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Stalin's Role in the Communist Victory in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2017

Peter S. H. Tang
Peter S. H. Tang*
Affiliation:
Research at Columbia
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Extract

Mao Tse-tung's 1949 victory has frequently been credited to Mao's ability as an astute peasant revolutionary rather than to his standing as an orthodox Communist leader. The record suggests that Stalin's development of tactics for Mao had more influence on the course of events than is commonly supposed. It is the purpose of this study to indicate the influence upon the Chinese revolutionary leadership of Stalin's doctrines.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Slavic and East European Review , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , October 1954 , pp. 376 - 388
Copyright
Copyright © Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies 1954

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References

1 J. V. Stalin, “Meždunarodnoe položenie i oborona SSSR II: o Kitae—reč’ na zasedanii ob'edinennogo plenuma TsK i TsKK VKP(b) i avgusta 1927 g.“ (International Situation and the Defense of the U.S.S.R. II: On China—Speech Delivered at the Joint Plenary Meeting of the C.C. and the C.C.C. of the C.P.S.U.(B) on August 1, 1927, referred to hereafter as “Meždunarodnoe“), in Stalin, Ob oppozicii: stat'i i reel 1921–1927] g. g. (On the Opposition: Articles and Speeches 1921–1927, referred to hereafter as Ob oppozicii) (Moscow-Leningrad, 1928), p. 645; and in Stalin, Sočinenija (Collected Works, referred to hereafter as Socinenija) (Moscow, 1949), X, 10–11.

2 Stalin, “Voprosy Kitaiskoj revoljucii: tezisy dlja propagandistov odobrennye TsK VKP(b)” (Problems of the Chinese Revolution: Thesis for Propagandists Approved by the C.C. of the C.P.S.U. (B), referred to hereafter as “Voprosy“), Pravda, No. 90 (3622), April 21, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, p. 551; and Socinenija (Moscow, 1948), IX, 221.

3 Stalin, “O perspektivakh revoljucii v Kitae: reč’ v Kitaiskoj komissii IKKI 30 nojabrja 1926 g.” (On the Prospects of the Revolution in China: Speech Delivered at the Chinese Commission of the E.C.C.I. on November 30, 1926, referred to hereafter as “O perspektivakh“), Kommunističeskij international (Communist International) No. 13(71) (Moscow, Dec. 10, 1926), pp. 9–10; Ob oppozicii, pp. 423–24; and Sočinenija (Moscow, 1948), VIII, 358. Also Stalin, “Revoljucija v Kitae i zadači kominterna—reč’ na X zasedanii VIII plenuma IKKI 24 maja 1927 g.” (Revolution in China and the Tasks of the Comintern—Speech Delivered at the 10th Meeting of the 8th Plenum of the E.C.C.I. on May 24, 1927, referred to hereafter as “Revoljucija“), Bol'ševik, No. 10 (Moscow, May 31, 1927), pp. 15, 25; Ob oppozicii, pp. 588, 603; and Sočinenija, IX, 286–87, 358.

4 Stalin, “O perspektivakh,” Kommunističeskij international, No. 13(71) (Dec. 10, 1926), p. 10; Ob oppozicii, p. 424; and Sočinenija, VIII, 358.

5 Ibid., Kommunističeskij international, p. 14; Ob oppozicii, p. 429; Sočinenija, VIII, 365.

6 Ibid., Kommunističeskij international, p. 10; Ob oppozicii, p. 424; and Sočinenija, VIII, 359. Later in the same speech, Stalin reiterated: ”… The revolution in China will develop under circumstances offering the possibility of using the experience and aid of the revolution won in the Soviet Union.” Ibid., Kommunističeskij international, p. 14; Ob oppozicii, p. 429; and Socinenija, VIII, 366.

