Problems facing China at the end of the Civil War

Question 1

1. What were the 8 main problems facing China at the end of the Civil War? (8)

Answer 1

• Industry.
• Agriculture.
• Administrative chaos.
• Lawlessness & economic problems (hyperinflation).
• National infrastructure.
• Transport.
• Cities.
• Nationalist threat.

Question 2

1. What % of CCP members worked in industry in 1953?
2. What % of people worked in industry?
3. What % of national economy was industry?
4. What was factory output in 1944 compared to 1937?

Answer 2

1. 10%
2. 5%
3. 10%
4. 44% below 1937 level.

Question 3

1. What % of the Chinese population lived in rural areas?
   - What did this mean for the CCP?
2. What was the state of agricultural production in 1949? (2)
3. What 3 things made land reform difficult? (3)
4. What had happened to crops during C.W? (2)

Answer 3

1. 80%
   - Had large rural support.
2. At subsistence level, famine in some parts of China.
3. Size and nature of China
   Peasants were not concerned with national issues or ideology.
   Different dialect in different parts of China.
4. Left unattended and died - many peasants conscripted in C.W.

Question 4

1. Nationalists fled fast - what did this mean for the new govt?
2. What did CCP members lack?
3. What did nationalists leave with? (3)
4. What was the largest economic problem?
   - How did this happen?
5. 1m ______ roamed the countryside preying on ________?

Answer 4

1. Little preparation for setting up new govt had taken place.
2. Knowledge of a civilian govt.
3. Assets e.g. gold and silver, and many of the educated elite and experienced officials.
4. Hyperinflation.
   - GMD had printed money, this collapsed and people bartered.
5. Bandits, refugees.

Question 5

1. How many religious and ethnic groups were there in China?
   - What did this mean? (2)
2. What did the USA think of Communist China?
3. What % of railway networks were destroyed?
4. What else was damaged and what happened to rivers and harbours?
   - Give an example of this.

Answer 5

1. Over 50.
   - Lack of unified language, therefore lack of central govt control.
2. Feared it.
3. 50%
4. Telephone lines. Rivers & harbours clogged with sunk ships.
   - Hankou, targeted by US strikes: turned to rubble.

Question 6

1. What were the problems for the CCP in cities? (3)
2. What happened to PRC ships preparing for invasion to Taiwan?
3. What did this show about the nationalists?

Answer 6

1. Lack of infrastructure.
   Not prepared to run cities.
   Most PLA soldiers were peasants farmers: didn’t know cities.
2. Sunk by nationalists.
3. Still a threat.