The Fifth Party Congress and the ‘Better Fewer but Better’ Approach to Summing up a Massacre

The Fifth Party Congress of the Communist Party (April 29 to May 9, 1927) decides that the united front is better without Chiang Kai-shek.

Further reading:
Steve Smith, A Road Is Made: Communism in Shanghai, 1920-1927
Tony Saich, The Rise to Power of the Chinese Communist Party
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 2: National Revolution and Social Revolution, December 1920-June 1927
C. Martin Wilbur, The Nationalist Revolution in China, 1923-1928

Some names from this episode:
M. N. Roy, Indian Comintern agent
Mikhail Borodin, Comintern agent and head of Soviet mission to aid the Guomindang
Chen Duxiu, General Secretary of the Communist Party
Wang Jingwei, Leader of the Guomindang Left
Peng Pai, Communist peasant organizer
Li Lisan, Communist labor organizer

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