7 Ibid., Kommunističeskij international, pp. 10, 14; Ob oppozicii, pp. 424, 429; and Sočinenija, VIII, 358–59, 366.

8 Ibid., Kommunističeskij international, p. 12; Ob oppozicii, p. 427; and Sočinenija, VIII, 363.

9 Tse-tung, Mao, “Chung-Kuo She-hui Ko Chieh-chi ti Fen-hsi” (An Analysis of the Various Classes in the Chinese Society), Mao Tse-tung Hsüan-chi (Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung, referred to hereafter as Hsüan-chi) (Peking, 1951), I, 3–9.

10 Tse-tung, Mao, “Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming yü Chung-Kuo-Kung-Ch'an-Tang“ (The Chinese Revolution and the Communist Party of China, referred to hereafter as “Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming“), Hsüan-chi (Peking, 1952), II, 591–623.

11 Cf. footnote 3.

12 Tse-tung, Mao, op. tit., II, 603, 604, 607, 617–18.

13 Ch'en Po-ta, “Szu-Ta-Lin yii Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming” (Stalin and the Chinese Revolution), (Substituting Introduction), in Stalin, Lun Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming (On the Chinese Revolution, a Chinese translation of Stalin's writings on the problems of the revolution in China, edited by the National Council of the Sino- Soviet Friendship Association) (Peking, 1949), p. 12.

14 Ibid., pp. 14–15.

15 Ibid., pp. 24–25.

16 Chang Ju-hsin, “Szu-Ta-Lin tui Chung-Kuo Ko-ming Li-len ti Wei-ta Kunghsien“ (Stalin's Great Contribution to the Theory of the Chinese Revolution), Jen-Min Jih-Pao (People's Daily, Peking), Apr. 3, 1953, p. 3.

17 Stalin, “Beseda so studentami universiteta imeni Sun Iatsena 13 maja, 1927 g.“ (A Conversation with the Students of the Sun Yat-sen University on May 13, 1927, referred to hereafter as “Beseda“), in Stalin, Revoljucija v Kitae i ošibki oppozicii (Revolution in China and the Mistakes of the Opposition) (Moscow-Leningrad, 1927); Ob oppozicii, p. 573; and Sočinenija, IX, 256.

18 Loc. cit.

19 Stalin, “O perspektivakh,” Kommunističeskij international, No. 13(71) (Dec. 10, 1926), p. 10; Ob oppozicii, p. 424; and Sočinenija, VIII, 359.

20 Ibid., Kommunističeskij international, p. 18; Ob oppozicii, p. 434; and Socinenija, VIII, 372.

21 Stalin, “Voprosy,” Pravda, Apr. 21, 1927, .p. 3; Ob oppozicii, p. 551; and Sočinenija, IX, 222.

22 Stalin, “Beseda,” Ob oppozicii, pp. 563, 578–79; and Socinenija, IX, 242, 264.

23 Ibid., Ob oppozicii, p. 579; and Sočinenija, IX, 264–65; Stalin, “Meždunarodnoe,“ Ob oppozicii, pp. 663–64; and Sočinenija, X, 35–36.

24 Stalin, “Beseda,” Ob oppozicii, p. 569; and Sočinenija, IX, 250.

25 Tse-tung, Mao, “Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming,” Hsüan-chi, II, 616.

26 Chang Ju-hsin, op. cit., p. 3.

27 Tse-tung, Mao, “Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming,” Hsüan-chi, II, 615.

28 Ibid., p. 616.

29 Tse-tung, Mao, “ ‘Kung-Ch'an-Tang Jen’ Fa-k'an-tz'u” (Introducing “The Communists,” referred to hereafter as “Kung-Ch'an-Tang Jen“), Hsüan-chi, II, 570–73, 577–80. Mao Tse-tung, “Mu-ch'ien Hsing-shih ho Tang ti Jen-wu” (The Current Situation and the Task of the Party), Hsüan-chi, II, 585.

