Abstract

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Title:: Kuomintang’s Crisis and China’s Social Change in Wartime: A Study Based on Observations Made by Several Key Historical Figures in Their Diaries

Keywords:: the period of full-scale Anti-Japanese War; Kuomintang and Communist Party of China; social crisis; social change

Abstract:: During the period of the full-scale Anti-Japanese War, the Kuomintang fell into an unstoppable crisis both in military affairs and in the governance of the party and the country as well. Chiang Kai-shek was fully aware of the situation, and he made great efforts to resolve the crisis but all to no avail. The reason for such a situation, on the surface, was due to Chiang Kai-shek’s obvious character weakness, but in fact it was determined by the class nature of the Kuomintang regime. The Kuomintang was ineffective in resolving the crisis, and Chinese people gradually pinned their hopes on the Communist Party. The change in people’s mindset invisibly turned the society around and had a profound impact on the direction of China’s social development after the war. Such facts and changes are clearly reflected in the diaries left behind by several key historical figures who witnessed and experienced that period of time.