China 1937 to 1945: Sino-Japanese War Flashcards
to understand the factors which led to the defeat of the Japanese by 1945 (42 cards)
What was the Boxer Protocol, 1901?
The treaty which ended the Boxer Uprising. One of its clauses allowed foreign troops stationed in Beijing to conduct military manoeuvres without telling China’s government first.
When was the first Sino-Japanese War?
1894-1895 – China, then under the Qing dynasty, lost and was forced to cede Formosa (Taiwan) and recognise Korea’s independence.
How did the Boxer Protocol of 1901 lead to the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of 1937?
Japanese soldiers were conducting military exercises around the Bridge in Beiping and clashed with Chinese forces.
What was the impact of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of 1937?
The Marco Polo Bridge Incident escalated into Japanese attacking and then occupying Beiping. When the Nationalist government refused to accept this and launched an attack on the Japanese forces in Shanghai, this led to the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Why did Chiang Kaishek not back down in 1937 in the face of Japanese aggression?
He had backed down before but now felt he could not do so yet again. He declared “the limits of endurance had been reached”. His response was more in line with the agreement he had made with the CCP after the Xian Incident of 1936.
How far was Japan expecting war in 1937?
Tokyo was initially reluctant to get sucked into a war with China, content with the gains they had made already. However the Nationalists refusal to accept any further Japanese aggression and to attack the Japanese forces in Shanghai, forced Japan into a war with China.
How successful was the Nationalist attack on Shanghai in 1937?
They lost 250,000 of their best troops and were pushed back by the Japanese. The Japanese then marched on Nanjing and entered it on 13th December 1937.
What was the Rape of Nanjing, December 1937 to January 1938?
The mass murder and war rape of the civilian population and disarmed soldiers in Nanjing by the Japanese troops over a six week period after their occupation of the city.
How many people died in the Nanjing Massacre?
The figures are disputed. Some Japanese historians deny there was any systematic killing. Other Historians and witnesses have estimated that 250,000 to 300,000 people were killed.
Where did the Nationalist government retreat to following the fall of Nanjing to the Japanese?
Wuhan, in Hubei province
How did the Nationalists try to slow the Japanese advance in May 1938?
They blew the dykes holding back the Yellow River. This flooded thousands of acres, destroyed 4,000 villages and drowned thousands. It held up the Japanese advance for 3 months. It also led to reduced support for the GMD after the war.
How did USSR help the Nationalists?
They sent Soviet planes to support them; there were also a series of clashed between the Red Army and the Japanese along the borders with Manchuria.
What did the Japanese do after they captured Nanjing?
Tokyo was keen to call a halt to the war, but they had lost control of the Japanese army in China. The Japanese forces marched on to Wuhan and captured it in October 1938
Where did the Nationalist government retreat to following the fall of Wuhan to the Japanese?
Chongqing, in Sichuan province – far inland, beyond the Yangtze gorges
In 1937, how did Mao differ from the USSR’s view of the newly re-established United Front?
Moscow argued all of CCP’s military actions should take place within the United Front. Mao argued that the CCP should retain its own identity and not trust Chiang and the GMD.
How was China divided by 1938?
3 main areas: Nationalist China based in Chongqing, Communist China based in Shaanxi and Japanese-occupied China in the east and north. However Japanese-occupied area was further fragmented into sub-divisions like Manchukuo
General Joseph Stillwell, known as ‘Vinegar Joe’ was sent by the US to work with the GMD. What happened to him?
Stillwell found the GMD corrupt and incompetent. He clashed with Chiang Kaishek who in the end forced him to be recalled and replaced by General Wedemyer.
What leadership positions were declared in 1945 at the 7th Party Congress?
Mao as Chairman of the whole party; Liu Shaoqi as his deputy and Zhou Enlai as number 3
What was the Nationalist tactic of “magnetic warfare”?
To attract advancing Japanese troops to specific points, where they were would be ambushed, outflanked or encircled – e.g. the defence of Changsha in 1939 and 1941.
What approach to defeating the Japanese did the Nationalists take from 1938?
Their main aim was to drag out the war for as long as possible and so exhaust Japanese resources and build up Chinese military capacity: “winning by outlasting”.
What was the “100 Regiments Offensive” of 1940?
The CCP undertook direct assaults on Japanese forces under the command of Peng Dehuai. lasting two months, it has some success, destroying Japanese garrisons and transport links. However the Japanese recovered all their lost territory during the ‘Three All’ counter offensive which followed.
How did Mao deal with the challenge from Zhang Guotao?
Zhang Guotao was purged from the Politburo in 1937. He then defected to the GMD.
How many Japanese troops were in China by 1941?
34 out of Japan’s 50 divisions were in China.
What events changed the Allies’ support for Japan?
Germany’s invasion of Russia in June 1941 realigned global politics. Japan’s invasion of French Indochina (South Vietnam and Cambodia) in July 1941 was seen as a threat to British, Dutch and French colonies. Japan attacked Pearl harbour in December 1941.
