The Tibet Question

History of Tibet: Flip-flopping under the Dynasties  13 th c.-1368: Mongols Tibet = subject to Mongol laws Tibet = subject to Mongol laws  : Ming no control over Tibet no control over Tibet  : Qing Tibet = subject to Qing laws Tibet = subject to Qing laws

History of Tibet: Independence  1910: China invades Tibet  1911: Qing collapse  withdrawal from Tibet  : Tibet independent (Dalai Lama)

History of Tibet: Mao Reclaims  1949: Mao’s revolution Mao threatens to “liberate” Tibet Mao threatens to “liberate” Tibet  Oct. 1950: China invades Tibet  April 1951: 17 Point Agreement = China reclaims Tibet control over Tibet’s external affairs control over Tibet’s external affairs military occupation military occupation “protection” of Tibet’s political system “protection” of Tibet’s political system

History of Tibet: Uprising & Exile  1959: Tibetan uprising 1000s of Tibetans die? (China disagrees) 1000s of Tibetans die? (China disagrees) Dalai Lama flees to India Dalai Lama flees to India May 9, 1959: Tibetan rebels file out of the Polata Palace to surrender

History of Tibet: Chinese Rule Since 1959  1965: China establishes Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)  : Cultural Revolution destroys monasteries & cultural artifacts  1980s-present: freedom of religion restored but religious people still persecuted; Han migration