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Chinese Communist Revolution. Origins of the Revolution. Chinese Communist Party (CCP) established by young radicals in Shanghai (1921) First welcomed by Sun Yat-sen’s Nationalists ***Unified against Imperialist nations*** Chiang Kai-shek takes over for Sun Yat-sen in 1925
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Origins of the Revolution • Chinese Communist Party (CCP) established by young radicals in Shanghai (1921) • First welcomed by Sun Yat-sen’s Nationalists ***Unified against Imperialist nations*** • Chiang Kai-shek takes over for Sun Yat-sen in 1925 • Shanghai Massacre (1927) • Thousands killed by Chiang’s forces • Communist leaders go into hiding • Mao Zedong becomes important leader for CCP • Believes peasants will lead revolution opposed to urban workers • Nationalists (aka. Kuomintang or KMT) attacked CCP forces • The Long March • People’s Liberation Army (PLA) broke through Nationalist lines • Only 9,000 out of 90,000 survive but provides hope for future
Chinese Civil War (1945-1949) • Chiang’s government oppressive and very unpopular (especially to China’s rural population) • Supposed to be moving toward republican form of government (struggles to effectively do so) • During Japanese occupation (W.W.II) KMT and CCP had united against common threat - Japanese • Once war is over (1945) civil war breaks out between Nationalist and Communist forces • PLA defeats Nationalist forces by 1949 • Chiang and followers flee to Taiwan
Aftermath of Civil War • People’s Republic of China (PRC) established under Chairman Mao and Communist party • Had promised peasants land reform for their support • Want socialist society - private land collectively owned/most industry and commerce nationalized • Hoping food production increases (doesn’t happen) • Great Leap Forward (1958) • Radical plan intended to speed up economic growth • Collective farms combined into Communes • Ends up being a disaster (approximately 15-20 million people die) Why? • Destroys incentive – people hated communal living (drought/famine) • Cultural Revolution (1966) • Red Guards (army made up of China’s youth) carry out brutal attacks on intellectuals, artists, and pro-Westerners and anyone else who represented “old ways” or ideas contrary to the regime. • Heroes of the Revolution – the peasants (work with their hands)
Korean Conflict (1950-1953) • Why does it begin? • Two Koreas – post W.W.II • North Korea (occupied by Soviets/USSR) • South Korea (occupied by U.S.) • North attempts to install communist regime in South Korea • Result? • U.N. sponsors invasion led by U.S. (90% of troops) • Other major nations involved • North - China (directly) and USSR (indirectly) • South – numerous other nations join coalition forces • Ends in a stalemate between two sides at 38th parallel • Armistice (longest cease fire in history) • Tension/instability along border DMZ