沒有國民黨就沒有中國, Without the Kuomintang there would be no China, A Republic of China Story
- Thread starter CELTICEMPIRE
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I won't go into detail about that yet, though a lot of people in the Middle East are going to admire Chiang and Nationalist China.
It would be.
Was the speech being held on the day Mao proclaimed the PRC IOTL deliberate or a nice coincidence?
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Oh yeah, and industrial policy and economic planning, something that South Korea, OTL Taiwan and Japan did.
Agreed, instead of mass confiscation and redistribution of landlord properties like the PRC did. Countries inspired by Chiangism may look to the land reforms on Taiwan otl (37.5 rent reduction, land to the tiller, etc) as examples instead. They'll try to do import-substitute industrialization.
Speaking of land reform, how will the ROC tackle the land reform issue in this timeline? Otl, they compensated the landlords with industrial bonds from confiscated Japanese properties on Taiwan. On the mainland, this wouldn't exist.
Speaking of land reform, how will the ROC tackle the land reform issue in this timeline? Otl, they compensated the landlords with industrial bonds from confiscated Japanese properties on Taiwan. On the mainland, this wouldn't exist.
Hello,
I guess it depends on whether the government needs to address home agricultural production in the aftermath of the war. Despite its land size, China has only a small portion suitable for crops...
As for land reform, it may go hand in hand with national agricultural needs. Things did not go terribly well OTL...
China - Land Reform, Revolution, Economy
China - Land Reform, Revolution, Economy: One reason for communist success was the social revolution in rural China. The CCP was now unrestrained by the multi-class alliance of the United Front period. In mid-1946, as civil war became more certain, the party leaders launched a land revolution...
www.britannica.com
I'll get to land reform in the 50s, there are still a few chapters dealing with the Civil War left.
六, The Death of Mao Zedong
In January 1950 in Beiping, 20 Communists were executed. Among the condemned was General Yan Youwen, who had served under Fu Zuoyi. He had given military information to the Communists, and this was discovered by the Juntong in late 1949. The names of more Communist agents were uncovered and there were more executions throughout China. Mao Renfeng, who was head of the Juntong after Dai Li’s death in 1946, was starting to turn the tide in the espionage war. There was an increased fear that Communists had infiltrated all levels of the Chinese government, and there was some truth to those fears. Hundreds of people, not only in the government, but also in educational institutions, were fired or imprisoned for being suspected Communist sympathizers. Other Communist sympathizers, like Chiang Kai-shek’s sister-in-law Soong Ching-ling, were not affected at all.
(Mao Renfeng)
The Communists launched attacks on Du Yuming’s overstretched army in the Northeast. Thousands of Nationalist soldiers near the Soviet border in Hejiang Province were cut off from supplies and surrendered in March. Some minor skirmishes between Communists and Nationalists were fought in Henan, Hubei, Shandong, and Suiyuan. But the most important battles were being fought in Shaanxi Province. Shaanxi was home to the Communist headquarters in Yulin, where they had been moved from Yan’an after the city was taken by Nationalists in 1947 (though Yan’an had since fallen back into Communist hands). Chiang Kai-shek tasked General Ma Bufang with fighting the Communist forces in the province. Throughout 1949, his forces battled against the Communists in Shaanxi and Gansu.
(Ma Bufang)
In July, Ma Bufang’s forces captured Yan’an, and moved North to take Yulin as well. The Republic of China Air Force carried out air strikes against Communist positions, but the bombers mostly missed their targets. On August 5, the bloody battle of Yulin began. Nationalist artillery attacks were followed by assaults from the East, South, and West. 30,000 Nationalists and 25,000 Communists died with many more wounded before the Communists retreated on the 8th. Most of the survivors fled to Suiyuan Province. During the battle, Mao Zedong died, killed by artillery. It was hailed as a major victory, and Ma Bufang’s popularity and prestige rose rapidly. The Communists were devastated by the loss of Chairman Mao. Later in August, General Peng Dehuai would assume control of Communist forces.
(Mao Zedong, 1893-1950)
In September, Nationalist forces under Bai Chongxi encircled Communists in the border regions of Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Hunan province. While some managed to escape the encirclement, the majority were killed or captured. General Bai Chongxi declared in October that Southern China had now been pacified (this was mostly, but not entirely, true). Li Mi continued to campaign against and defeat the scattered Communist forces in Shandong. A wave of optimism spread through the Nationalist ranks. Minister of Defense He Yingqin remarked to Chiang Kai-shek in November that, barring Soviet intervention, the Communists cannot win. The Soviet Union was not interested in getting into a war with China, but was content to continue aiding Communists in order to weaken the Chinese state. Chiang Kai-shek was himself optimistic, and was making plans for the reconstruction of China and the possibility of future intervention in Tibet and Indochina.
