Results of the Long March and the leadership of Mao Zedong
What were the two main outcomes of the Long March for the CCP by 1936?
The CCP was reduced to a force of 20,000
Where was the Yenan Soviet established, and why was this location strategically important for the CCP?
The Yenan Soviet was established in Shensi Province after the Long March. Its location was strategically important because it was relatively secure from KMT campaigns, allowing the CCP to rebuild.
How did the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937 affect the relationship between the CCP and the KMT?
The Xi’an Incident (1936) pressured Chiang Kai-shek into a truce with the CCP to form a United Front against Japan.
What were the main reasons for the growing unpopularity of Chiang Kai-shek and the KMT government?
The KMT lost support due to Corruption, Brutality, Economic mismanagement, Failed reforms
How did Mao Zedong use propaganda to reshape the narrative of the Long March?
Mao later mythologized the Long March as a ‘great victory’ for the CCP.
What were the main goals of Mao's land reform policies in the Yenan Soviet?
Gaining peasant support , Challenging the "28 Bolsheviks
What was the CCP’s strategy for resisting Japanese occupation, and how did it differ from the KMT’s approach?
Mao’s ‘Protracted War’ strategy avoided direct clashes, instead waging hit-and-run attacks to drain Japanese resources.
How did corruption within the KMT contribute to its loss of public support?
Officials took bribes and hoarded supplies, while soldiers and civilians starved.
What was the significance of Mao’s "Eight Points for Attention" in gaining peasant support?
Mao introduced the ‘Eight Points for Attention,’ which forbade soldiers from stealing from or harassing peasants
How did the CCP redistribute land to peasants during this period?
Avoid harming the peasants or their livelihood
Why did the CCP’s guerrilla warfare tactics prove effective against the Japanese forces?
Mao’s forces sabotaged supply lines and ambushed isolated units, leveraging their knowledge of rural terrain
Why did many Chinese people resent the KMT’s conscription policies during the war against Japan?
Peasant boys were dragged from their fields with no training or proper equipment.
Wealthy families could bribe officials to exempt their sons, leaving the poor to die in battle.
Deserters were executed, creating fear and hatred toward the KMT.
Why did Mao argue that a Russian-style proletarian revolution would not work in China?
Mao argued that China’s revolution must be based on the peasantry, not the small urban working class
What was the purpose of Mao's Rectification Campaign (1941–44)?
The Yan'an rectification saw Mao consolidate his position of preeminence in the CCP. To do this he undertook a "thought-reform campaign" from 1942 to 1944. The effort was partly a reflection of Mao's wish to eradicate Soviet influence.
How did the war with Japan contribute to the growth of CCP influence in rural areas?
As the KMT retreated westward, the CCP organized peasant militias and redistributed land, gaining loyalty.
What economic problems worsened under KMT rule, and how did they affect ordinary citizens?
Hyperinflation made money worthless—prices could double in a single day.
Who were the "28 Bolsheviks," and how did their goals differ from Mao’s vision?
The ‘28 Bolsheviks,’ a group trained in Moscow, pushed for a revolution led by urban workers, mirroring Lenin’s model
How did the Rectification Campaign strengthen Mao's control over the CCP?
The Yan'an rectification saw Mao consolidate his position of preeminence in the CCP. To do this he undertook a "thought-reform campaign" from 1942 to 1944. The effort was partly a reflection of Mao's wish to eradicate Soviet influence.
What role did propaganda play in the CCP’s efforts to gain support during the war?
Mao’s speeches and pamphlets (e.g., ‘On Protracted War’) framed the CCP as China’s true defenders.
How did the KMT’s treatment of peasants and workers compare to the CCP’s approach?
KMT- Ignored peasant land grievances and sided with landlords. Workers in cities faced low wages and repression of strikes.
CCP- Mao’s ‘Eight Points for Attention’ forbade soldiers from abusing peasants. Land redistribution policies gained rural support. The CCP promised better conditions for workers, unlike the KMT."