Homework 6; term 3

1. Explain three tactics/methods Mao used to conquer China and secure power acording to this source.

-Pitilessness was considered to be one of Mao's tactics, and it says in this source that it was was on the most powerful of his weapons.

-People were banned from leaving the city, as they wanted to turn Chanchun into a "city of death."

-There were massive civilian deaths.

-"Veto by silence."

2. What are three major differences between the way this source portrays the Communists' treatment of the common people with other sources we've read?

-This source seems to portray the treatment of the common people as much worse and more harsh than the other sources we have read. This source talks a lot about the use of terror to win the war, where I think that the other sources focus more on him winning the support of the peasants. I think that this source talks about him winning the support of the peasants, however I think it is not as signifcant as with the other sources. For instance, the other sources don't talk specifically about the cruel treatment towards children (like how they were pulled apart at the limbs, and other things similar to that.)

3. Explain at least two practices of the Chinese Civil War you learned from this source.

-Soldiers beat up, abused, and tied up refugees, and someimtes they even set them on fire so that they would die.

-There were rallies, which all of the people had to attend. There were people who were designated to be targets, and they had to stand and face the crowds, so that all of the people in the crowd could yell at them with their grievances. They were even allowed to hit them, or use other farm tools against the people.

4. The Communists fought a "total war." Cite two pieces of evidence from this passage that support that view.

-"The entire population was made to live and work flat out, night and day, for the war, and very often in the thick of it."

"Civilians in the communist-held territories were also ruthlessly exploited."

5. According to this source, what part of land reform really mattered to Mao?

-He liked that they worked for a long time without getting tired, even though they only did this because of the terror which Mao put on them.

6. Mao's main aim was to secure power, not to improve the lives of the peasants. To what extent do you agree with that claim?

-I agree with the claim significantly. He treated the people so badly, so that had to be his aim. If he only wanted to improve the lives of peasants, a lot less harsh things could be done. Instead of punishing everyone and making everyone suffer, he could have done things that only aimed at improving the lives of the peasants, instead of destroying everyone else's life as well. Therefore, it is pretty obvious that his main aim was to secure power, because he used terror, which is how people in the past have worked at securing their power as well.

Causes, Practices, and Effects of the Chinese Civil War (test)

1.

The opium wars are a long term cause of the Chinese Civil War. They began when the Chinese started growing opium and selling it to the Chinese so that the British could profit. The Chinese ended up being angry that the British were profiting and that the Chinese were using opium, so as a result they outlawed opium. They also burned the "storage" areas where the British kept their opium, which made the British angry. Then, as a result, the British attacked the Chinese. (The British were much stronger than the Chinese, and they defeated China very easily. As a result of this, "unequal treaties" were formed, which was humiliating to the Chinese people. The people of China became very angry, and some even hated the Manchu Dynasty, for signing these unequal treaties. Thus, the Manchu Dynasty became weak, and people were rebelling against it, but the Manchu Dynasty worked with the Europeans to end the rebellion, and as a result killed millions of people. This showed the instability of the Chinese government, which led to a lot of tension between the Chinese people. Therefore, this can be seen as a long term cause to the Chinese Civil War.

The Communist/Guomindang split is an immediate cause of the Chinese Civil War.

2.

The nature of civil wars tend to be more personal and violent than other wars. In the Chinese Civil War, one example of this is with the way children and mothers were treated. For example, one mother had her clothes ripped from her, so that her milk was dripping on the floor and the baby, who was hungry, was licking the milk up off the ground to drink. Babies were also ripped apart at the limbs, which is extremely harsh to do to anyone (especially a baby.) Torture seems to be very common in civil wars, especially in the Chinese Civil War. One more example of torture was that oil was poured on peoples heads, so that they would die.

Another practice of the Chinese Civil War that makes it seem very personal and violent was class warfare. This was when different social statuses would fight against each other basically. One specific example is with peasants and landlords. The peasants actually killed the landlords, so that they could find food to eat, and to give to the others who had nothing to eat. This appears to be very personal because it is like they are killing their master in a sense- the person who had given them a house- even though the treatment wasn't the best, it is still very extreme.

3.

One social effect of the Chinese Civil War was the improvement in the treatment of women. A specific example of this was with the "Marriage Law of 1950." This ended arranged marriages, which was a huge downfall of the life of Chinese women. Along with this, the minimum age for men to marry was 18, and the minimum age for women to marry was 20. This prevented older men from marrying really young women, which also is improvement in the treatment of women. Husbands and wives now owned property together, and divorce had to be a mutual agreement. Also, it was illegal to kill unwanted babies. Overall, all of these things resulted in much better treatment of women, which was a social effect of the Chinese Civil War.

