Editing Hainan (section)

===Republic of China===
Hainan was historically part of [[Guangdong]] and [[Guangxi]] Provinces and as such was the Qiongya [[Circuit (administrative division)|Circuit]] ({{lang|zh-hant|瓊崖道}}) under the 1912 establishment of the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] (ROC). In 1921, it was planned to become a [[Special administrative regions of China#ROC special administrative regions|special administrative region]] ({{lang|zh-hant|瓊崖特別行政區}}); in 1944, it became Hainan Special Administrative Region with 16 [[Counties of the People's Republic of China#History|counties]], including the [[South China Sea Islands]].

The [[Hainan Island Operation|Japanese occupied the island]] in 1939 during the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]].{{sfn|Murray|2017|p=73}} The surviving ROC forces retreated into the interior and demanded material support from the indigenous [[Hlai people]].{{sfn|Murray|2017|p=108}} The ROC suppressed the Hlai's revolt, the Baisha Uprising, and executed reprisals;{{sfn|Murray|2017|pp=113–114}} the Hlai subsequently allied with the Communist's Hainan Independent Column led by [[Feng Baiju]].{{sfn|Murray|2017|pp=114–118}}

The ROC restablished control over the island after the [[Second World War]].{{sfn|Murray|2017|pp=129–130}} With the resumption of the [[Chinese Civil War]], the ROC was unable to suppress the islands' Communist movement, but the movement was also too weak to take control of the island.{{sfn|Murray|2017|p=160}} By 1950, the Communists controlled most of mainland China, founded the People's Republic of China (PRC), and were seeking to conquer the islands along the coast.<ref>{{cite book |last=Westad |first=Odd Arne | author-link = Odd Arne Westad |date=2003 |title=Decisive Encounters: The Chinese Civil War, 1946-1950 |location=Stanford, California |publisher=Stanford University Press |pages=297–301 |isbn=0-8047-4478-5}}</ref>{{sfn|Westad|2003|pp=297–301}} The PRC [[Battle of Hainan Island|invaded]] on 16 April 1950{{sfn|Murray|2017|p=148}} and was in control of the island by 1 May.{{sfn|Murray|2017|p=148}}