Chinese Revolution
Nationalists
• Overthrew last Qing emperor in 1911
• Led by Sun Yixian – Chinese need unity, not
freedom• “Three Principles of the
People”– End to foreign control– Democracy– Economic security
• Local warlords seized power - civil war
May Fourth Movement
Protests erupted throughout China against how China had been treated by Europe
After World War I, China expected to get back the lands that Germany had controlled, but instead the Treaty of Versailles
gave those lands to Japan.
Communists
• One of founders: Mao Zedong
• Changed Marx’s ideas - peasants, not workers, would rise up
First United Front
• Alliance between Nationalists and Communists against warlords
• Nationalists led by Jiang Jieshi
Shanghai Massacre
• Jiang’s troops turned on Communists and killed them in streets
• Communists never forgave Nationalists
Nationalist Republic of China
• Jiang became president of new government in 1928
• Reforms only felt in cities, peasants still suffered
The Long MarchNationalists surrounded Communists and cut off supplies
100,000 fled and marched 6,000 miles to northern China
Second UnitedFront
Jiang’s men forced him to
ally with Communists against real
threat:
Japan
Japan Invades
• End of 1937 - Japan controlled most coastal cities and industrial areas
• Massive bombings, starvation, atrocities killed millions of Chinese
War of Resistance• Communists fought Japan in the north - Mao
used guerilla tactics• Nationalists dominated south and got aid from
allies– Most aid ended up
in hands of corrupt officers
– Jiang used aid to build up army to fight Communists, and let America fight Japan
Civil War• Nationalists outnumbered
Communists 3 to 1, and had aid from U.S.
• But Nationalists faced:– Little popular support– Economy collapsing– Corrupt officials– Soldiers deserting
to Communists– Less disciplined
troops – Communists had
popularity - gave land to poor
People’s Republic of China• Mao gained control of entire country and
Nationalists fled to Taiwan• China became a Communist country in 1949
Top Related