Another social effect of the Chinese Civil War was the "Land/Agrarian Reform Law" of 1950. This enabled peasants to work with other people on one huge farm, to learn better farming methods, and collaboration. Also, there were "speak bitterness campaigns" in which peasants were allowed to gather in groups and have rallies where they would speak "bitterly" about their previous landlords, and basically denounce them for having treated them badly. This was a social effect because it improved the lives of peasants, much like the life of women were improved. (It could also be argued that it was political... but I won't talk about that, because the question is about social effects.)

4.

One political effect of the Chinese Civil War was the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. This was basically the point in which the people began to form a "people's democratic dictatorship". As a result of this, four social classes were formed... the peasants, the workers, the bourgeoise, and the nationalist-capitalists. The PRC enabled the people to have a say in how they felt about certain situations which were occuring in China, and a lot of peace was formed. As a result of this political change, a lot of social effects came to be, because now people were concerned for the individual people. Thus, the establishment of the PRC was a very important effect of the Chinese Civil War.

Another political effect of the Chinese Civil War was the Agrarian Reform Law, which could be considered a social effect as well. This is when peasants began to learn how to work in the same social class as other people of their society. Also, poor people were encouraged to meet and talk about life as a poor person, and basically to denounce their previous landlords who had treated them badly.

Homework 5; term 3

Identify at least one political, social, and economic effect of the Chinese Civil War

Social: The 1950 Marriage Law. This ended some of the worst features of the women's life. For instance, arranged marriages were ended, and it was no longer legal to kill unwanted babies. Both husbands and wives owned the property, and divorce had to be a mutual agreement. The marriage age for women was 20, and the age for men was 18. Overall, this resulted in much better treatment of women.

Political: The 1950 Agrarian Reform Law. This is when peasants began to learn how to work in the same social class as other people of their society. Also, poor people were encouraged to meet and talk about life as a poor person, and basically to denounce their previous landlords who had treated them badly.

Economic: Formation of the People's Bank. This enabled the government to have control over all transactions, and the issue of money. A result of this was the elimination of inflation.

Source-Based Questions

1. What is the message being conveyed by the woodcut on page 22?

-This is showing how the tax collectors basically took everything from the peasants, and left them to starve. It also conveys how the Guomindang people did nothing to help the peasants, but instead only made their lives worse.

2. What is the message being conveyed by the Chinese Communist Party Poster on page 23?

-This poster is showing how the Peasants were helping the Red Army in the war against Japan. This shows that the Red Army had gained the support of the peasants also, which is something that the Guomindang could not do.

3. With reference to origin and purpose, assess the value and limitations of Sourc-0e A on page 25 and the excerpt from Mao: The Unknown Story for historians studying why the Communists won the Chinese Civil War.

Source A:

The origin of this source is a journal entry from Chiang Kaishek written in 1947, with the purpose of revealing his true feelings regarding how upset he was that nobody cared for anyone else anymore. The origin of this provides us with a value, because it is personal from a journal entry. Therefore, it actually gives us the true feelings of Chiang Kaishek, because he has nobody to please in his journal. However, a limitation may be with the purpose. Because he is annoyed with the situation, he is writing for himself, and not for anyone else to read. Therefore, the things written may have been blown out of proportion to an extent, because he wasn't expecting anybody to read it.

Excerpt From Mao:

The origin of this source is written by Jung Chang, who was born in China in 1952. The purpose of this excerpt is to inform people of another viewpoint regarding the Chinese Civil War, which hasn't been seen in other sources. The origin of this source can be a strength and a limitation as well. It is a strength because it is written by a Chinese person, rather than a person of another nationality. This is a strength because it is not someone of a different culture trying to understand what was going on. However. the origin is a weakness because she wasn't born until 20 years after what was being written about happened. Therefore, it is not a firsthand account, and she may have based this off of other information that she had heard, rather than what was witnessed. The purpose of this also provides a strength and a weakness. It is a strength because it is trying to find new ideas about the practices of the Chinese Civil War, however this is also a limitation because the practices which are talked about may be exaggerated from the truth a bit , because it is trying to be a "new outlook on the practices."

Homework 4; term 3

1. According to this book, what were three reasons why the Communists were able to effectively resist nationalist attempts to destroy them?

-The Nationalists were not familiar with the terrain.

-Nationalist troops had to rely on local supplies... The Reds controlled the population, so they could deprive the enemy of food and water.

-Spies.

