TheChinese Civil War was fought between theKuomintang-ledgovernment of theRepublic of China and the forces of theChinese Communist Party (CCP), with armed conflict continuing intermittently from 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949, resulting in a CCP victory and control of mainland China in theChinese Communist Revolution.[1][2]
The following is a chronological timeline of the history of theChinese Civil War (1912–1949):[a]
| Date | Event | Key Figures | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1924–1927 | First United Front |
| Formed in 1924 as an alliance of theKuomintang (KMT) and theChinese Communist Party (CCP) to endwarlordism in China. Together they formed theNational Revolutionary Army and set out in 1926 on theNorthern Expedition. |
From August 1927 to 1937, theFirst United Front collapsed during theNorthern Expedition, and the Nationalists controlled most of China.
| Date | Event | Key Figures | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 April 1927 | Shanghai massacre | The violent suppression ofChinese Communist Party (CCP) organizations and leftist elements inShanghai by forces supporting GeneralChiang Kai-shek and conservative factions in theKuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party or KMT). | |
| 24 December 1937–7 April 1947[b] | Second United Front | An alliance between the rulingKuomintang (KMT) and theChinese Communist Party (CCP) to resist the Japanese invasion of China during theSecond Sino-Japanese War, which suspended theChinese Civil War from 1937 to 1945. | |
From 1937 to 1945, hostilities were mostly put on hold as theSecond United Front fought theJapanese invasion of China with eventual help from theAllies of World War II, although co-operation between the KMT and CCP during this time was minimal and armed clashes between the groups were common. Events below are related to the Chinese Civil War during theSecond Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945).
| Date | Event | Key Figures | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1941 | New Fourth Army incident | ||
The CCP gained control of mainland China andproclaimed thePeople's Republic of China in 1949, forcing the leadership of theRepublic of China toretreat to the island of Taiwan.[3]
| Date | Event | Key Figures | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 August 1945 | Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance | Atreaty signed by theNational Government of the Republic of China and theGovernment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on 14 August 1945. | |