Was avoiding the Civil War persued in China? (29/11/23)

• At the end of WW2, Japan still occupied Northern and most of central China. The GMD were in control of Southern and Western China from Chongqing; their capital. The CCP had control over the countryside and the USSR had moved into Manchuria on 8 August 1945.
• Manchuria is in the Northeast of China and borders the USSR. It was a key battleground because it had fertile land, rich coal and a high level of industrialisation
• The GMD were given rights to take things from the Japanese surrender because they were the legitimate government. They took everything from weapons to soldiers
• The Americans transported 500,000 nationalist troops to the North so the GMD could take charge of the Japanese surrender
• The USSR pressured Mao to talk to Jiang in an attempt to prevent Civil War. ON 28th August Patrick Hurley escorted Mao to see Jiang in Chogqing. The leaders agreed to democracy, release of political prisoners and a unified military
• Fights over details in the treaty led to Jiang invading Manchuria. Stalin ordered the communists to hand over it's cities in Manchuria to the Nationalists. However, Stalin then provided weapons which were confiscated from the Japanese and delayed the USSR withdrawral from Manchuria in 1946 to give CCP forces time to stabilise.
• Sino - Soviet Friendship Treaty 14th August 1945 = Gave Jiang Jieshis GMD government rights and privelidges to Manchuria. Mao viewed this as an act of betrayal. Stalin never viewed Mao as strong enough to take over China and wanted to extend his influence over China. However, civil war would leave China weak for Mao to exploit.
• In December 1945, President Truman sent George Marshall on the Marshall mission to mediate between the CCP and GMD. He persuaded a ceasefire in January 1946. He also persuaded Jiang to call a maijor conference which all of China's maijor parties attended to agree on a coalition. However, Jiang tried to change the agreement to create autocratic government. The other parties withdrew and in Spring 1946 fighting started again.
• The USA wanted to be the leading power in East Asia and their strategy was to ally with the GMD. However, after WW2 Jiang had less popular support.