Communists Take Power

China

Chinese Political Opponents 1945

Nationalists CommunistsJiang Jieshi Leader Mao Zedong

Area Ruled

Foreign Support

Domestic Policy

Public Support

Military Organization

Chinese Political Opponents 1945

Nationalists CommunistsJiang Jieshi Leader Mao Zedong

Southern China Area Ruled Northern China

Foreign Support

Domestic Policy

Public Support

Military Organization

Chinese Political Opponents 1945

Nationalists CommunistsJiang Jieshi Leader Mao Zedong

Southern China Area Ruled Northern China

United States Foreign Support Soviet Union

Domestic Policy

Public Support

Military Organization

Chinese Political Opponents 1945

Nationalists CommunistsJiang Jieshi Leader Mao Zedong

Southern China Area Ruled Northern China

United States Foreign Support Soviet Union

Defeat Communists Domestic Policy National Liberation

Public Support

Military Organization

Chinese Political Opponents 1945

Nationalists CommunistsJiang Jieshi Leader Mao Zedong

Southern China Area Ruled Northern China

United States Foreign Support Soviet Union

Defeat Communists Domestic Policy National Liberation

Weak; due to inflation and failing economy Public Support

Strong; due to promised land reform for peasants

Military Organization

Chinese Political Opponents 1945

Nationalists CommunistsJiang Jieshi Leader Mao Zedong

Southern China Area Ruled Northern China

United States Foreign Support Soviet Union

Defeat Communists Domestic Policy National Liberation

Weak; due to inflation and failing economy Public Support

Strong; due to promised land reform for peasants

Ineffective, corrupt leadership and poor

morale

Military Organization

Experienced, motivated guerilla army

Two Chinas

• Communists defeated Nationalists and took over country

• Nationalist China- Taiwan Communist China- Mainland

Super Powers

• US supported Taiwan

• Soviets supported Mainland (Communist)

Communist China Expands

• Mao took Tibet, India, and Inner Mongolia

• Tibet- 1950-52 promised autonomy to Tibetans, but forced Dali Lama into exile in India where many refugees were accepted after a failed revolt in 1959

Marxist Socialism

• Agrarian Reform Law 1950 seized land from landholders (killed more than a million) and divided land among the peasants

• Nationalized private companies

• 1953- A five year plan for industry production to increase

Great Leap Forward

• 1958-Large collective farms called Communes

• Peasants worked land together

• Owned nothing- ate, slept, and lived with one another

• “A Giant Step Backward”- no incentive to work hard

Cultural Revolution

• Mao urged students to make revolution• Red Guards wanted to establish a society

of peasants and workers in which all were equal

• Intellectuals were dangerous so colleges were shut down and intellectuals were forced to do hard labor

• Eventually the army was ordered to stop the Red Guards