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Causes of the Chinese Civil War

By Fernanda Cosme

  • Opium War mid 19th century

    Opium War mid 19th century
    Britain defeated China in the Opium War, due to this, the Great Chinese Empire ended.This lead China to start having European, American and Japanese influence. China was forced to sign unequal treaties that gave other countries control over China's Trade.

  • Taiping rebellion

    Taiping rebellion
    It lasted 14 years and it was only put down after the death of millions of Chinese population by regional armies. This involvement of regional armies began the move of the warlord era.

  • Sino-Japanese war

    Sino-Japanese war
    Japanese army and navy inflicted defeats over China making it loose territory.

  • Russo-Japanese war

    Russo-Japanese war
    China lost more territory to Japan. China started to look after the Russian revolution.

  • Double tenth revolution

    Double tenth revolution
    Began when the government lost control of the military and most provinces started to declare independence of Beijing. This event led to the creation of a Chinese Republic.

  • 21 Demands

    21 Demands
    Japan presented Yuan Shikai a list demanding control over many Chinese factories, railways and ports. Japan threaten to declare war on China if they didn't accept the demands; Yuan Shikai was forced to accept them and that caused the Chinese population to grow mad.

  • Warlord era

    Warlord era
    Warlords fought each other for control in China; they governed provinces and cities. Most of them were interested in their own power and wealth; they imposed taxes, enlisted peasants in their armies and governed with great severity.

  • May the fourth movement

    May the fourth movement
    Students led a mass demonstration in Beijing against warlords and the Japanese. This movement was created in order make China have a rebirth process in order to be an independent nation.

  • First united front

    First united front
    The GMD and CCP united in order to defeat the warlords and unify China. Due to this alliance, the warlord era ended.

  • GMD vs CCP

    GMD vs CCP
    The GMD decided to run against the CCP and the communist, provoking the Shanghai massacre and the purification movement,which led to the death of millions of communist. Because of this, the CCP decided to escape to the mountains of Jiangsi but the GMD followed them in order to exterminate them and that is how the civil war began.