The Vietnam War: The Chinese Civil War

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The Chinese Civil War, which lasted from 1927 until 1950, with the Second Sino – Japanese War, and eventually World War Two serving as a pause in the conflict, pitted the Communist Party of China (CCP) against the nationalist forces of the Kuomintang (KMT). At the end of the conflict, it saw the KMT defeated, and forced to retreat to the island of Formosa, present day Taiwan. On the Mainland of China, the victorious CCP declared the nation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the KMT declared Taiwan and the surrounding islands they controlled as the Republic of China (ROC). Both nations considered themselves the one true China, but now one could say there is a new movement growing, one of independence for Taiwan. In this paper, I will…show more content…
Before this betrayal, both the CCP and the KMT were allied in what is commonly known as the First United Front during the Northern Expedition; an attempt to bring the territory of numerous warlord cliques in north-east China under the central KMT government. KMT leader, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek was a staunch anti-communist and did not trust the CCP’s intentions. This fighting would continue even after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and the establishment of the puppet-state of Manchukuo in 1931. Chiang followed the policy of “First internal pacification, then external resistance”, which proved to be extremely unpopular with much of the Chinese population. It wasn’t until the Xi’an Incident, in 1936, where KMT officers, like Zhang Xueliang, kidnapped Chiang, and forced him to make peace with the Communist forces, now led by Mao…show more content…
Since Chiang’s Nationalist government was technically an ally during the war and was still receiving aid from the USA, and also contributing were the political fears at the time of Communists in general, Chiang’s government was given America’s backing. American forces also transported Nationalist soldiers around in China to accept the surrender of Japanese soldiers, to increase their territorial control and areas of influence. The Soviet Union, who although was in agreement of recognizing the Nationalist government, still offered their own support and aid to the Communists. It wasn’t until the Communist forces had the manpower in place, that the Soviet Union removed its occupational force in

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