(Bai Chongxi)
(Mao Renfeng)
The Communists launched attacks on Du Yuming’s overstretched army in the Northeast. Thousands of Nationalist soldiers near the Soviet border in Hejiang Province were cut off from supplies and surrendered in March. Some minor skirmishes between Communists and Nationalists were fought in Henan, Hubei, Shandong, and Suiyuan. But the most important battles were being fought in Shaanxi Province. Shaanxi was home to the Communist headquarters in Yulin, where they had been moved from Yan’an after the city was taken by Nationalists in 1947 (though Yan’an had since fallen back into Communist hands). Chiang Kai-shek tasked General Ma Bufang with fighting the Communist forces in the province. Throughout 1949, his forces battled against the Communists in Shaanxi and Gansu.
(Ma Bufang)
In July, Ma Bufang’s forces captured Yan’an, and moved North to take Yulin as well. The Republic of China Air Force carried out air strikes against Communist positions, but the bombers mostly missed their targets. On August 5, the bloody battle of Yulin began. Nationalist artillery attacks were followed by assaults from the East, South, and West. 30,000 Nationalists and 25,000 Communists died with many more wounded before the Communists retreated on the 8th. Most of the survivors fled to Suiyuan Province. During the battle, Mao Zedong died, killed by artillery. It was hailed as a major victory, and Ma Bufang’s popularity and prestige rose rapidly. The Communists were devastated by the loss of Chairman Mao. Later in August, General Peng Dehuai would assume control of Communist forces.
(Mao Zedong, 1893-1950)
In September, Nationalist forces under Bai Chongxi encircled Communists in the border regions of Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Hunan province. While some managed to escape the encirclement, the majority were killed or captured. General Bai Chongxi declared in October that Southern China had now been pacified (this was mostly, but not entirely, true). Li Mi continued to campaign against and defeat the scattered Communist forces in Shandong. A wave of optimism spread through the Nationalist ranks. Minister of Defense He Yingqin remarked to Chiang Kai-shek in November that, barring Soviet intervention, the Communists cannot win. The Soviet Union was not interested in getting into a war with China, but was content to continue aiding Communists in order to weaken the Chinese state. Chiang Kai-shek was himself optimistic, and was making plans for the reconstruction of China and the possibility of future intervention in Tibet and Indochina.
(Bai Chongxi)
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I see her prestige and reputation (owing to being the widow of Sun Yat-Sen) meant that Chiang had to leave her alone, at least for now, in order to maintain popular support.
So, looks like the civil war will be wrapping up soon. Looking forward to what the future holds then.
I'm wondering if Nationalist China's victory and continued existence would affect the Red Scare and McCarthyism in the United States given how Communism is technically no longer a threat in Asia with the exception of North Korea.
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七, Henan
In 1951 China as a whole was not yet at peace, but large parts of the country were peaceful. Southern China saw very little activity from Communist guerillas by this time. Thus, foreign investors started to feel safe to invest in China again. While the Nationalist government was still busy with fighting the Communists, provincial governments began to spend more on infrastructure and social services. The private sector was growing as well, as more businesses were opening every day. 1951 saw the founding of one of China’s most famous companies. Former Finance Minister H. H. Kung, founded 民國電子 [1], known outside of China as Minkuo Electronics. Working with his brother-in-law former Premier T. V. Soong (who was also Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek’s brother-in-law), he got government backing for his venture. Minkuo Electronics would be owned by the Chinese government until the 1980s. The company would mostly make radios and television sets in its early years, and would not expand into overseas markets until later.
(Left: H. H. Kung, Right: T. V. Soong)
Further North, the Communist threat remained. Chinese Communists in North Korea crossed over the border into Songjiang and Andong, where they would be a distraction for the Nationalist troops stationed in the Northeast. Four Chinese generals were tasked with fighting Communist forces in Henan Province; Tang Enbo, Yan Xishan, Hu Zongnan, and Ma Bufang. They were opposed by Communist generals Peng Dehuai and Nie Rongzhen. The Nationalist forces were aided by new tanks and planes, and were much better armed than their opponents (in addition to their numerical superiority). In March they began their attack, and were quickly able to cut Communist armies off from each other. Thousands were killed and thousands more taken prisoner. Pockets of Communist troops were surrounded and were destroyed. For the rest of the year, Nationalists chased retreating Communists all around Henan and Hubei.
