How did the communists gain power?

Answer 1

This question can reference any number of communists revolutions and overthrows of power. The 1917 Bolshevik Revolution involved the seizing of power and elimination of the Romanov Dynasty. Another example was South Vietnam which taken by Northern communist forces through years of guerrilla and direct warfare against the them and the United States.

Answer 2

China went through a long period of civil war. The communists, led by Mao Zedong (Tse-Tung), were opposed by the Nationalists (Kuomintang) led by Chiang Kai-shek. There were several factors that resulted in the Communist victory.

1. Guerilla warfare tactics: The Nationalists were recieving aid from the United States, so the Communists were out gunned and out numbered. Mao know that guerilla warfare tactics were their only shot at victory. These tactics were very effective and were decisive in defeating the Nationalists
2. Chiang was unpopular: The majority of the Chinese people didn't like Chiang Kai-shek. He was seen as the leader of the party for the landlords The landlords (20% of the population) had been ripping off the peasants (80% of the population). Also Chiang, though claiming to be democratic, became more and more of a dictator. He favored his friends and family, by giving them government positions. Another reason Chiang was disliked was because of the way his soldiers treated the people. His soldiers stole from them and raped the women. Finally, Chiang was unpopular because he was seen as a "puppet" of the United States. The Chinese resented their previous domination by foreign powers, and so they didn't like the idea of Chiang being a "puppet" of the U. S.
3. Mau was popular: Mao was a very effective leader. He was very good at cultivating peasant support. Also the Long March established him as a hero. He was also seen as the leader who finally kicked the Japanese out of China. For this reason, the middle class supported him despite the fact that he was communist