China Post-Emperors to Modern Day

Review Empress CiXi dies and her infant son becomes Emperor 1911 – Royal Guard joins revolt and overthrows Emperor. (He’s a baby, what do you want?) Sun Yat-sen becomes President

Sun as President Ends rule of emperors Much of the country in the hands of warlords –Fighting for power Industry in the hands of foreign powers –“hypo-colony” Solution? – Sun accepts help of the Soviet Union –Communists become members of Kuomintang

Sun Dies Sun Yat-sen dies in 1925 Chiang Kai-shek named commander of Kuomintang Army Mao Zedong (or Tse-tung) in charge of propaganda and political agents

Military Success Kuomintang drive to the North and controls all of China south of the Yangtse River by March 1927 –Chiang decide to get rid of communists Rounded up and killed Take the capital of Peking in – Chiang declares himself ruler and moves capital to Nanking

What about Mao? Mao survives the violence against communists Moves to the mountains in Southern China –Sets up the Kiangsi Soviet –Begins communist army Ward off 3 attacks by Chiang

Does this make sense? Japan attacks in 1931 –Chiang pays little attention, keeps trying to destroy communists

The “Long March” October 1934 –Chiang blocks communists Outnumbers them 3 to 1 –Mao starts trek north Takes over a year Loses ¾ of his men Sets up Yenan Soviet

And in this Corner Three groups vying for power in China –Mao’s Communists –Chiang’s Kuomintang –Japan STAY TUNED

Together Again By 1936 Japan launches a full scale invasion of mainland China Chiang is kidnapped and forced to accept an alliance with Communists against the Japanese

Who does what? Communists –Bulk of the fighting –1 million men in army, 2 million peasants in militia –Seen as strong liberators Nationalists –Did very little –Squandered aid –Seen as corrupt and incompetent by people

Back to being enemies Chiang signs treaty with USSR –Says his is the proper government –He should accept Japanese surrender Mao sends his men to accept surrender

Civil War US backs Chiang, but tries to mediate –Lends air support 1947 Civil War breaks out 1948 – Nationalist troops desert and flee Mao controls above Yangtse River by April 1949 Chiang and Kuomintang flee to Taiwan

A New Nation October 1, 1949 – People’s Republic of China is born Mao as leader

China under Mao People change loyalties to Mao –Part of culture –Remember Confucianism –Chiang seen as losing fitness to lead

Democratic Centralism Party gives complete obedience to leaders Bring everything under central control –18 Provinces made into six regions –Bring Northern territory under Party control –Party members at all levels of government Supreme People’s Court (not Whopner) –Used to accuse and try opposition

Economic Changes Agrarian Reform Law –Gave land to peasants Industry and business fall under state control –Directly controlled: banks, railroads, heavy industry –Other firms pushed out by policies and price controls

Five Year Plans Mao gets idea from USSR –He visits 10,000 Soviet planners help with plan Give priority to heavy industry –Oil, coal, steel Paid for by taxing peasants Mao allows free speech and then revokes it when criticized

Collectivization Two Different Groups –Lower Stage APCs Combined 30 – 50 households Kept ownership of the land –Collective 200 – 300 households Land managed by committee Small plots allowed

Great Leap Forward Reorganized farms into 26,000 communes –Each like a little country Had own army, industry, and farms About 25,000 people Advanced science and industry –China explodes nuclear bomb in 1964 Problems –Low quality –Much waste

Lin Shao-ch’i Given title of President of China by Mao –Rewards given Higher education Better prices Mao concentrates on communist ideology –Realized he wasn’t most organized person

Cultural Revolution “Going Down” – people of privilege sent to farms to see how peasants live Army –Ranks abolished The Little Red Book –Book of Mao’s ideas and writings Culture changed –Plays, etc. about communist struggle

Red Guards Bands of students indoctinated by Mao Closes school for 2 years for curriculum changes Encouraged that revolt was good sometimes Replace leaders with revolutionary committees –Liu Shao-ch’I included

Results Friction between Moderates and Radicals Party officials rise in importance

Moderates Backed by Party, government administration, and army Wanted: –Political stability –Economic growth and development

Radicals Backed by trade unions, militia, and Communist Youth League Controlled press and radio Wanted: –Class struggle

Gang of Four Mao dies on September 9, 1976 His wife and three others try to take control –Continue Radical agenda The four are arrested Moderates take control