Communist Party of China

Zhang Wentian

Socialism

Maoism

The **Communist Party of China** is a country in Asia. It is a major belligerent in the Chinese Civil War against the Kuomintang. The country has strong influence and support from the German Socialist Republic and the Soviet Union, and occupies the majority of West China, with Chengdu as its capital. Although seemingly politically unified, the CPC holds internal conflicts, specifically between the incumbent strength of the 28 Bolsheviks and their Communist ideal, under the control of Bo Gu as the General Secretary, and the rising Maoist movement under the lead of Mao Zedong.

Despite the political differences, the 28 Bolsheviks and Mao have worked together strongly, albeit tensely. Mao himself is one of the governing members of the CPC, but competition between him and his main rival Wang Ming have shaken the CPC's strength in terms of military operations. Now, with the CPC potentially seeing war with a united Kuomintang and their main arch rival, the Empire of Japan, the CPC may have to solidify their stance as soon as possible.

## History

### The Manchurian Reason

The end of the Great War gave Japan essentially free rein over what to do with the destabilised Chinese. Without the United States to stop them, and with the backing of the Council of Allies, Japan had essentially become unstoppable. They originally set their eyes on expanding further north from Korea, into Manchuria. With the constant infighting of the Chinese government, specifically between the Kuomintang and their rivals, the Communist Party of China, Japan marched in for themselves and took Manchuria. The Council of Allies agreed to recognise the new state as Manchukuo, with agreements with Japan to maintain vested interests in the area.

The move demonstrated just how isolated and fragile the Kuomintang was, without the support of the United Kingdom nor France, major players on the colonial world stage. With the rise of the DSR and the USSR, however, the CPC saw opportunity. They called out the incompetence of the Kuomintang government to handle the crisis, and the new lead player of the republic, Chiang Kai-shek, blamed the Communists for the incompetence.

Chiang conducted Communist massacres leading up until 1925. Although these massacres became the reason for the Chinese Civil War, the CPC cited the Manchurian Reason for the split, believing losing Manchuria in the first place is what caused the downfall of Chinese politics. The Nationalists knew they were isolated, and Civil War was inevitable.

### The CPC Expands

When the Civil War sparked in 1925 with the splitting of the KMT and the CPC, the Chinese Communists saw stagnant yet progressive expansion in the West. Helping influence and supplies from the DSR and the USSR also bolstered the Chinese position in the West, but as expansion continued, three problems became obvious.

Entering into the 1930s, these problems were starting to rear their ugly heads. First, although backed into a corner, the KMT still had strong military might, and Chiang Kai-shek was no stranger to military expertise. While Communist expansion was high and dominated the West, pushing anywhere near Nanking, Beijing or Shanghai would prove a fruitless task while the KMT was militarily firm. Secondly, the establishment of Zhang Zuolin as a military Prime Minister in Manchukuo seemed to suggest that the Japanese were ready for war. The alternative of the Ultimate Merger between the Japanese and the KMT lingered, with the CPC realising that this Civil War may become a War for Asian dominance. Thirdly, should such a time come, the CPC would have to realise its own political infighting and come to a solution before such a war occurred.

To curb the infighting between the 28 Bolsheviks and the rising Maoist movement, Mao Zedong was given a strong military position and a place in the government. Bo Gu, the new General Secretary, was a member of the 28 Bolsheviks, but was aware that infighting would be costly towards the CPC's already stagnating progress. Devolving power to Wang Ming, for example, would have led to the alienation of Mao, and a potential counter-coup which would have rocked the CPC to its core, and given the Kuomintang a new motivation to fight.

If the Communists are to win this Civil War, which is still very likely unless Japan is involved, then the political infighting must come to an end; whether that be embracing a new leadership, or potentially ostracising Mao entirely.

## Way Forward

The CPC is on the winning side(ish) in the Civil War, but with political infighting, its chances of victory are beginning to dip.

### Bo Gu's Compromise

Bo Gu remains in power by forming a compromise between the Maoists and the Bolsheviks, either by promising Maoist autonomy in China, or by giving concessions to Maoists to prevent an insurgency. This may be highly unstable, and could give Mao more leverage to attack, or Wang the possibility to take command if Maoists become too much of a problem.

### Zhang's Middle Ground

Bo Gu is still a member of the 28 Bolsheviks at heart, but Zhang Wentian is someone who can actually stand as a middle ground leader to unite both Maoists and Bolsheviks alike. He is the only leader capable enough of leading the CPC into the future in a much more stable manner.

### Embracing Maoism

Neither Stalinism nor traditional Marxist-Leninism is the way to go for China. It is time to mould it into what Mao Zedong envisioned: a peasant's utopia. Perhaps it is time to stop ignoring the inevitable, and realise that a People's Republic of China under Mao may be the best thing for the survival of the nation.

### Assassinate Mao

Mao has become too much of a problem, and his movement has destabilised the CPC and its chances of survival. No more can we let him run free. A plot to assassinate Mao is looming, and with Wang Ming at the helm, we can finally knock out the Maoist presence once and for all, and incorporate true Marxism into China.