Gibbons notes that the Chinese Communist Party, founded in 1921, was at first 'on good terms' with the nationalist government and both opposed the local warlords who controlled north and central China. Then, in 1927, nationalist forces killed thousands of communist supporters in Shanghai and the party was expelled from the Government. Mao Tse-tung moved to his supporting areas and began the processes which would eventually lead to power. The catalogue distinguishes between the early Red Posts of 1930 -32 and the Chinese Soviet Republic of 1931-36: all of these issues are prohibitively expensive, hence the ✘, unless commemoratives can be found.
✘ | ✘ | ||||||||
Red Posts | Chinese Soviet Republic | North-East China | Port Arthur and Dairen | North China | North-West China | East China | Central China | South China | South-West China |
1930 |
1932 | 1946 SG-NE134 Sc1L2 |
[1946] first real stamp 1949 SG -NE56 Sc2L53 |
1946 SG-NC17 Sc3L1 |
[1945] 1949 SG-NW97 Sc4L65 |
1948 SG-EC120 Sc5L1 |
1949 SG-CC45 Sc6L1 |
1949 SG-CC201 Sc7L1 |
1949 SG-SW9 Sc8L1 |
In 1937, from their base in Manchuria, Japan invaded China and the communist and nationalist forces cooperated to oppose them. The struggle lasted until Japan's global defeat in 1945, at which point the communist forces held around two-thirds of the previously Japanese territory. Hostilities then resumed between the communist and nationalist forces with the communists wining the decisive battle of Hwai-Hai in 1949 which led to overall victory. During this conflict, postal services were administered on a regional basis, although the regional stamps could be used throughout China. With the proclamation of the People's Republic in 1949, general issues replaced all locals with the exception of North-East China which did not adopt the national currency until 1951.
There are subdivisions within the main geographical areas and these are beyond the scope of this Display. While Gibbons and Scott use broadly the same geographical headings, the contents and organisation within are inconsistent: I am inclined to go with Scott (and try to find the Gibbons equivalent) as these may be easier to identify and buy. Where the first issue is considered too expensive, a representative later example will be shown.