Demonizing the Opposition: Mao’s Propaganda Strategy against the GMD, 1944-47

By

David William Magee

8th Annual Student History ConferenceDePaul University

April 27, 2012

Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

capital

Guomindang (GMD) capital

The Chinese Civil War ( 国共内战 ), 1945-1949

Mao Zedong ( 毛泽东 ) – Leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP; 共产党 )

Jiang Jieshi ( 蒋介石 )– Leader of the Guomindang (GMD; 国民党 )

Propaganda Principle of 1938

Exploitation of the “brutal policies” of the enemy

Jiang’s actions equated with GMD policy

Thesis

Lack of attention paid to Mao’s

background

Conscious exploitation

of GMD “brutal

policies”

Propaganda tactic

Mao’s rhetoric

from 1944-47 tactical application

of propaganda

principle

CCP propaganda

not happenstan

ce

Historiography & Sources

Scholarship• Propaganda subsumed by other issues

Sources• 毛泽东选集 – Mao Zedong Xuanji [Selected

Works of Mao Zedong] Originally published for purposes of educating

CCP members about Mao Zedong Thought ( 毛泽东思想）

Jiang as an ambivalent dictator• “…traitors fabricating stories to make trouble…”

Jiang as an active collaborator• “Japanese Imperialists” had offered sacrifices at Jiang’s

“ancestral tomb”

Jiang’s desire for civil war• “Jiang Jieshi, under this compilation of policies, sent

troops to suppress so-called ‘rebellions’”

“ 评蒋介石在双十节的演说” － “ Ping Jiang Jieshi zai shuang shijie de yanshuo [Assessment of Jiang Jieshi’s Speech on Double Ten Day],” Xinhua, October 11, 1944

“ 抗日战争胜利后的时局和我们的方针” – “ KangRi zhanzheng shengli hou de shiju he women de fangzhen [The

Current Political Situation and Our Guiding Principles after Victory in the Anti-Japanese War of Resistance],”

Speech, August 13, 1945

Jiang’s designs for civil war• Attacks on CCP during

the war against Japan were to be developed into a “civil war of national scope”

Expansion upon rhetoric from 1944• Jiang “dropped hints”

that the CCP would serve as excuse for hostilities

“ 抗日战争胜利后的时局和我们的方针” – “ KangRi zhanzheng shengli hou de shiju he women de fangzhen [The

Current Political Situation and Our Guiding Principles after Victory in the Anti-Japanese War of Resistance],”

Speech, August 13, 1945

Mao fused the CCP and the nation together as partners in the same struggle• Because of “…the

correct policies of my party and the resistance of the nation, [civil war] was not realized.”

“ 蒋介石政府已处在全民的包围中” – “ Jiang Jieshi zhengfu yichu zai quanmin de baoweizhong [The Government of

Jiang Jieshi has been Surrounded by the Entire Population],” Xinhua,

May 30, 1947

Jiang as a tyrant and a traitor- “…traitorous government…”

- “…policies of Fascism and dictatorial rule…”

Mao’s 1944 article- GMD

“leadership’s magnate

dictatorship…”

Mao’s 1945 speech

- Jiang was “an extremely brutal and extremely

insidious tool” of the landlords and

bourgeoisie

“ 蒋介石政府已处在全民的包围中” – “ Jiang Jieshi zhengfu yichu zai quanmin de baoweizhong [The Government of

Jiang Jieshi has been Surrounded by the Entire Population],” Xinhua,

May 30, 1947

The student protests of May, 1947• “…the sharp struggle between the great and just

student movement and the reactionary government of Jiang Jieshi.”

“ 蒋介石政府已处在全民的包围中” – “ Jiang Jieshi zhengfu yichu zai quanmin de baoweizhong [The Government of

Jiang Jieshi has been Surrounded by the Entire Population],” Xinhua,

May 30, 1947

Oppressive GMD policies mobilized the population into a “struggle for life

and death”

Mao’s 1944 article- Jiang’s desire to destroy opposition

- “…finding the basis for civil war…”

Mao’s 1945 speech- The “correct

policies” of the CCP and the people’s

opposition prevented civil war

Conclusion

Consistent pattern in rhetoric

Purposeful choosing of emotive phrases

Recognition of CCP propaganda strategy sheds new light on mobilization efforts

Notes and Questions Zedong, Mao. "Jiang Jieshi zhengfu yichu zai quanmin de baowei zhong

[The Government of Jiang Jieshi has been Surrounded by the Entire Population]." May 30, 1947. In Mao Zedong Xuanji [Selected Works of Mao Zedong]. Volume 4, 1224-28. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1994.

-------. "KangRi youjizhanzheng de zhanlue wenti [The StrategicProblems of Guerrilla Warfare in the Struggle Against Japan]." May, 1938. In Mao Zedong Xuanji. Volume 2, 404-38. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1991.

-------. "KangRi zhanzheng shengli hou de shiju he women de fangzhen [The Current Political Situation and Our Guiding Principles after Victory in the Anti-Japanese War of Resistance]." August 13, 1945. In Mao Zedong Xuanji. Volume 4, 1123-34. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1994.

-------. "Ping Jiang Jieshi zai shuang shijie de yanshuo [Assessment ofJiang Jieshi's Speech on Double Ten Day]." October 11, 1944. In Mao Zedong Xuanji. Volume 3, 1007-1010. Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1991.

Notes and Questions Slide 2: Map taken from:

• http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/V/USMC-V-V-1.html Slide 3 :

• Photo of Mao taken from: http://www.notablebiographies.com/Lo-Ma/Mao-Zedong.html

• Photo of Jiang taken from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/chiang_kaishek.shtml

Slide 8:• Photo of Mao taken from:

http://knol.google.com/k/aloke-kumar/mao-zedong/1x4qvbqoz9orn/67#

• Photo of Jiang taken from: http://www.generals.dk/general/Jiang_Jieshi/_/China.html

Notes and Questions Slide 9:

• Picture of Mao taken from: http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Red-Books/Chairman-Mao-Posters.html

Slide 10:• Photo of Jiang taken from:

http://history.cultural-china.com/en/46History7126.html Slide 11:

• Photo of student protests taken from: http://www.wst.net.cn/history/5.20/1.htm

Slide 12:• Photo of GMD executions taken from:

http://tuku.news.china.com/history/html/7525/7537/7545/7525-7537-7545-8136_1.html