1. Early 20th century revolution: china (1911-1949)

2. After the start of Imperialism….
After the failed rebellions against European influence (like the Opium Wars and Boxer Rebellion), China is in a difficult position….. become like Western Europeans or risk losing global power.

3. Causes of Revolution
Adopted a new educational system based on Western (European) model
Chinese citizens resented the new European trade and influence forced upon them
Got rid of the civil service exam
China still had a single ruler but created small local level assemblies (which really had little power compared to the ruler)
Taxes increased and citizens were unhappy

4. Stage 1: Revolution
1911: Manchu Dynasty is overthrown and collapses.
It collapsed due to unsuccessful reforms, weak governmental rulers, and citizen revolts.
Sun Yat-sen came to power as a president and established a new government with three principles: Nationalism, Democracy, and Peoples’ Livelihood.
Yat-sen aimed to establish a republic based on European democracy and equality in hopes to modernize China.
Yat-sen also established the KMT in 1912, which was the Chinese Nationalist Party.
The Nationalist Party had a successful uprising in 1911 and overthrew the Qing dynasty but they did not have military or political strength to form a new government

5. SUN YAT SEN
Headed the Revolutionary Alliance, which toppled the Qing Dynasty
Claimed mandate to rule China
Founder and first president of the Republic of China
Abdicated power in 1912 to Yuan
Head of Nationalist Party from to 1925

6. Stage 2: Society in Transition
Beginning in : Warlord Decade – This was a time of many revolts and fighting over power
Military zones were set up with a military leader governing and, sometimes, terrorizing their zone.
Oppression of the lower class (peasants) grew and the amount of land they owned decreased.
Caused rapid distribution of Western political, social, and artistic ideas in urban centers.
Europeans changed Chinese economy
1. introduced modern transportation and communication
2. created export market
3. introduced Chinese markets to the world economy

7. Stage 3: Change of Culture
May 4th, 1919: May 4th Movement
After WWI, the Treaty of Versailles was signed by the Allied powers, acknowledging Japanese territorial claims in China, which angered the Chinese who refused to sign the Treaty.
Due to this, about 5,000 students from Peking University crowded the streets to demonstrate against the Versailles Treaty, leading to the May 4th Movement.
Became a National Movement in China; Protestors believed that Confucianism and imperialism were old-fashioned and China needed to be modernized because it would only cause oppression for Chinese citizens
-Art, music and books from the West became popular

8. Stage 4: Transition to Communism
1921: Chinese Communist Party was formed. Mao Zedong was an early member.
Born out of ideas of Marxism (Communist ideas). The CCP argued that capitalism sponsored aggression between people and countries.
Peasantry supported Marxism  increase their status and standard of living.
Mao Zedong soon became the leader of the CCP and adopted the ideas of Lenin (who staged a revolution in Russia). They believed they needed the expertise of the Soviet Union. He also created a communist army.

9. MAO ZE DONG Communist leader in revolutionary China,
Advocated authoritarian state, extensive government intervention
Fought against Guomingdang (KMT) and spearheaded a Long March to escape Hunan
Gains control of China in 1949

10. Stage 5: An Alliance
1923: “The First United Front”  The KMT and CCP form an alliance.
The Nationalist Party and Chinese Communist Party join forces in attempt to end Warlords’ power. Tried to Spread Communism together through the formation of the National Revolutionary Army.
This leads to Lenin (Soviet Union) sending supplies and resources for allowing the CCP to join the KMT.

11. Stage 6: The Break-up
1927: The Nationalist Party attack the Chinese Communist Party out of fear
Thousands of the CCP members are killed and many go into hiding.
Chiang Kai-shek, famous general, takes power of the Nationalist Party and ends Communist influence.

12. CHIANG KAI-SHEK First head of the Whampoa Military Academy
Not pleased by communist alliance
Seized control of Nationalist Party (KMT) in 1925, after Sun’s death
Rejected Western ideals and wanted to preserve traditional Chinese culture.
Recognized as new president of China after campaigns that captured Shanghai and Beijing
Fled to Taiwan when Beijing was seized in 1949

13. Stage 7: A new President
1928: Chiang Kai-shek emerges as the President of China
He rejected Western ideas and democracy and instead promoted conservative, traditional Chinese Culture.

