in arriving to Yan'an, but only a small fraction of original followers survive the trek. Long term because it spans over a year and gives communist party lasting strength. -
Zhang Zueliang captures Chiang Kai-Shek and united China completely to fight Japan (Long Term)
Chiang commands Zhang in Xi'an to wipe out Yan'an communist base. Zhang takes action decides to unite China under suggestion of Zhou Enlai, a communist leader, istead of taking out Yan'an. Chiang travels to oversee Zhangs operation and is captured, as it was to only way to unite China. Chiang is released two weeks later. Second United front forms soon after Chiang's release, making this a long term event. -
Period: to
Yan'an Period (Long Term)
In 1941, Second united front falls apart and Guomindang and communists fight sepaartely, sometimes fighting each other instead of "fighting Japanese aggression." Troops and citizens realize communists have greater ideals of "internal economic relations" using a "new-democratic [system] not only in its politics but also in its economy," (Mao). Communists regroup and strenghten. Long term because communists mantain power for a majority of this period and keep it. -
Period: to
Japan advances, capturing Tianjin, Shanghai, and eventually Nanjing (Long Term)
Nanjing massacre begins. Japanese murder and torture innocent Chinese citizens. Long term because this spans months and forces China to unite.