Suzi's+Response

There were many reasons for the Communist Victory in China in 1949. These vary from their tactics to their supporters, some of these reasons more beneficial than others. The ultimate reason the Communists won the war against the GMD was because they won the hearts and minds of the people and by doing this they had the power of the masses behind their governing party. This was done through the army of the CCP, the work of the peasants and the tactics created by Mao against the GMD. Chaing Kai Shek struggled to control the warlord armies as they were only half-heartedly submitted to his authority whereas in the CCP Mao Zedong was supported by generals with much talent and very high morale as they had shared the common hardships of the Long March. These generals were wholeheartedly committed to the communist cause. An ordinary soldier stated that “Officers of the Red Army come from our own ranks and win their appointed by merit alone. White officers buy their jobs or use political influence,” and this was clear to see as the communist officers respected not only the troops but the peasants also. They were young, energetic and devoted. There were no badges of rank and they lived in the same conditions as the troops. There was much discipline and no brutal punishment in the army. The army was made up of a majority of young peasants and most of them were literate as there was much emphasis placed on this. Harrison Foreman described the Communist troops as “the best nourished troops I had yet seen.” The Communist soldiers were described as “superior human beings” and as “Prince Valiant’s in straw sandals.” The Communist army was a large influence on the communist victory and was an amazingly strong aspect of the CCP. Helen Snow reported that “a new mind and a new people were being created in the heart of the oldest and most changeless civilization on earth.” Nationalists imposed crushing burdens on their peasants and drove them to rebellion. Communists won their wholehearted support. Mao stated “In order to rouse the masses to support us we must improve their own livelihood. We must abolish heavy taxes and lighten the economic burden of the masses.” He held up this idea where the GMD did not take into account the masses. The communists used a lot of propaganda to spread their appeal to the masses and also the communists used the idea of Chiu-kuo (National Salvation) rather than social revolution, and this was able to gain the support of small landlords and rich peasants who would otherwise be opposed to communism. From the military success there came political success and the guerrilla victories of the CCP encouraged young peasants to join. The United Front let the land laws of 1935 slip, leaving the peasants landless as the land was handed back to the landlords but this changed in the new laws of 1937, where they ended confiscation and reduced rent. The CCP encouraged landlords to sell land and invest surplus capital in much-needed industry. Mao’s book ‘On New Democracy’ which was published in Yanan in early 1940 led the political changes in base areas. Mao claimed to the heir of Sun Yatsen, who was an idol and mentor of Chinas past. Mao declared that “…the ‘Three Peoples Principles’ being what China needs today, our party is ready to fight for their complete realization and we admit the basic agreement between the Communist minimum programme and the Three Peoples Principles.” For sixteen years the GMD had failed to implement the democratic style of government, Mao now ordered elections in the Communist base areas. Although the Communist Party and the Red Army held real power, the peasants developed a “feeling of belonging and of having a stake in the government that…was entirely novel to the Chinese masses; and it brought with it an exhilarating sense of self-determination,” stated C. Johnson. The feeling of belonging was reflected in the often-heard phrase //womenti chengfu//, which means ‘our government.’ It is evident that the Chinese Communist Party was able to win the hearts and mind of the masses in China and in turn were able to use their army, with tactics and strategies as well as winning the support of the masses through mutual respect as well as economic conditions and the failure of the nationalists to gain the support and create the most effective way to lead and gain support for the country of China. Your essay is consistant and validates your argument of the communists winning the hearts and minds of the peasants. Overall its very good however just remember to include some historians. =)

This is a good, well written response. You've backed up your agruemnet using good historical facts and sources, such as quotes.

This essay is very good, well structured and very detailed. Just remember your historians, but very good  J