Causes:

Long-termCollapse of imperial power:Collapse of imperial power in 19th century played a fundamental role in creating the conditions for the later civil war.

The Manchu Qing dynasty had become increasingly fragile during the later half of 19th century because of the major external and internal threats:China saw an increase in foreign interest in the country after the defeat of the British in the Opium wars 1839-42. The superpowers in the world started to carve up China among them and control her trade. The emperors inability to resist this influx of foreign involvement in the country contributed to the rising nationalist resentment and internal opposition to the imperial power. As a result, Chinas self-image was badly hurt and many nationalists were convinced that the abdication of the emperor was necessary to modernize the country in order to make it a great power again. Despite late attempts at reform, the dynasty was overthrown in 1911 in the revolution of the double tenth (a military nationalistic uprising). As the dynasty was overthrown, a power vacuum arose, which the KMT and CCP fight over later in the civil war. Thus, the collapse of imperial power created the conditions for the later civil war.

Warlords and regionalism:-The immediate failure to fill the power vacuum in 1911 divided up China into different regions where warlords brutally exercised their power over the peasants. The internal chaos in China that had arisen from regionalism ultimately created the social and political conditions for the civil war.

In 1912 Yuan Shikai set up a military dictatorship, but he failed to resolve any of Chinas big problems (such as foreign interest in the country) and when he died in 1916 the country descended into chaos as he had not appointed a successor. For the next decade powerful warlords divided up the country into independent regions. This contributed to outbreak of civil war in three ways.1) As country was divided up, more people became nationalistic and wanted to unify China2) The social conditions under the warlords were very poor, and the exploitation of peasants would lead to later significant support for the CCP.3) As China was internally weak, it had to accept the TOV and grant the former German colony of Shangdong to Chinas greatest enemy, Japan. This created more nationalistic feelings.

As a result of the warlord era the Chinese desire for change and modernization was very intense. Thus, two different political parties, the KMT and the CCP, were formed. The two parties both offered a solution to Chinas problems and they were willing to fight for it as well.

MidtermIdeological divide:Ideology played a crucial role in bringing about war as KMT and CCP essentially fought over who was going to unify China and solve its problems according to their respective ideology.

Ideological positions of the belligerentsCCPKMT

-Communist ideology. Ultimate aim of communism is to create an equal classless society, in which the state has withered away.-Mao adopts Soviet communism to Chinese conditions. For example, the peasant class is seen as the revolutionary class.-Mao also wants to revolutionize Chinese society. 1) Eradicate rural poverty through collective ownership.-Replace traditional Chinese values with CCP valuesAbolish foreign influence, and especially western influence.Starts of with Sun-Yat-Sen as the leader. He is the leader from 1912-1925Three main principles:1) Nationalism (take away foreign influence)2) Peoples democracy (establish a democratic state)3) Peoples livelihood (establish socialism, where the poor are benefitted)

Chiang Kai-Shek 1925-1949-Chiang shifts KMT ideology to the right. He focuses more on nationalism. Chiangs shift to the right leads to the white terror in Shanghai in 1927

The key difference between the two parties s that CCP want a central economy whilst KMT wants to maintain capitalism

Initially the parties worked together to defeat regionalism in 1926, but Chiangs shift to the right leads to the white terror (killing of CCP officials) in Shanghai in 1927. This sparks of what some historians have called the first Chinese civil war between 1927-37. The ideological divisions were also to become the essential foundation of the conflict that broke out in 1946.

Failure of KMT to secure single party state:

The failure of Chiang Kai-Shek to secure a single party state and unite China under one government meant that civil war was virtually inevitable. Chiang failed to defeat the CCP in 1927, and the CCP were severely weakened and had to flee to the remote parts of China (Jianxi province). During the next couples of years the nationalist government failed to establish control of China. Meanwhile, CCP builts up its strength and emerged as much stronger in the "united front" with KMT in 1937 against the Japanese invasion. After the Japanese invasion, the fighting between KMT + CCP continued, and now CCP had emerged in a much stronger position able to wage war against KMT.

Short-term

End of WW2 and failure of US diplomacy:

The failure of the US to secure peace in China in 1946 meant that a proper civil war broke out between CCP and KMT in the same year. The end of WW2 with the dropping of atom bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki meant that Japan had to withdraw from China, and the fighting between CCP + KMT could commence. The country was heavily divided between communists and nationalists, and both sides wanted to get us mouch territory in the chaos that followed the Japanese withdrawal. However, as the cold war emerged in Europe, the US sought to stall a communist victory in China. Thus the US intervened to promote a coalition government in China between KMT + CCP. The US war hero General Marshall led the negotiations between CCP + KMT, but both parties were not prepared to honour the terms of the agreement in practice. By Februari in 1946 both sides were fighting again as they moved troops into Manchuria (northern China). Consequently, the failure of US diplomacy has to be seen as a cause of the Chinese civil war.