Chapter 11 Questions

A.

• After World War 2, the Communists were more spread out through China, and so they were able to gain control over the areas that had been taken by Japan more quickly than the Guomindang.
• The Communists' "People's Liberation Army" used guerrilla tactics (destroying railways, raiding Guomindang bases at night, ambushing patrols)
• The Guomindang was unable to maintain the support of the people, causing many of them to join the Communists.
• According to Chiang Kaishek, Guomindang soldiers were not disciplined enough.
• The Communists were flexible and willing to change strategies.
• The Communists fought very carefully, avoiding major battles that they could not win.
  
• The People's Liberation Army expanded very quickly, gaining more support with every success. It was eventually able to fight the Guomindang head-on, rather than through the use of guerrilla tactics.
  
• Corruption and poor economic management under the Nationalists caused peasants to join the Communists.
• America cut off all aid to China in 1947.
  

B.1. Chiang Kaishek felt that his followers were unprincipled and undisciplined, and that this was causing the Guomindang to lose the war.
B.2. The Guomindang did not seem to think ahead, causing them to lose land to the Communists after World War II. Also, the Guomindang did not seem to efficiently use its resources- it had many more weapons, soldiers, and supplies than the Communists, but it was unsuccessful in using them.