The Chinese Revolution• When Japan invaded China in 1937, a

civil war was being fought between the Nationalists & Communists

• During WWII, the groups put their differences aside to be a part of the victorious Allies over Japan

• With war’s end, the Communists & Nationalists resumed fighting

• Mao Zedong, leader of the Communists, controlled the northwestern part of China

• During WWII, he organized peasants to fight against the Japanese

• His efforts to teach literacy & improve food production won the loyalty of the peasants over the Nationalists

• By 1945, Mao’s Red Army controlled most of Northern China

Nationalists• Meanwhile, the Nationalists forces

under Jiang Jieshi dominated southwest China

• Mountains protected Jiang Jieshi & the Nationalists from the Japanese during the war

• Jiang gathered an army of 2.5 million & the U.S. sent $1.5 billion in aid to fight the Japanese

• Much of the $ went to a few corrupt officers

• Jiang’s army didn’t fight many battles against Japan

• He wanted to rest up for coming battle against Mao’s Red Army

• As soon as the Japanese surrendered, the Nationalists & Communists resumed their civil war

Civil War Resumes• The renewed civil war lasted from 1946-49• At first, the Nationalists enjoyed a big

advantage• Their army outnumbered the Communists’

army by 3 to 1• They also received $2 billion from the U.S• The Nationalists did very little to win

popular support• With China’s economy collapsing

thousands of Nationalists switched over to the Communists

• By 1949, cities were falling to Mao’s Red Army

• Mao’s troops were well trained at guerilla warfare & were excited about the return of land to the peasants

• In October 1949, Mao took over the country as Jiang & the Nationalists fled to the island of Taiwan (Formosa)

Soviet Union & China• Mao Zedong’s victory fueled U.S. anti-

communist feelings• Those feelings only grew after China &

Soviet Union signed a friendship treaty in 1950

• Many Americans saw it as another step in a Communist plan to take over the world

• China was split into two nations, the Peoples Republic of China & the Nationalists on the island of Taiwan

• The U.S. gave support to the Nationalists in Taiwan (Republic of China)

• The Soviets gave aid to the People’s Republic & they pledged to defend each other

• The U.S. & Soviets set up their influence in Korea as well

• In the early years Mao’s troops expanded into Mongolia, Tibet, & India

Mao’s Changes• Mao wanted to restore China as a

powerful nation• He rapidly moved to strengthen his rule

over the 550 million Chinese• Communists claimed to have “Mandate of

Heaven”• Mao re-shaped the economy based on

Marx socialism• 80% of the population lived in rural areas,

but most didn’t own land• 10% of the population controlled 70% of

the land• Under the Agrarian Reform Law of 1950

Mao seized the land from the landlords• Mao’s forces killed over a million landlords • From 1953-57 Mao forced peasants to

work collective farms• He made women more equal & instituted

govt. sponsored health care

Mao’s Economic Changes• Mao’s changes also transformed

business & industry• The govt. brought all private

companies under private ownership (nationalized)

• In 1953 Mao launched a Soviet style five year plan that set high targets for industry

• By 1957, China’s coal, electricity, & cement doubled while steel production quadrupled

• Sparked by this success, Mao started the “Great Leap Forward” in 1958

• It was a program to make even larger collective farms or communes

• The original communes were 200-300 households

• The new ones were 15,000 acres & supported 25,000 people

The Great Leap Forward• In the strictly controlled life in communes,

peasants organized into “production battalions”

• Under the leadership of company and squad leaders, they worked the land together

• They ate in communal dining rooms, slept in communal dorms, & raised children in communal nurseries. They owned nothing

• The peasants had no incentive to work hard when only the state (govt.) profited

• Most hated living in the large communes• Great Leap Forward proved to be a leap

backward• It was poorly planned and some operated

their own private backyard industries• Worst of all, crop failures between 1958-61

unleashed famine that killed 20 million• The govt. ended the program in 1961

China & Soviet Split• In the 1960s things got worse as

China and the Soviet Union ended their alliance

• Mao reduced his role in govt. • Farmers were able to work small

private farms• Factory workers could compete for

promotions & wage increases• Mao disapproved of the new

economic policy b/c it went against the Communist philosophy of equality

• Determined to revive the revolution he launched a new campaign in 1966

• He urged millions of China’s young people to lead the revolution

• They left their classrooms and formed military units called Red Guards

The Cultural Revolution• The Red Guards led a major uprising

known as the Cultural Revolution• The goal was to establish equality for

peasants & workers• The hero was the peasant who worked

with his hands• The villain was an artists or intellectual• The Red Guards shut down schools • They lashed out at professors, govt.

officials, factory owners & even parents• Exiled intellectuals had to purify

themselves by doing hard labor in fields

• The chaos threatened factories & farm production

• Civil war seemed possible & by 1976 even Mao admitted the Cultural Revolution had to stop

China Opens Up• Instead of saving radical

communism, Mao’s Cultural Revolution turned many people against it

• In the early 1970s, China entered a less extreme under Zhou Enlai

• Zhou had been premiere since 1949

• During the Cultural Revolution, he tried to restrain the radicals

• China’s isolation worried him• In 1971, Zhou shocked the world

by inviting American table tennis players to China

• Nixon visited & met with Mao & Zhou

• They agreed to limited open trade• In 1979 the U.S. & China opened

to formal diplomatic relations

Four Modernizations• Both Mao & Zhou died in 1976• In 1980, Deng Xiaoping emerged as the

new powerful leader• Although he was a lifelong Communist,

Deng supported modern economic policy• Unlike Mao, he was willing to use capitalist

ideas to support the economy• He embraced a new set of goals known as

the Four Modernizations• These called for progress in agriculture,

industry, defense & science/technology• It was called the Second Revolution• He allowed farmers to grow a portion of

private crops & allowed private businesses• Food production increased 50% from

1978-84• His policies changed daily life, as Chinese

bought appliances & even participated in western fads

Tiananmen Square• Deng’s economic policies provided unexpected

problems• Living standards improved, but there was

corruption & a large gap between rich & poor• Some Chinese students were studying in western

schools & brought back the ideas of democracy• In 1989 students sparked a political uprising• In April more than 100,000 students gathered in

Tiananmen Square in Beijing• The students mounted a protest for democracy• 1 million gathered in support & called for Deng to

resign• Deng responded by sending troops• About 3000 remained & made their own 33 foot

statue resemble the Statue of Liberty• On 6/4/1989 armed soldiers stormed Tiananmen

Square w/ tanks & opened fire• Hundreds died, but Deng claimed the group was

plotting against the govt.• However, Television news stations around the

world showed the truth