To what extent was ideology the main reason for Mao's rise to power by 1949?

How was ideology important in Mao's rise to power?Through a focus on revolutionising peasants, Mao was able to gain many more followers (as most of the country was made up of peasants). He also drew support from them as a result of measures such as land redistribution (an extension of his ideology).This meant that, once the peasants were armed, Mao was able to have far more soldiers at his disposal. Moreover, he was able to present himself as a true representative of the will of the people - not just representing elite interests.Counterpoint: Mao's ideology attracted opposition from the United States, who then covertly funded the GMD (the opposition).Other factors?The Corruption of the Nationalists (GMD) - meant that aid provided by U.S was often squandered, and damaged their reputation. The war with Japan - by strategically choosing to focus on fighting Japan after 1937, Mao's Communists were able to win a propaganda battle against the Nationalists (presenting themselves as the true patriots)Military tactics - adopting the tactics of guerrilla warfare, the Communists were better able to slowly wear down Nationalist morale.Potential conclusion?Ideology WAS the most important reason in Mao's rise to power, as it essentially created Mao's large base of support (without which he could not have conducted the same military campaigns - as he needed men and women to fight). Even if it attracted U.S. hostility, due to the corruption of the Nationalists U.S aid was not as much of a hindrance as it could have been.