Skip to main content

How did the Communists, led by Mao Zedong, gain control of China?

After World War II, the communists, led by Mao Zedong had many advantages. They controlled the important areas of eastern China and around a quarter of the land.  A very important strategy that Mao Zedong utilized was to win favor with the peasants, which were an overwhelming majority of the population.  He promised that he would create reforms that would improve their lives.  For this reason, Mao was extremely popular.  Unemployment and other economic difficulties...

After World War II, the communists, led by Mao Zedong had many advantages. They controlled the important areas of eastern China and around a quarter of the land.  A very important strategy that Mao Zedong utilized was to win favor with the peasants, which were an overwhelming majority of the population.  He promised that he would create reforms that would improve their lives.  For this reason, Mao was extremely popular.  Unemployment and other economic difficulties in Nationalist-controlled areas were making their leader, Chiang Kai-Shek equally unpopular.   So with popular sentiment on the side of Mao, he planned and coordinated a very cautious strategy to win the war.  He would concede land to the nationalists in instances where his forces were outnumbered.  In this way, he was able to preserve the number of troops fighting for him rather than wasting them in battles they could not win.  Support, in the form of weapons from the Soviet Union, was also an important advantage that Mao had.  Much of the financial support that Chiang Kai-Shek and the Nationalists received was wasted through corruption and mismanagement.  

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...