Paragraph 1
The outbreak of full-scale war with Japan in 1937 ended any chance that Jiang Jieshi might have had of
creating a strong and centralized nation-state. Within a year, the Japanese deprived the Guomindang
[the Nationalists] of all the major Chinese industrial centers and the most fertile farmland. Jiang’s new
wartime base, Chongqing, became a symbolic center for national resistance to the Japanese, but it
was a poor place from which to launch any kind of counterattack. Similarly, the Communist forces were
isolated in Shaanxi province, one of the poorest areas in China, with no industrial capacity. It was not
clear if the Communists would be able to survive there, and certainly it seemed an unpromising location
from which to spread the revolution.
For the first years of the war, the dream of national unity was kept alive by the nominal [in name only]
alliance of the Nationalist and Communist forces in a united front. Communists muted [reduced the
focus on] their land reform practices and moderated their rhetoric [propaganda], while the Guomindang
tried to undertake economic and administrative reforms that would strengthen China in the long term.
But by early 1941 the two parties were once again engaging in armed clashes with each other.
Paragraph 2
The outbreak of full-scale war with Japan in 1937 dealt a devastating blow to the Nationalist
[Guomindang] government’s efforts to recentralize its authority and revive the economy. It also ended
Jiang Jieshi’s chance of crushing the Communist forces, who were isolated in the barren and sparsely
populated Shaanxi province. The war displaced the Nationalists from their traditional power base in
the urban and industrial centers, and forced them to move to the interior. At the same time, it provided
an ideal opportunity for the Communists to expand their influence in north China and become a true
contender for national power.
For many Chinese resisters, the clash with Japan turned out to be a unifying force. The Marco Polo
Bridge became a compelling symbol of China’s unity. Resisters looked at war as an antidote to chaos.
Despite some progress made toward economic growth and political integration by the Nationalist
government on the eve of the war, the country was still largely fragmented. Regional militarists remained
a serious threat to the government, and the armed conflict between the Nationalists and the Communists
persisted. Political instability bred fear and fueled great discontent in society.
Question
(a) What, according to Paragraph 2, were the challenges faced by the Nationalist [Guomindang] government of China as a result of the outbreak of war with Japan in 1937? [3]
(b) suggest about the relations between the Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist Party [Guomindang] in 1937?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans
(a)
• Jiang Jieshi lost the opportunity to centralize power and improve the economy.
• The Nationalists were displaced from their traditional power base.
• The Nationalists were unable to crush the Communists.
• The resulting political instability bred fear and discontent.
(b)
• Both parties were prepared to cooperate with each other.
• The alliance was in response to Japanese aggression.
• An alliance between the two parties would effectively “close the door” on Japanese invasion.
Question
With reference to its origin, purpose and content, analyse the value and limitations of an historian studying political instability in China between 1931 and 1941. [4]
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans
Value:
• Extract from a speech by the leader of the Chinese Nationalist [Guomindang] government in 1934, contemporary to the events under study.
• As head of the Nationalist government, Jiang Jieshi had access to government intelligence and information.
• Jiang Jieshi is speaking to officers of his army. The speech shows how political instability in China was a great concern for the Nationalist government and the extent to which Jiang Jieshi considered it an obstacle in the fight against Japan.
Limitations:
• The fact that the speech was made in 1934 but was not released until 1937 suggests the Nationalist government had concerns about the information being made public at the time. It suggests some level of censorship or political manipulation of the speech.
• As a speech made to officers, Jiang Jieshi may be exaggerating his worries to gain their support in the defence of the Nationalist government.
• The speech, based on events up to 1934, does not provide a comprehensive account of the political situation in China throughout the entire period.
Question
Compare and contrast what Paragraph 1 and 2 reveal about political instability in China up to 1941. [6]
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans
Comparisons:
• Both sources identify 1937 as a turning point that ended the Nationalists’ chances to centralize power.
• Both sources state that the Japanese invasion deprived the Nationalists of their control of industrial centres.
• Both sources claim that the Communists were isolated in Shaanxi, a poor area.
Contrasts:
• Paragraph 1 considers isolation in northern China compromised the Communists’ opportunities to succeed whereas Paragraph 2 claims that it provided them with an opportunity to expand their influence in the region.
• Paragraph 2 claims that the armed conflict between Communists and Nationalists persisted after 1937 whereas Paragraph 1 states that they formed a united front and that only by 1941 they confronted one another again.
• Paragraph 1 identifies political instability in China as being caused by tensions between Nationalists and Communists whereas Paragraph 2 considers that regional militarists were also a serious threat to the government.
Question
Using the sources and your own knowledge, discuss the view that Japanese aggression furthered political instability in China between 1931 and 1941. [9]
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans
Indicative content
Paragraph 1 Japanese aggression ended Jiang Jieshi’s opportunity to centralize the state. It deprived the Nationalists of industries and fertile land. It also led to a period of unity; however, cooperation between Nationalists and Communists was nominal and ended in 1941.
Paragraph 2 Japanese aggression weakened the Nationalists both politically and economically. It provided the Communists with an opportunity to expand in the North. The source identifies other factors contributing to political instability in China such as political fragmentation and the influence of regional militarists. The clash with Japan became a unifying force.
Own knowledge In their responses, candidates may refer to the effects of the Japanese invasion of Manchuria on Chinese politics. They may, for example, offer further details on Jiang Jieshi’s policy of prioritizing the fight against the Communists over the fight against Japan (“internal pacification before external resistance”). They may discuss the impact of this policy on popular support for both the Chinese Nationalist [Guomindang] and the Chinese Communist Parties. They may refer to political tensions emerging before the foundation of the Second United Front, such as the conflict between Jiang Jieshi and Zhang Xueliang, the young marshal, who believed the war against Japan should be prioritized over the fight against Communism. Reference to the negative economic impact of the Sino-Japanese War could also be relevant as it undermined the Guomindang and provided opportunities for the growth of opposition. Candidates may also discuss the ways in which the Chinese Communist Party defended and then liberated peasant communities from the Japanese.
Candidates may also argue that political instability in China had other causes not linked to Japanese aggression. They could offer detail on the Guomindang’s failed promises of land reform and democracy for China. Jiang’s use of repression increased his unpopularity and furthered political instability. Candidates may also discuss the policies of other countries, such as the USSR and US, and the extent to which these contributed to furthering political instability in China.