Problems with China in 1900

• Society unchanged for centuries• Rule of the Manchus• Rule of the landlords• Peasant poverty• Unequal treaties• Rebellions e.g Boxer 18995• Boy Emperor 1908• Growth of nationalism

China Revision Part 1 - 1900-1949

Sun and the KMT

• Revolution of 1911• 3 principles - nationalism, democracy, people’s welfare• KMT established in 1905• Revolution of 1911 starts in Wuhan in Oct• Sun out of the country but declared president by his

supporters• North and army remain loyal to the emperor• Feb 1912 Sun resigns following a deal with Yuan Shi

Kai - Yuan president, emperor abdicate, 3 principles followed

Yuan’s Rule 1912-1916

• Emperor abdicated

• Elections held for a people’s assembly

• KMT declared illegal by Yuan and assembly representatives forced to leave

• Feb 1915 - 21 demands conceded to Japan

• Dec 1915 - Yuan declares himself emperor but forced into a u-turn by army

Warlord China• Central control collapses in 1916• Provinces under control of army generals• Results in higher taxes, opium growth, fighting, devasted

crops, harsh punishments, growth of foreign influence• Also growth of nationalist movements e.g May Fourth

Movement 1919 - TV, modernization, western imperialism and Japan

• CCP formed 1921 in Shanghai• KMT reorganised - remain strong in the South - Sun

president - rewrites 3 principles, Soviet help, army developed under Chiang, work with new CCP

United Front and beyond

• 1923 UF formed • 1925 Northern expedition under Chiang• By June 1928 Beijing occupied• CCP grew because - peasant support,

message, land reform in CCP areas• Huge threat to Chiang - Shanghai massacre

April 1927 - CCP forced to retreat to Jiangxi Province

Why was Chiang not able to gain complete control of China from

1926-1935 • Not all warlords defeated by the Northern

Campaign• Japanese invaded Manchuria in 1931• CCP continued to grow in Jiangxi• Cities controlled by KMT - country by CCP• Land reform in the Jiangxi soviet• 4 KMT campaigns against the Soviet failed

due to guerilla tactics of the CCP

Long March and consequences

• 1933 KMT adopted the blockhouse tactic• Fifth campaign a success• Oct 1934 CCP forced into the retreat to Yanan• Constant attack, physical dangers, hunger, but

CCP survived• CCP ideas spread, looked more patriotic, Mao

emerged as leader, USSR influence declined

Communists, Nationalists and the Japanese War

• 1931 Japanese invaded Manchuria• Chiang at first ignores this• Chiang arrested in Xian by Zhang Xueliang in 1936• 1937 - 1945 Second United Front formed• KMT retreated to Nanjing in the West• KMT rule became corrupt and harsh• Cut off from natural supporter in the eastern cities• KMT appeared unwilling and cowardly• CCP remained in the country and continued with land reform• Operated in areas controlled by the Japanese

Civil War 1945 - 1949

• CCP troops motivated and disciplined - KMT not• Support of the peasants• Inspirational CCP leadership• Mass desertion from KMT armies• Red Army grows steadily• Red army tactics were superior• KMT loses US funding• Jan 1949 - PRC established

Mao’s aims in 1949• 1950 the elimination of landlordism began - 1950 Land Law• Land redistributed among the peasants• Many landlords tried in people’s courts• One party state - all parties suppressed• All non communist were labeled a counter revolutionary or an

imperialist• Women’s position improved - 1950 Marriage Law• Concubinage, polygamy, child betrothal, arranged marriages were

banned• Women given right to own property, equality in education and

workplace• Maternity benefits introduced and nurseries in government industries

First Five Year Plan 1952

• Concentrated on coal, steel and petro chemicals• Most targets were achieved, with the notable

exception of oil and merchant ships• Plan aided by Soviet advisers• Economic growth of 9%• Success of the plan caused huge problems. Food and

housing were in short supply• Mao called for public discussion in 1957• Most untypical of Mao who resented criticism and

disliked experts

Hundred Flowers - 1957

• Mao believed that it was possible to allow greater freedom

• Allow people to offer new ideas• In reality the campaign may well not have been sincere,

but simply an attempt to discover potential opponents• Many people openly criticised the Plan and Mao• At that point Mao called an end to the campaign and

began an anti rightist movement• Most of the critics arrested and sent for “thought

reform”

The Second Five Year Plan

• Collectivization introduced • China’s growing population needed more food• Peasant farming needed to be brought under

central control - communes were created• Peasants ordered to live communally in dorms and

pool land/resources/ labour• Peasants ordered to farm according to instructions

not their own experience• The result was famine and death

Great Leap Forward

• In 1957 Mao announced the Great Leap Forward, which was part of the Second Five Year Plan

• This was an attempt to turn China into an industrial superpower by using massive manpower

• The GLF was based upon Communes• All over China people were asked to set up backyard

blast furnaces and produce steel. The steel produced was of poor quality

• To produce steel, peasants neglected their crops that went to ruin. This added to the famine caused by collectivisation

Why did it fail? Results• No capital investment• No technology• No planning• No specialist knowledge• Mao resigned as President of the PRC in 1958• 1962 he handed responsibility over the economy to Deng

and Liu Shaoqi• The moderates then recommended some free market reform• Peasants were allowed to have their own plots of land• Mao withdrew from the front line

The Cultural Revolution• Regretting his loss of power and concerned by the moderates

changes Mao began to build up his support in the PLA• Mao thought the revolution was becoming remote from the

people• Too many specialists and experts had control over the economy• The revolution was being betrayed• He wanted permanent revolution and change• He wanted to appeal to the mass over the heads of the CCP

leadership• Old Chinese ways and culture had to be replaced by socialist

ideas

Events

• 1966 Mao sets up the Red Guards and published his “Red book”

• Mao urged them to attack the “four olds” of customs, thoughts, culture and habits

• The red guards attacked all authority figures• Deng and Liu were arrested• Teachers, doctors, intellectuals were humiliated and

subjected to “struggle sessions”• Temples, shrines and art were destroyed• New socialist culture glorified the CCP and the revolution

Effects?• All authority undermined• Schools and colleges closed• Rival Red Guard groups clashed• PLA ranks were abolished• Mao’s opponents were accused of revisionism and dismissed• Industrial production was at a standstill• Country in chaos and Mao forced to order the Red Guards to

halt their attacks• The PLA were called in to restore order• Red guards sent into the countryside to learn from the

peasants