30 Tse-tung, Mao, “Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming,” Hsiian-chi, II, 622–23.

31 Tse-tung, Mao, “Kung-Ch'an-Tang Jen,” Hsüan-chi, II, 570; Liu Shao-ch'i, “Tsai Chung-Kuo-Kung-Ch'an-Tang Ch'en-li San-shih-chou-lien Ch'ing-chu-ta-hui shang ti Chiang-hua” (Address on the 30th Anniversary of the Communist Party of China), Jen-Min Jih-Pao (People's Daily, Peking), July 1, 1951, p. 2; Cf. “General Program” of the “Constitution of the Communist Party of China” in Liu Shao-ch'i, On the Party (Peking, 1950), p. 157.

32 Stalin, “Revoljucija,” Bol'ševik, No. 10 (May 31, 1927), p. 14; Ob oppozicii, p. 587; and Sošinenija, IX, 286.

33 Ibid., Bol'ševik, No. 10 (May 31, 1927), p. 14; Ob oppozicii, p. 587; and Sočinenija, IX, 285. Cf. also Stalin, “Zametki na sovremennye temy II: o Kitae“ (Remarks on the Contemporary Problems II: on China, referred to hereafter as “Zametki“), Pravda, No. 169(3701), July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, pp. 618-19; Sočinenija, IX, 336; Stalin, “Beseda,” Ob oppozicii, p. 562; and Sočinenija, IX, 240–41.

34 Ibid,, Ob oppozicii, pp. 569–70; and Sočinenija, IX, 251–52.

35 Stalin, “Ešče raz k natsional'nomu voprosu—po povodu stat'i t. Semiča“ (Once Again on the National Problem—in Connection with Comrade Semich's Article), Bol'ševik, No. 11–12 (June 30, 1925), p. 26; and Sočinenija (Moscow, 1947), VII, 222.

36 Stalin, “Beseda,” Ob oppozicii, pp. 578–79; and Sočinenija, IX, 264–65.

37 Stalin, “O perspektivakh,” Kommunističeskij international, No. 13(71) (Dec. 10, 1926), pp. 15–16; Ob oppozicii, p. 431; and Sočinenija, VIII, 368; Stalin, “Meždunarodnoe,” Ob oppozicii, p. 651; and Sočinenija, X, 19.

38 Stalin, “O perspektivakh,” Kommunističeskij international, No. 13(71) (Dec. 10, 1926), p. 17; Ob oppozicii, pp. 432–33; and Sočinenija, VIII, 370–71.

39 Ibid., Kommunističeskij international, p. 16; Ob oppozicii, p. 431; and Sočinenija, VIII, 369.

40 Stalin, “Revoljucija,” Bol'ševik, No. 10 (May 31, 1927), p. 17; Ob oppozicii, p. 591; and Sočinenija, IX, 290-91; Stalin, “Zametki,” Pravda, July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, p. 619; and Sočinenija, IX, 337.

41 Stalin, “Revoljucija,” Bol'ševik, No. 10, p. 18; Ob oppozicii, pp. 592–93; and Sočinenija, IX, 293.

42 Ibid., Bol'ševik, No. 10, p. 16; Ob oppozicii, p. 590; and Sošinenija, IX, 289; Stalin, “Zametki,” Pravda, July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, pp. 619, 623; and Sočinenija, IX, 336, 342–43.

43 Stalin, “Revoljucija,” Bol'ševik, No. 10, p. 19; Ob oppozicii, p. 593; and Sočinenija, IX, 293.

44 Tse-tung, Mao, “Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming,” Chüan-chi, II, 614.

45 Chang Ju-hsin, op. cit., p. 3.

46 Stalin, “O perspektivakh,” Kommunističeskij international, No. 13(71) (Dec. 10, 1926), p. 12; Ob oppozicii, p. 427; and Sočinenija, VIII, 362.

47 Ibid., Kommunističeskij international, p. 12; Ob oppozicii, p. 427; and Sočinenija, VIII, 363.

48 Stalin, “Beseda,” Ob oppozicii, pp. 570–71; and Sočinenija, IX, 253; Stalin, “Revoljucija,” Bol'ševik, No. 10, p. 23; Ob oppozicii, pp. 599–600; and Sočinenija, IX, 303.

