China’s Civil War• The Boxer Rebellion– Imperial nations had heavy economic influence in

China– Chinese Nationalist group was called “Righteous

and Harmonious Fists” AKA - Boxers– Chinese officials encouraged Chinese to attack

foreigners– Imperial nations put down the rebellion• Fined Chinese• Kept troops in Beijing

– China was now completely under foreign control

Chinese Nationalist Movement

• Kuomintang (KMT) was Nationalist group led by Sun Yat-Sen, who called for:– Constitutional government– Civil liberties & bill of rights– Industrialization was necessary to protect itself

from foreign control

Fall of Qing Dynasty

• Qing dynasty attempted to reform, but the KMT called for an end to the imperial dynasty

• Sun Yat-Sen led a series of revolts– Imperial army tried to negotiate– Never responded with force

• Qing dynasty fell in 1912, after 268 years of rule• China ruled by various warlords, with personal

armies

Split in the Kuomintang

• Left side were socialists, wanted to redistribute land and give more power to peasants and workers

• Right wing opposed redistributing land to peasants

• Sun Yat-Sen died, Chiang Kai-shek became leader– Expelled Soviets from China– Attacked Communist KMT members, executed many– Northern Expedition took power from warlords, unified

China under the KMT

Nanjing Government

• Created the Nanjing government– Industrialization slow• Revenue spent on building army• Foreign powers still had control over resources

– National bank was established– Education improved– Never dealt with land distribution issues, life was

still bad for peasants

Growth of Communism

• Communists who escaped the 1927 purge set up own government in SE China– Attacked by KMT in 1934, had to evacuate

• Began the Long March to Yenan in Northwest China– 6,000 miles, took over one year– Crossed 18 mountain ranges, 24 rivers, and were

shot at by KMT aircraft– Many died along the way

Growth of Communism

• Mao Zedong declared himself leader of Communists– Established land and tax reform programs, gained

support of peasants– Led peasants in Communist army (Red Army)

• Many in China began to support communism– Felt that Chiang Kai-Shek was too focused on

fighting other Chinese– Believed that Japan was the real threat

WWII

• Communists and Nationalists formed an alliance, focused on Japanese aggression

• Fighting resumed after the war• 1949- Mao Zedong drove Chiang Kai-Shek

from power– Chiang and the Nationalists escaped to Taiwan– Mao created the People’s Republic of China