Mao's Massacre

When I originally began studying Chiang Kaishek, after reading, watching, and listening to his life; I was convinced that it was his fault Japan was able to so brutally occupy Nanking. I believed that he was unable to act effectively as the head of state, and that he let the Chinese down by not even putting up the slightest amount of resistance. But, after watching this documentary, I believe my mind has changed. Chiang was not the person to give up, nor would he admit defeat easily. It is so out of character for him to simply allow the other side to win. Why then did Chiang, who had the support of powerful warlords and large numbers of soldiers, just let Japan invade his country?

In my opinion, it was because of the ever growing Communist threat led by Mao Zedong. To Chiang, though Japan was a large threat, dealing with them could wait. He knew he had the resources, and though the Japanese had superior technology, he could at least hold them off until the United States declared war against the Japanese. What couldn't wait to be solved, however, was the Communist problem. He saw that as his government was weakening, the Communists were becoming more powerful. Mao was attracted more followers and brining in more supplies, and he was then able to disrupt the Nationalist's power. Chiang was forced to quell these small, Communist lead revolutions in order to keep China united during war. He couldn't allow himself to lose thousands of soldiers in Nanking if right behind him Mao lay waiting to pounce. Mao knew that Chiang needed help, he knew that what China needed was one united front against the Japanese, but he didn't care. If Nanking had to suffer so that the Nationalist government would fall, in Mao's eyes, it was worth the price.