49 Stalin, “Beseda,” Ob oppozicii, p. 570; and Sočinenija, IX, 252–53.

50 Stalin, “O perspektivakh,” Kommunističeskij international, No. 13(71) (Dec. 10, 1926), p. 13; Ob oppozicii, p. 427; and Sočinenija, VIII, 363.

51 Stalin, “Beseda,” Ob oppozicii, p. 579; and Socinenija, IX, 265.

52 Ibid., Ob oppozicii, p. 580; and Sočinenija, IX, 266-67.

53 Ibid., Ob oppozicii, p. 580; and Sočinenija, IX, 266.

54 Stalin, “O perspektivakh,” Kommunističeskij international, No. 13(71), p. 13; Ob oppozicii, p. 427; and Sočinenija, VIII, 363.

55 Ibid., Kommunističeskij international, No. 13(71), p. 13; Ob oppozicii, p. 428; and Sočinenija, VIII, 364.

56 Stalin, “Meždunarodnoe,” Ob oppozicii, p. 652; and Sočinenija, X, 20.

57 Tse-tung, Mao, “Chan-cheng ho Chan-lüeh Wen-ti” (The War and Strategic Problems), Hsüan-chi, II, 505, 507, 508Google Scholar; Tse-tung, Mao, “'Kung-Ch'an-Tang Jen',“ Hsüan-chi, II, 571 Google Scholar; Tse-tung, Mao, “Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming,” Hsüan-chi, II, 605 Google Scholar; et. al.

58 Chang Ju-hsin, op. cit., p. 3.

59 Stalin, “Zametki,” Pravda, July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, p. 621; and Sočinenija, IX, 339.

60 V. I. Lenin, “Detskaja bolezn’ ‘levizny’ v kommunizme” (Left-Wing Communism, An Infantile Disorder, referred to hereafter as “Detskaja“), in Lenin, Sočinenija (Collected Works, referred to hereafter as Sočinenija), 3rd ed. (Moscow-Leningrad, 1931), XXV, 210–11.

61 Stalin, “Zametki,” Pravda, July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, p. 626; and Sočinenija, IX, 347–48.

62 Stalin, “Meždunarodnoe,” Ob oppozici, pp. 649–50; and Sočinenija, X, 16–17.

63 Stalin, “Beseda,” Ob oppozicii, p. 579; and Sočinenija, IX, 265–66.

64 Stalin, “Voprosy,” Pravda, April 21, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, p. 553; and Sočinenija, IX, 224; Stalin, “Meždunarodnoe,” Ob oppozicii, pp. 652–53; and Sočinenija, X, 20.

65 Stalin, “Zametki,” Pravda, July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, pp. 621, 625; and Sočinenija, IX, 340, 346.

66 Ibid., Pravda, July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, pp. 622, 625; and Sočinenija, IX, 341, 346.

67 Ibid., Pravda, July 28, 1927, p . 3; Ob oppozicii, p. 623; and Sočinenija, IX, 343.

68 Ibid., Pravda, July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, pp. 621–22; and Sočinenija, IX, 340.

69 Ibid., Pravda, July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, p. 624; and Sočinenija, IX, 343č44.

70 Ibid., Pravda, July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, p. 621; and Sočinenija, IX, 339.

71 Tse-tung, Mao, “Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming,” Hsüan-chi, II, 616.Google Scholar

72 Loc. cit.

73 Ibid., pp. 618–19.

74 Tse-tung, Mao, Lun Jen-Min-Min-Chu-Chuan-Cheng (On People's Democratic Dictatorship) (Sian, 1949), pp. 7–8.

75 Stalin, “Beseda,” Ob oppozicii, p. 578; and Sočinenija, IX, 264.

76 Stalin, “Revoljucija,” Bol'ševik, No. 10 (May 31, 1927), p. 23; Ob oppozicii, p. 600; and Sočinenija, IX, 303.

77 Stalin, “Beseda,” Ob oppozicii, pp. 576, 578; and Sočinenija, IX, 261, 264.

78 Ibid., Ob oppozicii, p. 576; and Sočinenija, IX, 261.

79 Stalin, “K voprosam Kitaiskoj revoljucii: otvet t. Marčulinu” (On the Problems of the Chinese Revolution: a Reply to Comrade Marčulin), Derevenskij kommunist (Rural Communist), No. 10 (Moscow, May 15, 1927); and Sočinenija, IX, 235.

