1. Background on China & Life Under Mao
The Cold War in Asia
Background on China & Life Under Mao

2. For almost 2,000 years, China was the world’s most dominant empire because of trade along the silk road & the power of the ruling dynasties

3. In the 1600 & 1700s, European nations became powerful, began exploring, & claiming colonies
The Industrial Revolution in the 1700s & 1800s made Europe the center of power in the world

4. Europeans used imperialism to control Africa & Asia
Britain used the Opium Wars to claim trade rights in China
By 1900, China was weak & divided into spheres of influence

5. A group of reformers called nationalists called for changes
In 1912, Sun Yat-sen ended the Chinese dynastic system & created a democracy called the Republic of China

6. But, the republic did not modernize China & led to an era of chaos
In the 1920s, nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek took over & ran China as a dictatorship
Meanwhile, communism was growing in China under the leadership of Mao Zedong
Mao’ s Communist Party gained popularity among poor peasants by offering to redistribute land from wealthy warlords

7. When WWII began, Chiang & Mao agreed to a truce from 1937 to 1945
From 1930 to 1949, Nationalists & Communists fought in a bloody civil war for control of China
When WWII began, Chiang & Mao agreed to a truce from 1937 to 1945
After WWII, Communists gained support & began to win control of China

8. The three “revolutionary” Communists
In 1949, the Communists won the Civil War & Mao created the Peoples’ Republic of China
Chiang’s gov’t fled China & set up in Taiwan
The USA was shocked when China fell to communism & only recognized the Nationalists as the gov’t of China
The three “revolutionary” Communists
Karl Marx Vladimir Lenin Mao Zedong

9. IMAGE #1: Based upon this propaganda poster, what changes will Mao propose for China?

10. Mao was determined to reshape China’s economy based on Marxist socialism
He seized land from the rich & divided the land among the poor peasants
Mao followed Stalin’s example by creating collective farms & a Five Year Plan to improve Chinese industry

11. IMAGE #2:
Based upon this propaganda poster, what two things will Mao’s “Great Leap Forward” focus on?

12. In 1958, Mao began a massive program to create agriculture & industry called the “Great Leap Forward”
Millions of Chinese citizens were sent to work on large collective farms to grow food
Other citizens were required to work on massive industrial projects like making iron & steel or building dams & railroads
“Backyard furnaces” to make iron
Image of a “People’s Commune”

13. IMAGE #3: “Struggle hard for 3 years. Change the face of China
IMAGE #3: “Struggle hard for 3 years. Change the face of China. Catch up with Britain & America.” --Mao, 1958

14. Mao’s Great Leap Forward started well…

15. …but, then it required forced labor & led to lots of suffering by millions of Chinese citizens

16. & poor quality industry
The Great Leap Forward was a failure & led to severe food shortages, famine,
& poor quality industry

17. Mao ended the Great Leap Forward after three years
Chinese peasants

18. IMAGE #4:
Based upon this image, what was purpose of Mao’s “Cultural Revolution”?

19. After the failure of the Great Leap Forward, Mao began the Cultural Revolution (1966 -1976)
The goal of the Cultural Revolution was to emphasize Mao’s strict socialist ideas & attack traditional Chinese ideas
Mao distributed to all Chinese citizens the “Little Red Book,” a book of his quotes that reinforced what was acceptable for Chinese communists

20. After the failure of the Great Leap Forward, Mao began the Cultural Revolution (1966 -1976)
Mao targeted young people & many joined the Red Guards, a group to protected the culture of the revolution
Red Guards closed schools & universities; burned books; & humiliated, beat, and killed people who opposed Mao’s ideas

21. Parades united citizens
“The Boy Who Denounced His Mother”
The Cultural Revolution unified the Chinese people but also led to the deaths or imprisonment of thousands of citizens
Executing teachers, politicians, critics

23. Even without Mao, China remains a Communist nation today
In 1976, Mao Zedong died & was followed by more moderate Communist officials
Even without Mao, China remains a Communist nation today

24. Quote Matching
Read each of the quotations provided and match the quote with the appropriate historical event. Then, explain HOW you know:
Fall of Dynastic China
Communist Revolution
Great Leap Forward
Cultural Revolution

25. Quote #1 Fall of Dynastic China Communist Revolution
Great Leap Forward
Cultural Revolution

26. Quote #2 Fall of Dynastic China Communist Revolution
Great Leap Forward
Cultural Revolution

27. Quote #3 Fall of Dynastic China Communist Revolution
Great Leap Forward
Cultural Revolution

28. Quote #4 Fall of Dynastic China Communist Revolution
Great Leap Forward
Cultural Revolution

29. Quote #5 Fall of Dynastic China Communist Revolution
Great Leap Forward
Cultural Revolution

30. Quote #6 Fall of Dynastic China Communist Revolution
Great Leap Forward
Cultural Revolution