1. The start of Red China

2.  In 1920s the government of China was the Guomindang, which included some communists  In 1921 the Chinese Communist Party was started but the Guomindang stayed in power under orders of Joseph Stalin  Mass arrests of communists in the late 1920s stirred them up—many fled to the mountains  Among those who escaped was Mao Zedong

3.  A man of action, prone to violence  Discovered the works of Marx and joined the Communist Party  He planned to redistribute land from the wealthier to the poorer peasants—this goes against traditional Marx thought, which places emphasis on industrial workers  An advocate of women’s equality (banned foot-binding, allowed divorce, etc.)  Pursued by the Guomindang, the Communists fled still further to a remote province—The Long March (6000 miles in one year; started with 100,000, ended with 4000.)

4.  1937 Japan attacked China near Beijing; United States and League of Nations shook their fingers in protest  Chinese fought bravely but lost to bigger planes, bombs, and thousands of deaths  Ultimately, Japan determined the war was too much of a drain on resources and they were too dependent on US steel and machinery (ironic…)  Almost a million died, 20,000 women raped, 12.5 million made homeless…  Chinese government, led by Chaing Kai-shek fled to the mountains and a contest between them and the Communists led by Mao Zedong ensued

5.  Japan surrendered in World War II 1945  US gave millions of dollars of aid to China, urging cooperation with the Communists  American aid was used to prepare for civil war  Fighting intensified, US backing Guomindang, Japan supplying the Communists  By 1949, the Guomindang was defeated and the Communist Party under Mao Zedong rose to power, creating The People’s Republic of China