Chinese Communist Chinese Communist RevolutionRevolution

Main Ideas

• After World War II, Chinese Communists defeated Nationalist forces and two separate Chinas emerged.

• China remains a Communist country and a major player on the world stage

• The second China (Taiwan) is non-communist and is considered a major flash point in foreign relations

Key Themes and Concepts

• Conflict: how did the Communists come to power in China by 1949 ?

• Human Rights: in what ways did the communist government improve the status of women in China? How has the Chinese govt violated peoples rights ?

• Change : what changes did Mao Zedong bring to China after 1949?

• Economic Systems : How did Deng Xiaoping reform the economy, and what were the results?

Two Chinas

• The People’s Republic of China : Communist state on Asian mainland

• Republic of China aka Taiwan: non-communist state; island off the coast of the mainland

Nationalists vs. Communists

• Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) controlled the Nationalist party.

• Mao Zedong emerged as the leader of the Communist party.

Chiang Kai-shek Mao Zedong

Communist Rise to Power

• Mao fled the Nationalist forces in 1934 in a retreat known as the Long March. Roughly 6000 miles

• Mao sets up base in Northern China• Communists, Nationalists and invading

Japanese fight for control• 1949 Mao’s Communists are victorious• Nationalists flea to Taiwan

Reasons for Communist Success

• Mao won support of large peasant population by promising land.

• Mao won support of women

• Guerrilla warfare

• Many saw Nationalists as corrupt

Communism Under Mao Zedong

• Literacy increased

• Landlords and business classes eliminated

• Rural Chinese were given health care

• Dictatorship was established which denied basic rights and freedoms

Changing Role of Women

• Women won equality under law

• They were expected to work alongside their husbands

• Full equality was not achieved as only a few women had top government jobs

• They also did not earn the same wages as men

The Great Leap Forward

• 1958 Mao launches Great Leap Forward in order to increase agricultural and industrial output

• He creates communes : groups of people who live and work together and hold property in common.

• This program failed. Communes produced poorly made goods and agricultural output declined

The Cultural Revolution

• 1966 Mao Zedong launches the Cultural Revolution to renew the people’s loyalty to communism and establish a more equal society

“The People’s Liberation Army of China is a grand school of Mao Zedong thought.”

“Shatter the old world andEstablish a new world.”

Worker crushes the Crucifix, Buddha andClassical Chinese textsWith his hammer.

“Let the new socialist culture occupy every field.”

• Mao shut down schools and universities and urged the students to join the Revolution

• Students formed groups of fighters called the Red Guards

• They attacked professors, govt officials and factory managers

United States Recognition

• China joins UN 1971• Nixon visits Mao in

1972• 1979 the United States

officially recognized the People’s Republic of China

Communism under Deng Xiaoping

• 1976 Mao dies• Deng Xiaoping takes

control• His leadership brings

some economic freedom but little political change

The Four Modernizations

• Farming : modernized and mechanized

• Industry : upgraded and expanded

• Science and technology : promoted and developed

• Defense : military forces improved

Results of the Reforms

• Economy grew• Some experienced

better standard of living

• Foreign relations and trade improved

• Crime and corruption grew

• Rich/poor gap widened

• Some demanded more political freedom

Pros Cons

Tiananmen Square, 1989

• Students mount a protest for democracy

• Deng declares Martial Law.

• Deng also orders 250,000 troops to surround Beijing

Goddess of Democracy statue

More democracy!

Tiananmen Square, 1989

Student activist, Wang Dan, Beijing University

Tiananmen Square, 1989

Democracy—Our Common Ideal!

Tiananmen Square, 1989

The“Goddess

ofDemocracy”

Tiananmen Square, 1989

The Government Clamps Down

Tiananmen Square, 1989

A Voice From The Past

• It would be a lie to say that we were not afraid, but we were mentally prepared and very determined. Some students could not believe that the army would really use deadly force. But most of all, we were motivated by a powerful sense of purpose. We believed that it would be worth sacrificing our lives for the sake of progress and democracy in China.

- Anonymous student

The Massacre: The People’s Army Moves In

Tiananmen Square, 1989

Tiananmen Square, 1989

Tiananmen Square, 1989

The Army Looks for Dissidents

Student Leaders Are Arrested

Tiananmen Square, 1989

Chinese Students Mourn the Dead

Tiananmen Square, 1989

The Reestablishment of Order

Tiananmen Square, 1989

A Tragic End

• When the protestors refused to disperse the govt sent in troops and tanks.

• 1000’s of Chinese were wounded or killed

Return of Hong Kong

• Since 1842 Britain had control of the island of Hong Kong

• The island was turned over to the Chinese on July 1, 1997

We’ve Come Full Circle

• Conflict: how did the Communists come to power in China by 1949 ?

• Human Rights: in what ways did the communist government improve the status of women in China? How has the Chinese govt violated peoples rights ?

• Change : what changes did Mao Zedong bring to China after 1949?

• Economic Systems : How did Deng Xiaoping reform the economy, and what were the results?