Nationalist Chinese Collapse

13.7.7 Nationalist Chinese Collapse

(new rule)

The Nationalist Chinese government of Chiang Kai-Shek was constantly threatening to collapse as a way of increasing American aid. It worked - the United States sent continual aid to make sure China stayed in the war against Japan.

Once the USA is at war with Japan, each turn that Japan controls Peking, Shanghai, and Canton and China did not receive at least one build point via lend lease and there are no red side up "+.25 PM" markers in China, the Japanese players rolls a d10 at the start of the Peace Step to determine Chinese collapse status. Add the result together with the prior status total. If the new total equals or exceeds 25, China sues for peace with the Japanese that Peace step. Each lend lease build point received by China reduces the cumulative status total by 5.

If China sues for Peace, Rule 13.7.3 then applies to the Nationalist Chinese and Japanese, with the border being formed by whatever hexes the Japanese and Nationalist Chinese control at the time of the peace agreement. A non-agression pact is then in place between Japan and the Nationalist Chinese. While the non-agression pact between the Nationalist and Japanese is in effect, China can have a maximum of one "+.25 PM" bonus marker in her home country (due to prior attacks, or due to attacks on Chinese Communist units).

Communist Chinese forces and territory are not affected by the peace agreement and are free to attack and be attacked by the Japanese forces at any time. Likewise, partisan activity in China is unaffected by the peace agreement.

This must be used in conjunction with the Great Silk Road and Over the Hump rules of ours, both of which provide additional means of getting aid to Chiang.

Background/Purpose: the rule presupposes that Chiang was serious when he said he'd quit the war if Allied aid was not forthcoming. With a little historical hindsight - Mao's successful rebellion shortly after the war - we may easily suppose that Chiang was quite serious about this. Japanese officials, for their part, often sought a way to reach such an agreement as this, and certain actions (occupation of Indo-China, political and later military closure of the Burma Road) were done in part to cut off avenues of aid to Chiang.

Dave's Notes: Simply put, the USA has the choice of keeping goodies flowing to China, or allowing the eventual withdrawal of China from the war. Not to worry, neutrality pacts degrade over time. Chiang is sure to rejoin the cause later in the war -- when the USA has already begun to win, no doubt!

Dean's Notes: