Ep. 122 | The Chinese Civil War (Part 4)

In this Part 4 episode, we conclude our overview of the Chinese Civil War. After the Pingjin Campaign ended in January of 1949 it was time for the Communists to finish off what they started. The victory was imminent but by no means would it be easy and simple.

The PLA forces dramatically crossed the Yangzi River in May and their great generals led their forces to a smashing victory, finishing off the KMT forces of Chiang Kai-shek by December 1949. On December 10, 1949, the Generalissimo boarded a flight to Taiwan, leaving his rival Mao Zedong as the undisputed leader of China.

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/TermChineseEnglish/Meaning
Baoji宝鸡City in Shaanxi province (陕西省)
Changsha长沙Capital of Hunan province (湖南省)
Chen Cheng陈诚KMT general and politician
Chen Yi陈毅PLA General and future foreign minister
Chen Yi陈议KMT general and politician (not to be confused with the Communist Chen Yi 陈毅)
Chengdu成都Capital of Sichuan province
Chiang Ching-kuo蒋经国Son of Chiang Kai-shek (and successor as president of the ROC)
Chongqing重庆City formerly in Sichuan province (now a Municipality) and wartime capital of the Rep. of China
Du Yuesheng杜月笙Big Eared Du – Underworld crime boss in Shanghai
Gansu甘肃Province in China
Hu Zongnan胡宗南Nationalist General
Huaihai淮海Civil War Campaign in 1948
Hukou湖口City in Jiangxi Province (江西省)
Jiangyin江阴City in Jiangsu Province (江苏省)
Jiujiang九江City in Jiangxi Province (江西省)
Li Shimin李世民Co-founder of the Tang Dyansty
Li Zongren李宗仁Served as Acting President after Chiang Kai-shek stepped down
Liaoshen辽沈Civil War Campaign in 1948
Lin Biao林彪PLA General in Manchuria and northern China
Liu Bang刘邦Founder of the Han Dynasty
Liu Bocheng刘伯承PLA General (Deng Xiaoping partner in civil war)
Ma Bufang马步芳Warlord general of the Ma clan in Northwest China
Ma Haiyan马海宴One of the founding patriarchs of the the Ma Clan of the Northwest of China
Ma Hongkui马鸿逵Warlord general of the Ma clan in Northwest China
Ma Qianling马千零One of the founding patriarchs of the the Ma Clan of the Northwest of China
Ma Zhanao马占鳌One of the founding patriarchs of the the Ma Clan of the Northwest of China
Nanjing南京Capital of Jiangsu as well as the capital of the Republic of China
Ningxia宁夏Province in China
Peng Dehuai彭德怀PLA General
Pingjin平津Civil War Campaign in 1948
Pukou浦口City in Jiangsu province and a district of Nanjing
Qinghai青海Province in China
Su Yu粟裕PLA general
Tang Enbo汤恩伯KMT general
The Common Program共同纲领Mao’s blueprint for the new China
Wuxi无锡City in Jiangsu Province (江苏省)
Xiamen厦门City in Fujian Province (福建省)
Xibaipo西柏坡Seat of Mao’s military headquarters after he was pushed out of Yan’an
Xinhai Revolution辛亥革命The revolution that led to the end of the Qing Dynasty
Xuzhou徐州City in Jiangsu Province
Yan Huizhu言慧珠Shanghai screen actress, very big in her day
Zhabei Park闸北公园Park in Shanghai
Zhang Qifu張奇夫The infamous opium warlord of the Burma Shan State, Khun Sa
Zhao Kuangyin赵匡胤Founder of the Song Dynasty
Zhongnanhai中南海Adjacent to the Forbidden City, the compound where China’s highest leaders live
Zhu Yuanzhang朱元璋Founder of the Ming Dynasty

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Ep. 123 | The History of the Chinese in Mexico

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Ep. 121 | The Chinese Civil War (Part 3)