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Why the Chinese Civil War was the Bloodiest in Modern History
During the first half 20th century, China went through a series of internal turmoil. The most violent of these was the Chinese Civil War.Jan 18, 2023 • By Ilyas Benabdeljalil, MA Int'l Relations, BA Political Science
From 1927 to 1949, China went through a brutal civil war. The main belligerents, the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), were divided by ideology, and each had a different view on how to govern. In addition to these ideological groups, various ethnic minorities, such as the Tibetans, the Kirghiz, and the Uighur, fought for independence. In addition, regional warlords also contributed to hostilities. Here is a list of 10 reasons why the Chinese Civil War is considered today the bloodiest internal conflict of the last hundred years.
The Lead-Up to the Chinese Civil War
Portrait of Sun Yat-Sen, via The Office of Zhongshan Municipal People’s Government
China failed to establish a functional government in the aftermath of the Revolution of 1911. Dissidence among the political elite led to various micro-conflicts that hampered all attempts at establishing national unity.
This unstable political climate led to the emergence of various warlords who vied for power in the different provinces of China. Nationalist activists gathered in the Kuomintang Party (KMT) led by Sun Yat-Sen attempted to pacify the country but ultimately failed. Moreover, the lack of support from Western powers pushed Sun to seek help from the Soviet Union, which the latter gladly provided.
From 1923 to 1927, Soviet leaders offered the Kuomintang training and supplied it with military aid while reinforcing the young Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which was created in 1921. The latter was aligned with the Kuomintang as both political groups saw the national unity of China as a priority.
However, Sun’s death in 1925 caused a progressive rift within the Kuomintang between right-leaning and left-leaning elements. Progressively, Chiang Kai-Check rose to the leadership of right-leaning elements, while some of the left joined the ranks of the CCP due to the radical positions of the KMT’s new leader. A discord appeared between the two groups, and two years later, the bloodiest civil war of the 20th century broke out.
1. The Chinese Civil War Saw All Parties Committing Massive Atrocities
A picture of the frontline of the nationalist army in 1949, via china-underground.com
Both the KMT and the CCP engaged in various atrocities. Nationalist and Communist forces had no pity for whoever supported the other side. In addition to that, the two armies often killed innocent civilians and organized massive executions. Out of cynical pragmatism and radical allegiance to their respective ideals, the two factions imposed a reign of terror in the territories under their control. Moreover, other fighting groups, such as the Turkic Islamic Republic of East Turkestan, also committed their fair share of atrocities in the short time they took part in the war (1933-1934).
The Chinese Civil War lasted from 1927 to 1949, with a truce being concluded during the Japanese invasion from 1937 to 1945. By the war’s end, it was estimated that civilian casualties were between 1.8 million and 3.5 million. This ranks the conflict as the third bloodiest war of the 20th century after the two world wars. During the whole duration of the hostilities, more than a few dozen of massacres were organized by the KMT and the CCP.
Why the Chinese Civil War was the Bloodiest in Modern History
During the first half 20th century, China went through a series of internal turmoil. The most violent of these was the Chinese Civil War.
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