2. According to this source, what was the most important strategy that "tipped the scale" in helping the Reds defeat the Nationalists?

-Russian assistance.

3. Compare/ contrast the views from this source with other views we've read on why the Communists were able to effectively resist Nationalist attempts to destroy them. Give at least one compare and one contrast.

-

4.Identify the following terms for comprehension: GRU, CCP, HQ.

-GRU: Soviet military intelligence.

-HQ: tried stealing Nationalist codes

-CCP: had agents working in the heart of Nationalist intelligence.

5. Mao's leadership was not decisive in the Reds victory over the Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War. What evidence from this passage could be used to support this view?

-"Yet it was not Mao's brutal strategy that clinched the Reds' victory..."

6. According to this interpretation, which side was more patriotic in fighting the Japanese, the CCP or the Nationalists?

-This source says the world has come to believe that the CCP were more patriotic in their fighting against Japan than the Nationalists were. However the source says that this claim is untrue, meaning that he believes the Nationalists were.

7. Based on other sources you've read, how far do you agree with this claim?

-Well, I guess I am part of the world who thought the Nationalists were more patriotic in their fighting than the CCP. However, I have mixed emotions with it. There are points so that both viewpoints can be justified.

8. According to this source, how did the Japanese invasion help in Mao's rise to power?

-Moscow appointed Mao the head of the state and the title of chairman of the Central Executive Committee. Therefore, the Japanese invasion helped a significant amount in Mao's rise to power.

Homework 3; term 3

Based on all that you've studied, please explain three main reasons why you think the Communists, and not the Nationalists, won the Chinese Civil War.

In my opinion, I think one of the reasons that the Communists won the Chinese Civil War was due to the fact that the treatment of women had improved. For instance, a lot of unpleasant practices were abolished. Foot binding, a thing to make the feet of women remain small, was made illegal. Also, the killing of "unwanted" babies was also banished. Child slavery and prostitution was made illegal as well. As a result of these improved treatments to women, it is possible that the Communists won the support of many women, which is a reason that they could have won the Chinese Civil War.

Another reason that the Communists won the Chinese Civil War may be a result of them gaining the support of peasants. Big areas of land which were owned by rich landlords were taken and spread out among the poorer peasants. New farming tools were created by the Red Army, and an agricultural school was also developed. "Saturday Brigades" were created for children, soldiers, and party officials to help the peasants with their farming. Thus, the Communists were able to gain the support of peasants, enabling them to win the Chinese Civil War.

Propaganda also played a role in the Communists winning the Chinese Civil War. Pictures of the cruel treatment that the Nationalists provided were shown, so that people would think better of the Communists. I don't know how significant propaganda was however, because propaganda can be present with almost any situation. I think that the better treatment aof women and peasants were more significant reasons, simply because they are unique to the Communists. In every war, with every situation there is propaganda, so I don't know how noteworthy it is.

Classwork; term 3

A. Study the map above, then answer these questions:

1. Describe in your own words the Red Army's movements in between Jiangxi and Zunyi.

-The First Front Army were sent from the Communist base areas to Xiang, and then from there they split into two groups, both of which went to Zunyi. The second Front Army was sent from another communist base in Hunan, and went right past Zunyi.

2. Describe how the Red Army's movements changed after leaving Zunyi.

-After leaving Zunyi it looks like the First Front Army just traveled in circles for a while before they began to go in a straight line. Also, after Zunyi the second and fourth front army became present.

3. Judging by what you have read in this chapter, why do you think the Army changed its movements in this way?

-Because Mao took leadership.

4. What might have been the result if the Red Army had not changed direction at Zunyi.

-Maybe more of them would have survived because maybe their other route may have had less obstacles.

B. Read these comments on the Long March, then answer the questions which follow.

1. Using the information in this chapter, provide evidence to agree and disagree with each of the views expressed in sources A and B.

-Source A:

Agreement: "The arrival of the Second and Fourth Front armies which had undertaken their own long marched had restored the Army's strength to 80,000 men, making it once again a viable fighting force."

Disagreement: " Fewer than 10,000 of those who had set out marched into Yanan."

-Source B:

Agreement: "The Long March of the Red Army took it over the Snowy Mountains, amoung the highest in the world, and through the treacherous Grasslands."

Disagreement: "... hundreds of men drowned in deep marshes..."

2. In the light of the evidence you have found, which of the two views do you think is more accurate? Explain your answer.

-I think that the first quote is more accurate, because the only thing that really appears to be off about their quote is the number who had died, which isn't as significant as the other things mentioned in the book.