CHINESE AND MEXICAN

REVOLUTIONS

Unit 6: Accelerating Global Change and Realignments c1900 to the Present

CHINESE REVOLUTION

Partner Discussion Question

Use the map for some extra insights!!!

What were some of the problems that Qing China was facing by 1900? Give TWO examples.

China Revolution - Background China dominated by imperialist

powers Government = Conservative and anti-

foreign (remember the Boxer Rebellion!)

BUT…Gov’t blamed for being weak due to the domination of foreigners

Chinese Revolution (1911-1912)

Decline of the QingFailed to modernize ChinaDidn’t confront foreign powers

Series of uprising and revolts mostly fought by peasants (as is the case in the decline of EVERY Chinese dynasty)

Leadership of 1911 uprising is based on cooperation between intellectual elite (including Communists) and provincial Chinese warlords

The Guomingdang (Nationalist) Party is formed

Group Discussion Question What difficulties might a

newly formed government face in China in 1912? Who would the government want to appeal to (peasants, industrialists, intellectuals, military, etc.)?

China (Civil War) - Roots 1912 - China becomes a republic under Sun

Yat-sen Chinese warlords overthrow the republican

government and Sun Yat-Sen flees to Japan Other warlords (old provincial governors)

fight the Nationalist Party for power 1928 – Sun Yat-sen’s successor, Chiang

Kai-shek, eventually leads the Nationalists to power

Chinese Civil War (Roots)

Sun Yat-sen

Chinese Civil War

Under Chiang Kai-shek living conditions of the peasants do not improve

Communists – supported by peasantsNationalists were seen as corrupt and

favoring the elite and business classes The Communists, led by Mao Zedong,

oppose the Nationalist governmentMao forms the Red Army to fight against the

Nationalist government

Chinese Civil War

Chiang Kai-ShekMao Zedong

Group Discussion Question What disadvantages did the

Communist party and Red Army face in fighting against the Nationalists? What advantages did the Communist and Red Army have?

Chinese Civil War The Nationalists win many victories

against the Communist Red Army Chiang and his Nationalist army surround

the Red Army The Long March – Red Army retreats -

started with 100,000 men and ends with 8,000

1939 - Communist and Nationalist join forces to fight against Japanese invasionSaves the Communist movement

The Long March

Chinese Civil War After WWII – Civil War continues 1949 – Mao’s Communist forces defeat

Chiang’s Nationalist forcesCommunist forces used weapons given to them by

the Nationalists to fight the JapaneseIncreased support from the Soviet UnionWestern democracies abandon support for Chiang

Chiang/Nationalists retreat to the island of Taiwan off the coast of China

Mao/Communists in charge of mainland China

Separation of China still exists todayTaiwan (Republic of China)

Retreat of Nationalist Forces

Partner Question

What did the Communists believe was needed for China to become self-sufficient in the post-World War II era? How might China achieve this goal? (HINT: Think about Japan in the 1880s!!!)

China – Great Leap Forward

Chinese communists want to build a better, more industrialized economy

People worked in “communes” – large gov’t controlled cooperatives (work groups) Peasants made steel in their backyards

Ultimately a disaster – 20 million people starved as production on farms slashed

China – Great Leap Forward

China – the Cultural Revolution

Ideological division in China’s Communist Party

Pragmatists – wanted practical reforms Cultural Revolution – Mao’s attempt to take

power away from pragmatists Red Guards – students who supported Mao

Attacked teachers, people in authority Red Guard uses extreme force to conduct

the Cultural Revolution 1968 – Mao uses Red Army to put a stop to

the Cultural Revolution

China – the Cultural Revolution

China – the Four Modernizations

1976 – Mao dies Deng Xiaoping gained power Four Modernizations

Improvements in agriculture, industry, science, defense

End commune system – some private propertyAttract foreign investmentCreate more efficient factories operating on

principles of supply and demand

China

Deng Xiaoping

Group Discussion Question In the Four Modernizations,

what aspect of the Chinese people’s lives is missing? What does Deng NOT address that the people may desire?

China – Tiananmen Square Massacre (1989) Deng’s policy led to free enterprise (state

capitalism) – but no political freedoms Students protested for more open political

system in Tiananmen Square Protest brutally put down by government 1,000’s killed, many other imprisoned

China – Tiananmen Square Massacre (1989)

MEXICAN REVOLUTION

Partner Discussion Question What aspect of Mexican

society would have been most likely to have caused a political revolution? (HINT: Think about the early Latin American Revolutions in the early 1800s!!)

Mexican Revolution - Background Rigid social order remains

CreolesMestizosAfricansNative Americans

United States has great influence over Mexican economy (railroads, oil production, banking)

Mexican Presidency – “job for life” position President Porfirio Diaz looking to grow Mexican

industry with foreign capital

Porforio Diaz

Mexican Revolution - Background The Effects of the “Porfiriato” (or Policy

of Porforio)Foreign and Mexican owners discriminated

against Mexican workers and Mexican middle class

Did nothing to improve the lives of the poorest Mestizos

Neglected educationConfiscated ejidos (or common lands)

Ejidos

Mexican Revolution

By 1910 – large portions of Mexican society fed up with Diaz

Political and social turmoil resulted Diaz said he was ready to retire Diaz reneges on his promise, jails his

opponent (Francisco Madero), and the election results in widespread voter fraudRevolts occur.

1911 – Diaz is overthrown and exiled

Mexican Revolution

Francisco Madero – despite being a wealthy landowner, promises agrarian reformDoesn’t fulfill his promise

New rivals for influence among peasants/reformers emergeEmiliano Zapata – organized peasants from

southern MexicoFrancisco “Pancho” Villa – organized

peasants from Northern Mexico

Francisco Madero

Emilio Zapata

“Pancho” Villa

The Mexican Revolution Huerta and the US

1913 - Victoriano Huerta overthrows Madero○ Mexican general○ Conspires with US Ambassador to overthrow the

Madero gov’t○ However, the US Gov’t doesn’t recognize this gov’t

and sends forces to occupy the city of Vera Cruz (1914)

CarranzaThe US backs Venustian Carranza, a politician

more friendly to the USZapata and Villa both fight Huerta as well

Mexican Revolution

Victoriano Huerta

Venustian Carranza

The Mexican Revolution

Huerta is defeated and Carranza becomes PresidentCarranza begins to gain support of

peasants with promises of a new constitution

Zapata and Villa now fight against Carranza

Villa conducts raids in southwestern USUS sends troops into Mexico to capture

Villa but FAIL

Chasing “Pancho” Villa

US General Pershing

Group Discussion Question We have seen SEVERAL

Mexican mini-revolutions… why do revolutions keep occurring? What does the new president and his government fail to do?

The Mexican Constitution Ratified on January 31st, 1917

Universal suffrageRestrictions on foreign ownership of

Mexican land and industryLimits work day to 8 hoursEstablishes a minimum wageRequires land reform

Mexican Revolution - Aftermath Zapata is tricked into capture and is executed in 1917 Villa agrees to a peace deal with Carranza but is later

assassinated in 1923 Who gains?

Mexican middle class, some Mexican workers, Indian culture (e.g. murals of Diego Rivera)

PRI – the Institutionalized Revolutionary Party○ Picks Mexican leaders○ Little real democracy

Who gains the least?Poorest Mexican agricultural workers

○ Poorly paid○ Illiterate

Diego Rivera

Mexican Peasants