What event marked the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949?

• A. The victory of the Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War
• B. The end of World War II
• C. The signing of a peace treaty with Japan
• D. The beginning of the Korean War

Answer: (A)

The establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 is primarily marked by the victory of the Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War. After years of conflict between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang or KMT) led by Chiang Kai-shek, the CPC successfully gained control over the Chinese mainland. This culminated in the People’s Liberation Army entering Beijing on October 1, 1949, when Mao Zedong declared the founding of the People's Republic of China.

This victory was a significant turning point for China, as it ended decades of internal strife and set the foundation for the new government and its policies. The establishment was not a consequence of the end of World War II or related to the signing of peace treaties, even though those events were critical in their own right. The beginning of the Korean War occurred later, in 1950, and while it was an important moment in East Asian geopolitics, it did not directly relate to the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Therefore, the victory of the Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War is the key event that marked the formation of the new regime in 1949.