Part 4/9:
Mao’s political career began in earnest following his involvement with the CPC during the tumultuous 1920s. He initially aligned with the Kuomintang (KMT) under Sun Yat-sen and later Chiang Kai-shek; however, ideological differences regarding land reform and wealth distribution led to a schism between the KMT and the communists. This division catalyzed the Chinese Civil War, in which Mao’s forces fought fiercely against the KMT.
As World War II erupted and Japan invaded China, Mao's guerrilla tactics proved effective, unlike the conventional military strategies employed by the KMT. The post-war civil conflict saw the CPC eventually overpower the KMT, leading to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.