14. Stage 8: Nationalist Republic of CHina
: Chiang Kai-shek establishes the Nationalist Republic of China; moves the capital to Nanjing.
The United States and Britain officially recognize the Republic
The movement combines Confucian and Fascist ideas.
However, the government becomes corrupt and harsh; dictator- like.
The KMT ignored the peasants and their quality of life remains stagnant unlike Mao (under the Chinese Communist Party), who fought for them.

15. Stage 9: The Long March 1934-1935: The Long March
The new President’s army (People’s Liberation Army “PLA”) imposed a blockade on the Communists and Mao Zedong decided to evacuate the area and establish a new stronghold in northwest China.
Around 100,000 men headed west through mountainous areas and experienced terrible hardships along the journey.
An estimated 30,000 survived due to the terrible conditions and harsh mountainous terrain.

16. Stage 10: Era of Communism
1949: Era of Communism begins
China had been weakened by years of political, social and economic fighting
Large cities seemed wealthy but 80% of the urban citizens were very poor. Great Depression was affecting the world, too.
Mao Zedung’s Red Army takes over China’s major cities and assumes control over entire country after successfully defeating the KMT in the Chinese Civil War ( ).
Mao creates a more stable Chinese government, ending the revolution.
The opposition, Chiang Kai-shek and KMT, escape to Taiwan.

17. After World War II, China’s civil war continued.
Finally, in 1949, Mao’s Communists were victorious in defeating the Guomindang forces.
The followers of the Nationalist Party fled to the island of Taiwan.

18. The Communists set up the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949.
They wanted to transform China from an agricultural society into a modern industrial nation.
Under communism, literacy increased, old landlord and business classes were eliminated, and rural Chinese were provided with health care.

19. However, Mao set up a one-party dictatorship that denied people basic rights and freedoms.

20. In 1958, Mao launched a program called the Great Leap Forward.
He called on the people of China to increase agricultural and industrial output.
To make farms more productive, he created communes, groups of people who live and work together.

21. The Great Leap Forward ultimately failed.
Commune-based industries turned out poorly made goods.
At the same time, agricultural output declined.
Bad weather added to the downturn, creating widespread famine.

22. In 1966, Mao launched the Cultural Revolution to renew people’s loyalty to communism and establish a more equitable society.
Mao feared that revolutionary peasants and workers were being replaced by intellectuals in running the country.

23. He shut down schools and universities throughout China and urged Chinese students to experience the revolution for themselves.
Students formed groups of fighters called the Red Guards.
They attacked professors, government officials, and factory managers, many of whom were exiled or executed.

24. United States Recognition of Communist China

25. Due to the fears of communism during the early stages of the Cold War, the United States refused to recognize the People’s Republic of China.
By the 1970s, however, this situation was changing.
China won admission into the United Nations in 1971 and President Richard Nixon visited Mao Zedong in Beijing in

26. Finally, in 1979, the United States officially recognized the People’s Republic of China.

27. Results of the revolution
Ideals of the revolution changed as the leaders changed.
Sun-Yat sen  Chiang kai-shek  Mao Zedong
At first, democratic ideals modeled from Western Europe. Then switched to communism.
China was unified under one government by 1949.
Probably the only prominent goal that was achieved. Many of Sun’s democratic aspirations were abandoned.
Lower classes—specifically peasant class—gained the most. The wealthy and upper middle class lost.
Democratic ideas were not ideal in a society whose majority was a starving, destitute peasant class. Thus, Mao championed reforms and policies that implemented great government intervention in industry and welfare.

28. Results of the revolution
Ideas that once dictated the “old ways” were abandoned completely.
May Fourth Movement  new youth opposition against elders, promotion of Western ideals and almost transformed China into a liberal democracy
Recognized that these of Confucian principles prevented Chinese society from improving and modernizing