Why did China 'fall' to Communism in 1949?

The fall of China may can be linked to three main factors: lack of US troops, corruption and discontent within Chiang's nationalist army (GMD), and the effective campaigning and organisation of Mao's communist party (CCP). Unlike in the Philippines, the US did not place troops in China. This meant that they could not establish effective control as they had during their Model States programme. They did loan equipment to the nationalists, however this kit was exploited with 80% going missing and 75% of this lost equipment falling into the hands of the CCP. between 1946 and 1949. This leads on to the corruption of the GMD. The Nationalists were marked by extreme inequality - senior officials lived in luxury whilst soldiers were often impoverished, hungry and ill. This bred discontent and saw high rates of abandonment - Chiang's armies lost 45% of their men in 1946. These factors contributed to a negative public perception and loss or support - the army was marked by arrogance and cowardice, with members commonly accused of looting, rape and theft. Finally, Mao's campaign was incredibly organised in comparison. He utilised a huge army of 2.7 million men from varying demographics. Mao proposed a range of radical and highly desired policies - lower rents, land reform and the promotion of democratic freedom. This diplomatic strength was matched with his carefully devised change from guerrilla to open warfare. When answering an essay question of this type, ensure that the content does not take a narrative form. Identify the key points and explain them, backing each point up with evidence and where possible, data. Explanations should be succinct, showing understanding whilst addressing the specifics of the question.