The Last Emperor
• Henry P'u Yi • Coup D’état 1911• Ruling family forced
to leave forbidden city in 1913.
• Dies as a gardener in 1967 in Peking (Beijing).
1911 Revolution
• War Lords Rule• Free Elections in 1913• Sun Yat-sen appointed
President.• Election is stolen from
him.• Military leaders take over.• Constitution put in place
with a Congress.• Appearance of Democracy
only.
Beginning of Communism in China
• 1919 –Comintern – “Communist International meeting” wants to spread communism.– Grigorii Voitinsky sent to
establish communism in China.
• 1920 –in secret the Communist Party of China (CCP) is formed.
Resurgence of Sun Yat-sen
• Fled country after having election in 1913 stolen from him.
• Returned in 1918.• The Kuomintang (KMT) –
The Nationalists.• Communists vs.
Nationalists• 1923-27 –First United
Front– Agreement between Soviets,
CCP, KMT
Communism vs. Nationalism
• CCP• Communist Party of
China• Mao Zedong
• KMT• Kuomintang• Sun Yat-sen• Chiang Kai-shek
Northern Expedition
• 1926 –CCP and KMT attack warlords in northern China.
• Chiang Kai-shek –leader of the KMT
• Enormous success, Chiang realizes he doesn’t need communists.
Shanghai Massacre 1927
• Chiang Kai-shek and KMT turn on CCP following Northern Expedition
• Western Intelligence gives position of Communists
• Death upon suspicion of communism.
• Nationalist government rules China from 1927-1949.
• CCP done for?
Mao Zedong
• Flees from the Shanghai Massacre
• Rebuilds CCP using peasants.
• Chiang Kai-shek tries to eliminate CCP.
The Long March
• 1934-1935• To escape the KMT• 18 mountain ranges,
24 rivers• 1 military battle per
day.• Over 100,000 people
started, 8,000 ended the Long March.
World War II in Asia
• Focus shifts from battle between CCP and KMT to China vs. Japan.
• Mao gains support for seeing Japanese as the enemy.
• Chiang loses support for continuing to see CCP as the enemy.
Second United Front
• 1936• Chiang was captured and
forced to enter into the Second United Front.
• Two different types of resistance against the Japanese.– Nationalists: Pull back and
wait for Americans to beat Japanese.
– Communists: Use Guerilla Warfare to protect citizens against Japanese. Much more successful.
End of World War II
• 1946 treaty between Mao and Chiang signed.
• Celebration between Communists and Nationalists is short.
• Battle again between Communists and Nationalists.
CCP strategy
• Kill landlords– 15,097 killed following
WWII.
• Massive land redistribution
• Lenient policy of surrender. – Free train ride home for
Nationalist soldiers.
• CCP captured all of China by 1949.
KMT reaction
• Chiang Kai-shek raided the Forbidden City.
• Fled to Taiwan• Set up Republic of
China.
People’s Republic of China
• Communist victory in October 1949.
• Mao declares the People’s Republic of China.
Maoist China
• Constant revolution is necessary.
• Emperor-like figure.– Cult of Personality
• Becomes friendly with the Soviets.
• Breaks from Soviets
The Great Leap Forward (1957-1961)
• “Long live the general direction! Long live the Great Leap Forward! Long live the People’s Commune!”
• To increase industrial and agricultural production and development.
• Production numbers false, ’62-’63: “Years of Hunger” 20 million starved to death.
Cultural Revolution(1966-1976)
• Mao forced into early retirement.
• Appealed directly to the people –Emperor-like figure.
• The Red Guard• Against supposed
“Capitalists”• 1969: Mao executes many
of the Red Guard and sends the rest to labor reform camps.