Mao's Mastery of Irregular Warfare: Lessons from the Revolution

Monte Erfourth

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Introduction

The People's Republic of China, a powerful nation whose rise to global prominence commands significant international attention, was not forged through conventional means. Instead, its foundation was built through a series of calculated, asymmetric maneuvers, a style of warfare that Mao Zedong perfected in his struggle against the Kuomintang (KMT) during the Chinese Civil War. The roots of China's current embrace of irregular warfare (IW) as a critical part of its national defense strategy can be traced back to Mao’s revolutionary tactics. Mao's emphasis on the combination of irregular and conventional warfare and his belief in winning over the population provides a framework that helps to explain how and why the modern People's Liberation Army (PLA) is so adept at irregular strategies today.

The Foundations of Mao's Irregular Warfare

Mao Zedong’s approach to irregular warfare was deeply rooted in his understanding of China’s socio-political landscape and the realities of its military capabilities. From 1927 to 1949, China was engulfed in an intense civil conflict that saw Mao’s Communist Party of China (CPC) pitted against the numerically and technologically superior forces of Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang. Recognizing the disparity between the CPC and the KMT, Mao embraced irregular warfare, shifting away from large, direct engagements and instead prioritizing guerilla tactics.