Chinese Civil War

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Chinese Civil War, Shanghai, c. 1949

Map of China in 1941 showing areas controlled by Japanese occupation in purple, Chinese Communists in red, and Chinese Nationalists in green. The Japanese-held territory includes Manchuria and much of the eastern coast and North China Plain. The map also marks the boundary of modern China, the route of the Long March, major cities such as Peking, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Chongqing, and neighboring countries.

Chiang Kai-shek

George C. Marshall

Zhou Enlai wearing a dark jacket and cap, looking slightly to the side with a neutral expression.

Lin Biao, Zhou Enlai, and other Chinese officials stand in uniform, holding up Little Red Books during a 1967 Red Guard rally in China.

Map of China showing major cities, mountain ranges, deserts, rivers, and surrounding countries. International boundaries, disputed borders, and lines of control are marked. Key features include the Plateau of Tibet, the Gobi and Takla Makan Deserts, the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, and major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. An inset locator map highlights China's position in East Asia.

Map showing Taiwan's location in East Asia, with surrounding countries and regions labeled, including China to the west, Japan to the northeast, South Korea further north, the Philippines to the south, and Vietnam to the southwest. Major cities such as Taipei, Hong Kong, and Macau are also marked.

Siping Cenotaph

At a Glance

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Chinese Civil War summary

Chinese Civil War: Media

1945–1949

Images

Chinese Civil War, Shanghai, c. 1949

Chinese Civil War, Shanghai, c. 1949

Nationalist Army soldiers preparing to defend Shanghai from Communist forces, c....

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of China in 1941 showing areas controlled by Japanese occupation in purple, Chinese Communists in red, and Chinese Nationalists in green. The Japanese-held territory includes Manchuria and much of the eastern coast and North China Plain. The map also marks the boundary of modern China, the route of the Long March, major cities such as Peking, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Chongqing, and neighboring countries.

Pacific War: Japanese-controlled areas of China

The Japanese seized Manchuria in 1931 and occupied much of the coast and North China...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong addressing a group of his followers in 1944.

Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Chiang Kai-shek

Chiang Kai-shek

Chiang Kai-shek, 1945.

Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-USZ62-39907)

George C. Marshall

George C. Marshall

George C. Marshall.

U.S. Department of Defense

Zhou Enlai wearing a dark jacket and cap, looking slightly to the side with a neutral expression.

Zhou Enlai

A leading architect of China's foreign policy.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Lin Biao, Zhou Enlai, and other Chinese officials stand in uniform, holding up Little Red Books during a 1967 Red Guard rally in China.

Lin Biao and Zhou Enlai wave The Little Red Book

At a 1967 Red Guard rally, Lin Biao (left) and Zhou Enlai publicly display copies...

© Three Lions—Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Map of China showing major cities, mountain ranges, deserts, rivers, and surrounding countries. International boundaries, disputed borders, and lines of control are marked. Key features include the Plateau of Tibet, the Gobi and Takla Makan Deserts, the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, and major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. An inset locator map highlights China's position in East Asia.

China

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map showing Taiwan's location in East Asia, with surrounding countries and regions labeled, including China to the west, Japan to the northeast, South Korea further north, the Philippines to the south, and Vietnam to the southwest. Major cities such as Taipei, Hong Kong, and Macau are also marked.

Locator map of Taiwan

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Siping Cenotaph

Siping Cenotaph

Memorial commemorating the battles fought at Siping, Jilin province, China, during...

Wangyou0720

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