Communists
Followers of the Chinese Communist Party, these, mostly Northern Chinese, were under leader Mao Zedong. Communists, mostly supported by the peasants, wanted a revolutionary change of government in China and hoped to create an equal, classless society in which land and business would be shared by all. They attempted this drastic change by the use of the "mass line" policy where they reduced land rents and confiscated the lands of wealthy landlords. Twenty to thirty million Chinese were under the administration of the Communists and they continued to gain support. Mao and the People's Liberation Army (or PLA) of over one million troops consolidated power and attempted to extend their influence to all of China. |
Nationalists
Known as Kuomintang and located in Nanjing under leader Chiang Kai-shek, the Nationalists were the recognized as the legitimate government of China by all foreign countries. The Nationalists were closely connected to the business owners and landlords of China and they wanted to continue the capitalist, private enterprise system in China. The problem was that Chiang was losing power and his army was made up of corrupt officers and unpaid, unfit men. During the course of the Civil War, Nationalists began joining the Communists in droves. They ended up retreating to Taiwan when the Communists won the civil war. |
The Chinese Civil War occurred because of China's ruined economy, high inflation, and sufferings post WWII. After their shaky truce when Japan was their common enemy, they reignited their hatred of each other when they removed the Japanese from their country. The Nationalist government was also corrupt and the Communists easily used these problems to their advantage. The CCP's promises for social and economic reforms won over the Chinese people.The Communists won because of their strength and support from the Soviets. The Nationalists collapsed because of their unable government and their lack of support from the United States.