(Nationalist Sherman Tank)
As the fighting took place in Henan, the province saw outbreaks of diseases. Thousands of Communist and Nationalist soldiers, as well as civilians, died. There were also food shortages, not only in Henan but in other parts of central and Northern China. The food situation was bad China had to import food in order to prevent starvation. The United States sent shipments of both food and medical supplies. China imported food from Brazil and Venezuela as well. China even bought grain from the Soviet Union, despite the bad relations between the two countries. Minister of Food Guan Jiyu, an ethnic Manchu and one of the few high-profile Kuomintang figures from Northeastern China, was always visible in the efforts to make sure everyone had enough to eat. Chiang Kai-shek saw in Guan Jiyu a man who could help him in a region of the country where he was not particularly popular.
(Guan Jiyu)
On July 1 the Organization for East Asian Cooperation was founded. Delegates from China, India, Burma, Thailand, and South Korea met in Canton. The organization would promote closer economic ties between its members. Each member of the OEAC agreed not to declare war on another member. The delegates passed a resolution calling for France to withdraw from Indochina. France ignored the resolution, and continued to fight to keep its colony. Britain was also fighting to hold onto one of its Asian colonies, Malaysia. The Republic of China and the United Kingdom had one thing in common in Malaysia; both supported the Malaysian Chinese Association. There was an ongoing Communist insurgency in Malaysia that was largely backed by members of the Chinese community there. Britain and China saw the Malaysian Chinese Association as a way to counter the popularity of Communism in the country.
1: Minguo Dianzi
(Left: H. H. Kung, Right: T. V. Soong)
Further North, the Communist threat remained. Chinese Communists in North Korea crossed over the border into Songjiang and Andong, where they would be a distraction for the Nationalist troops stationed in the Northeast. Four Chinese generals were tasked with fighting Communist forces in Henan Province; Tang Enbo, Yan Xishan, Hu Zongnan, and Ma Bufang. They were opposed by Communist generals Peng Dehuai and Nie Rongzhen. The Nationalist forces were aided by new tanks and planes, and were much better armed than their opponents (in addition to their numerical superiority). In March they began their attack, and were quickly able to cut Communist armies off from each other. Thousands were killed and thousands more taken prisoner. Pockets of Communist troops were surrounded and were destroyed. For the rest of the year, Nationalists chased retreating Communists all around Henan and Hubei.
(Nationalist Sherman Tank)
As the fighting took place in Henan, the province saw outbreaks of diseases. Thousands of Communist and Nationalist soldiers, as well as civilians, died. There were also food shortages, not only in Henan but in other parts of central and Northern China. The food situation was bad China had to import food in order to prevent starvation. The United States sent shipments of both food and medical supplies. China imported food from Brazil and Venezuela as well. China even bought grain from the Soviet Union, despite the bad relations between the two countries. Minister of Food Guan Jiyu, an ethnic Manchu and one of the few high-profile Kuomintang figures from Northeastern China, was always visible in the efforts to make sure everyone had enough to eat. Chiang Kai-shek saw in Guan Jiyu a man who could help him in a region of the country where he was not particularly popular.
(Guan Jiyu)
On July 1 the Organization for East Asian Cooperation was founded. Delegates from China, India, Burma, Thailand, and South Korea met in Canton. The organization would promote closer economic ties between its members. Each member of the OEAC agreed not to declare war on another member. The delegates passed a resolution calling for France to withdraw from Indochina. France ignored the resolution, and continued to fight to keep its colony. Britain was also fighting to hold onto one of its Asian colonies, Malaysia. The Republic of China and the United Kingdom had one thing in common in Malaysia; both supported the Malaysian Chinese Association. There was an ongoing Communist insurgency in Malaysia that was largely backed by members of the Chinese community there. Britain and China saw the Malaysian Chinese Association as a way to counter the popularity of Communism in the country.
1: Minguo Dianzi
I assume the OEAC will serve as an equivalent to NATO and the Warsaw Pact? In any case, it'll be interesting to see the group's influence on events in Indochina.
At the moment it's more like the European Economic Community.
Japan will at some point pay reparations to China. Japan won't be allowed to join until later because memories of the Second World War are still fresh in everyone's minds.