80 Ibid., Sočinenija, IX, 237.

81 Chang Ju-hsin, op. cit., p. 3; cf. Tse-tung, Mao, op. cit., pp. 7–8, 11–14.

82 Chang Ju-hsin, op. cit., p. 3; “Tridcatiletie kommunističeskoj partii Kitaja“ (The Thirtieth Anniversary of the Communist Party of China, Editorial), Bol'ševik, No. 12 (June, 1952), p. 8; M. Mitin, “Pervyj torn izbrannykh proizvedenij Mao Cze-duna” (The First Volume of the Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung), ibid., No. 17 (Sept., 1952), p. 60. Cf. also footnote 87, below.

83 Chang Ju-hsin, op. cit., p. 3.

84 Ch'en Po-ta, op. cit., p. 4.

85 Ibid., p. 5.

86 Ch'en Po-ta, Lun Mao-Tse-Tung Szu-hsiang: Ma-K'e-Szu-Le-Nin-Chu-1 yu Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming ti Chieh-ho (On the Thought of Mao Tse-tung: Combination of Marxism-Leninism and the Chinese Revolution) (Peking, 1951), pp. 18, 56.

87 Cf. footnote 82; M. F. Jur'ev, Istoričeskaja pobeda Kitaiskogo naroda (Historical Victory of the Chinese People) (Moscow, 1950), pp. 3, 26–27; Avarin, V. Ja., Uspekhi Kitaiskoj Narodnoj Respubliki (The Successes of the Chinese People's Republic) (Moscow, 1950), pp. 4, 13Google Scholar; Arturov, O. A., Gosudarstvennyj stroj Kitaiskoj Narodnoj Respubliki (The Governmental Structure of the Chinese People's Republic) (Moscow, 1951), pp. 3–4 Google Scholar; Hu Hua, Hsüeh-hsi Le-Nin Szu-Ta-Lin kuan-yu Chung-Kuo-Ko-Ming ti Hsčeh-shuo (Learning the Theories of Lenin and Stalin on the Chinese Revolution) (Peking, 1951), pp. 76–77; et al.

88 The message was signed by Mao and read at the Congress in Moscow by Liu Shao-ch'i, head of the Chinese Communist delegation. For the text of the message see Jen-Min Jih-Pao (People's Daily), Oct. n , 1952, p. 1. The theme here cited was revealed earlier in “Ch'ing-ho Su-Lien-Kung-Ch'an-Tang Ti-Shih-Chiu-Tzu- Tai-Piao-Ta-Hui” (Congratulate the Nineteenth Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Editorial), ibid., Oct. 7, 1952, p. 1.

89 Tse-tung, Mao, “The Greatest Friendship,” People's China, No. 6 (Peking, March 16, 1953), p. 4.

90 Lenin, “Detskaja,” Sočinenija, XXV, 228.

91 Stalin, “Zametki,” Pravda, July 28, 1927, p. 3; Ob oppozicii, p. 620; and Sočinenija, IX, 338.

92 For the text of Stalin's speech see Pravda, Oct. 15, 1952, p . 1.

93 Chang Ju-hsin, op. cit., p. 3.

94 “A Nation Mourns,” People's China, No. 6 (March 16, 1953), pp. 13–20; “Farewell to Stalin,” ibid., pp. 21–23; “Stalin Continues to Inspire the Chinese People,” ibid., No. 7 (Apr. 1, 1953), pp. 25–26; “Forward under the Banner of Stalin,” ibid., pp. 26–28.