IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : History Of China and Japan (1840-1949) - United Front

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History Of China and Japan (1840-1949)

United Front

Structure

32.0 Objectives

32.1 Itroduction
32.2 formation of the Upited Front
32.2.1 The CPC
32.2.2 Thuamintan
32.3 Negotiations
32.4 Nature of the United Front
32.5 Achievements aAd Suvses
32.6 Mass Movements and the CPC
32.7 Bnak and Repression
32.8 Reasons for the Break
32.9 Let Us Sum Up
32.10 Easy Key Words
32.11 Answer to Chock Your Progress Exercises

32.0 OBJECTIVES

After reading this Unit you will:

be able to know why the idea of United Front was mooted in China,
understand the factors that led to the formation of the United Front,
be familiar with the role played by the Communist Party of China (CPC) during the United Front period,
know how Kuomintang emerged as a strong social force in Chinese national movement, and
know abdut the achievements-and failures of the United Front.

32.1 INTRODUCTION

The term 'United Front' means literally an alliance. In Communist terminology it has
been used to denote a strategy when the Communist Party allies itself with other
political parties or groups for a common cause or.against a common enemy.
Communist parties have used this strategy whenever they have found that they alone
are not capable of carrying forward the struggle and there are other groups or
parties which may not agree with their whole programme but do agree with some of
their objectives thatnare more immediate. The basis for a United Front is, therefore,
a common minimum programme. A 'United Front' however, does not mean merging
together of Commu'nist parties with the other groups. This.is because some of their
1arger;goals are different. They recognize that once the immediate goals have been
achieved, then the other groups may not like to continue the struggle any further. In
fact they may also later be fighting each other. The purpose of a United Front is also
to increase their own, independent influence among the people during the common
struggles. This is so because once the minimum common'goals have been achieved,
the people will continue to be under their influence and want to continup the
struggles for larger goals.