China’s Road to Communism

Mao Zedong~ Hero or Villain?

China Before Mao

• In 1911, the Qing Dynasty ended and China became a republic.

• The next sixteen years were filled with struggle and war, including against Japan.

• The Nationalist Party (200,000 members) and Chinese Communist Party (10,000 members) were formed.

Long March• The two parties joined forces to

fight warlords, but unity did not last and fighting for power ensued.

• When- In 1934• Who- Mao and his 100,000

communist followers called the Red Army

• What- retreated north for 6,000 miles

• Why – To escape Nationalist. They were outnumbered and sure to be defeated

China Before Mao

• Chaing Kai-Shek, nationalist, ruled until 1949.

• His government improved transportation, education, and industry.

• However, the peasants and laborers became frustrated because their life did not improve.

China’s Nationalist leader, Chaing Kai-

Shek

Communist Revolution• Mao Zedong came out as the leader of

the communists after the Long March.

Who is Mao???•He was a peasant•He attended Hunan’s Teacher’s College

During WWII: Japan Invades China

• In 1937 Japan invades China to secure control of China vast raw material.

• The Nationalists and Communists fight together against Japan.

• Again, unity did not last between the two.

Map of Japanese control overChina in 1940

October 1st 1949

• The communists defeated the nationalists.

• Mao declared China an Communist state called the People’s Republic of China.

Mao’s Rule • He was head of Communist Party and of

China’s government giving him nearly absolute power.

• His goals as China’s Supreme Leader:– Establish a classless society– For China to be equal to western powers in

agriculture and industry.

Great Leap Forward• Purpose: to speed up economic

development (agriculture and industry)

• What is it? Series of policies created large working/living communities

• Result: Poor agricultural production, droughts, and floods caused the worst famine in history. From 1958-1960 20 million people starved.

During the Great Leap • They created enthusiasm with Communist

propaganda such as posters and political speeches while laborers were in the fields.

Reasons it failed…• Drought

• Poor agricultural production

• Equipment that was constructed rapidly fell apart

• Peasants were falling asleep and being injured due to overworking

• Political desires overshadowed the well being of the people

Cultural Revolution

• Purpose: to remove opposition of the communist party, remove western influence in Chinese society, and close the gap between the peasants and the land and factory owners.

• What is it??: Ten years of “cultural cleansing” that included harsh treatment and violence towards citizens that held onto Chinese tradition our outside influences.

• Result: Families separated, people repressed, schools closed, death, and imprisonment.

Some of the events of the C.R.• Schools and stores were closed if they

taught/sold anything not support the communist party.

• Land and factory owners were chastised publically and articles were written against them.

• Mao’s wife controlled cultural society, so plays and art were created that glorified Mao.

• Mao’s Little Red Book

The Red Guard• High school students and urban youth. • They were given power enforce rules and mistreated

innocent people• They destroyed books, artwork, religious buildings, or

anything that connected to the China’s past or western ideas

Mao had called on every youth of China to build a new nation according to his own thought and Communist thought. The posters, accordingly, depict young people and students as taking part in all sorts of political activities.

China Today

Tiananmen Square