Transcript Communist Triumph in China

Communist Triumph
in China
Main Idea
After WWII, Chinese Communist
defeated Nationalist forces and two
separate Chinas emerged.
Why it Matters Now?
China remains a Communist
country and a major player of the
world stage.
Setting the Stage
 In WWII, China fought with the allies.
 During the war Japan’s occupation
destroyed China’s major cities.
 China’s civilian death toll was in the
millions.
 This was second only to Russia.
Civil War In China
 When the Japanese invaded in 1937,
China was in a Civil war between
Nationalist and Communist.
 During WWII they fought together
against Japan.
 Once the war ended the Civil war
continued.
Internal Struggles
 The Communist under leader Mao
Zedong, held northwestern China.
 The Chinese peasants helped them
mobilize and create guerrilla war against
the Japanese.
 The efforts to teach literacy and provide
food production gave the Chinese the
loyalty of the peasants.
Internal Struggles
 Jiang Jieshi controlled the national
forces and they were in southwestern
China
 The Nationalist Army was protected by a
Mountain from the Japanese.
 Jiang gathered an army of 2.5 million
 The US gave them $1.5 billion to fight
Japanese.
Internal Struggles
 Instead of using the Money to support
the army it went into the hands of corrupt
officers.
 Jiang’s army fought few battles against
the Japanese, instead it resources for
the coming battle against Mao’s Red
Army.
 As soon as the Japan surrendered the
civil war resumed.
Chinese Political
Opponents 1945
 Nationalists
 Leader: Jiang Jieshi
 Area Ruled: Southern China
 Foreign Support: United States
 Domestic Policy: Defeat of Communist.
 Public Support: Weak b/c inflation/econ.
 Military Organization: Ineffective, Corrupt
Chinese Political
Opponents 1945
 Communists
 Leader: Mao Zedong
 Area Ruled: Northern China
 Foreign Support: Soviet Union
 Domestic Policy: National Liberation
 Public Support: Strong, promised land
reform
 Military Organization: Experienced,
motivated guerrilla army
Involvement of the
United States
 The Civil War lasted from 1946-49.
 At first the Nationalist enjoyed all the
advantages.
 They outnumbered the Communist
soldiers 3 to 1, and the US gave them $2
billion more in aid.
 The Nationalist However, did nothing to
help their cause with the people of china.
Involvement of the
United States
 1000’s of Nationalist soldiers began to
desert to the Communist.
 China’s major cities were falling to the
Red Army.
 Mao’s Army was better trained and
motivated at the promise of returned
land to the people.
 In October 1949 Mao controlled the
country. Jiang’s army fled south.
Involvement of the
United States
 He called the new county the People’s
Republic of China.
 Mao’s victory fueled the US’s anticommunist feeling.
 Then China/USSR sign treaty
 US Viewed this as Communism trying to
take over the world.
Two Chinas and the
Cold War
 China had split into two nations
 Nationalist China or Taiwan.
 People’s Republic of China or Mainland
china.
 These two china’s and the difference
between land masses only fueled the
flames of the cold war.
The Superpowers
React
The US supported Taiwan and the
Soviets supported China, both with
money, military, and technology.
The US and USSR also divided up
Japan (US getting more) and Korea
into Soviet supported North and US
supported South.
Communist China
Continues to Expand
 Under Mao, China expanded into
Mongolia, Tibet, and India.
 The religious leader in Tibet, the Dalai
Lama was forced to flee to India were he
was welcomed.
 1962 China/India Border dispute. China
was able to maintain and holds it border.
Transformation and
Revolution
China for decades had either been
at war or occupied by Japan, so
Mao moved to get fast control over
the 550 million people in China.
Transformation Under
Mao Zedong
 The Chinese Government set up two
parallel organizations.
 These were the Communist party
 And the National Government.
 Until 1959 Mao ruled both as chairman
of the Communist party and head of
State.
Mao’s Marxist
Socialism
 Mao determined to reshape China’s
economy based on Marxist socialism
 10% of the rural population owned 70%
of the land, so Mao took it away and
gave it to the peasants and killed over a
million people who resisted.
 He installed collective farms, gave
women equality at work and home.
Mao’s Marxist
Socialism
 He created state sponsored child care.
 He brought all private business and
industry under the Government control.
 1953 Set us a Soviet style 5 year plan.
 The plan succeeded, China’s output of
coal, cement, and electricity had
doubled, steel had quadrupled.
Mao’s Communes
 1958 Mao proclaimed the “great leap
forward,”
 This plan called for even larger collective
farms, or COMMUNES.
 By the end of 1958 they had created
about 26,000 Communes.
 The avg. Commune spread over
15,000acres and supported 25,000
people.
Mao’s Communes
 The great leap forward, was really a
great leap backwards.
 The peasants were organized into
“production battalions,” and under the
leadership of a squad leader they had to
eat, sleep, and raise their children in a
communal situation.
 Most peasants hated this situation.
Mao’s Communes
Worst of all between 1958 and
1961 crop failures killed around 20
million people.
The Government officially
discontinued the program in 1961.
New Policies and
Mao’s Response
 China’s and USSR’s relationship began
to fade.
 Both countries sought to led the
worldwide communist movement.
 They shared the world’s longest border
and had many disputes about it.
 In 1960 the Soviets had ended economic
aid to China
New Policies and
Mao’s Response
 After the split with USSR and the failure
of the “Great leap forward,” Mao reduced
his role in government.
 The new leaders move away from the
strict commune rules.
 Farm families could live in a house, sell
crops they grew, and compete for wages
and promotions.
New Policies and
Mao’s Response
 Mao was not happy about the new
economic policies.
 In 1966 Mao launched a new revolution
campaign.
 He urged young people to, “learn
revolution by making revolution.”
 Millions of high-school and college
responded and formed the militia called
the Red Guards.
The Cultural
Revolution
 The Red Guards led a major uprising
known as the Cultural Revolution.
 The goal was to establish a society of
peasants and workers in which all were
equal.
 The new hero was a peasant who
worked with his hands.
 Intellectuals were considered dangerous.
 The Red Guards shut down schools and
colleges.
The Cultural
Revolution
 Exiled intellectuals had to “Purify,”
themselves by doing hard labor in
remote villages.
 1000’s were killed or died in jail.
 There was widespread violence.
 The Chaos closed down factories and
stalled farm productions.
 Civil War seemed possible.
The Cultural
Revolution
By 1976, even Mao admitted the
Cultural Revolution had to stop.
With Mao’s permission the Army
dissolved the Red Guards.
Zhou Enlai began to restore order
in China. He had been premier
since 1949.