China and the Communist Revolution Modern History China and the Communist Revolution

Last Days of the Dynasty 1840-1910

Long term weaknesses Opium Wars - Treaty of Nanking 1842 Role of foreigners Taiping Rebellion 1860 Boxer Rebellion 1900 Dynastic weaknesses Economic and Technological weaknesses

Collapse of Manchu Dynasty Lost war with Japan in 1895 Emperor Guangxi and Empress Dowager Cixi in power Boxer Rebellion 1900 Rebellion crushed by foreigners (provincial governments did support them militarily) Emperor and Empress Dowager embarrassed and lose even more power to foreigners...Reforms follow, but too little too late for any real change or support

Sun Yatsen & Republicans Sun Yatsen had been exiled because of his anti-imperial views from 1895-1911. Much of this time he had lived in Japan, planning his revolution to change China from an empire to a republic.

The Regency Nov. 1908 saw the death of both the Emperor Guangxu and Empress Cixi within 24 hours 2 year old Pu Yi is now emperor, with his Uncle Chun acting as Regent One of his first acts was to dismiss General Yuan Shikai, commander of the Beijing army...he vowed retribution for this In 1911 he nationalized the railroads in China, but had to take out a foreign loan to pay the railroad owners for it (at less than they were worth)...this further hurt the Regency

Pre-Condition Period 1910 --> 1936

1911 Double Tenth Revolution (10/10/11) --> Qing Dynasty overthrown Began in Wuhan (Heibei) Provinces south of Beijing declare independence --> Sun Yatsen (Nationalist) elected President - he was in States and had done nothing. --> removed Imperial system --> introduced a Republic for the first time

1911-1912 Regent asks Yuan Shikai to restore order He re-takes the provinces, stops at Wuhan Negotiates the abdication of Qing Dynasty Mandate of Heaven from Machus to Republic Sun gives up Presidency to Yuan --> feared civil war, wanted to avoid bloodshed --> still influential in government

1912-16 Alliance League becomes GMD Yuan maintains his power despite a rebellion in 1913 WWI begins --> Yuan accepted Japan’s 21 Demands --> Japan occupied German leases in Shandong province Yuan appointed himself Emperor in 1916

1916 Yuan Shikai dies --> Sun returned to China from Japan to re-est. Republic Warlords controlled many cities and provinces --> warred with each other over land --> peasants conscripted to fight Dams/irrigation ignored, trade restricted, modernization ceased

1919 May 4th Movement --> socio-political-intellectual revolution aimed at achieving national independence --> massive rallies/demonstrations against giving Shandong to Japan --> as a result, China refused to sign Treaty of Versailles

1921-24 Chinese Communist Party formed (1921) 1st United Front (1923) --> Sun admitted CCP into GMD Sun introduced ‘3 Principles of the People’ --> Nationalism, Democracy, People’s Livelihood --> promised to provide land, irrigation and colonization systems

1925 Sun Yatsen died during attempts to negotiate with warlords Jiang Jieshi succeeded Sun

1926 Mao Zedong convinced the CCP that Marxism-Leninism is not suitable for China --> they should focus on the peasants Northern Expedition --> GMD set out to overthrow warlords --> they had been resisting Nationalists --> peasants had been organized by CCP and disarmed and killed landlord officials themselves (greatly disturbs GMD)

1927 Shanghai Massacre --> 1st Nationalist attempt to exterminate CCP --> GMD roamed streets looking for ‘telltale’ sign - red neck indicated the person had worn the cheaply-made red scarf of the CCP --> all CCP in GMD were killed

1928-31 Warlords of Beijing expelled - Northern Expedition over (1928) Jiang sets out on 1st Extermination of Bandits Campaign (of Communists) (1930) Japan invades Manchuria --> Jiang forbids any retaliation --> CCP attack Japanese with guerrilla tactics --> Chinese people angry at GMD for focusing on CCP rather than Japanese