Chinese Civil War Essay

Part I)
     Explain two major ideological causes of the Chinese Civil War
          Two major ideological causes of the Chinese Civil War are European influence and the spread of Communism. Major European powers had large spheres of influence in parts of China. Britain was the primary aggressor and along with India became involved in the Opium Wars. Britain forced China to buy opium from India, which was then a British province. China had wanted to stop the influx of opium on account of the major social damage seen with opium addiction, but due to British naval might, was unable to do so. This caused much division between Nationalists and Communists. Communism was spread from Russia to all surrounding neighbors. Communism offered peasants living in rural China hope from their poor economic situation. Chinese peasants were heavily taxed and this caused hatred towards the nobles and the system currently in place.

Part II)
     Explain two examples of foreign intervention in the Chinese Civil War, and how they affected the outcome
          The outcome of the Chinese Civil War was affected by Soviet involvement on the side of the Communists, and American involvement on the side of the Nationalists. The communists alone would have been no match for the Nationalists, seeing as how Communists were poorly equipped peasants and the Nationalists had a fully funded and equipped army. Communists were offered help from the Soviets in the form of a military organizer named Otto Braun. Braun's largest contribution was the use of skilled radio operators that allowed not only for Communist messages to be encrypted, but allowed Mao to intercept Nationalist messages. This greatly aided the guerilla type warfare the Communists already used, seeing as they now might be able to intercept Nationalist troop movements. The Nationalists army was heavily funded and equipped largely by the United States. The United States had hoped that if the Nationalists could defeat the spreading Communists, then Communism and it's anti-capitalistic ideas would not be a threat to America. This policy came to be known as containment. The United States sent over millions of dollars worth of arms and supplies in hopes that sheer offensive power could defeat the Communist's guerilla warfare.

Part III)
     Explain two major foreign policy effects of the Chinese Civil War
          Following the Chinese Civil War, the United States was forced to change its foreign policy regarding Chinese immigration, as well as involvement in both the Korean and Vietnamese Wars. Prior to the outbreak of the Chinese Civil War, America had what was known as the "Open Door Policy". the United States welcomed the increase in the West of the Chinese as a source of cheap labor. This was used mainly to aid in industrial projects such as the transcontinental railroad, but now that China had become Communist, tensions increased between China and the United States. The idea that if China fell, Communism would spread proved true because not long after, both Korea and vietnam became Communist states. The United States was involved in both and despite having an influence in the outcome between the Soviet funded North Korea versus the American funded South Korea, failed to turn the tide in the Vietnamese conflict.