1. Mao Zedong and the Chinese Revolution
d. Describe the impact of Communism in China in terms of Mao Zedong, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and Tiananmen Square.

2. Birth of the Chinese Communist Party
Many young Chinese were angry about the Treaty after WWI which gave some of their land to Japan
They wanted to end what they felt was a failed government.
They began looking at Russia and their Communist Revolution as an alternative to western democracy.

3. In 1921, a group of young Chinese men including Mao Zedong met to form the Chinese Communist Party.

4. Civil War in China
Mao Zedong survived the attack on the communists by the Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek.
He relocated his communist party to the countryside and rallied the support of the peasants.

5. Long March
1933 – Mao and 600,000 followers escaped defeat from the Nationalist government by heading into the mountainside.
The 6,000 mile journey was known as the Long March.
There was a temporary truce during World War II while both sides fought to keep the Japanese from taking over China.

7. People’s Republic of China
When WWII was over the Civil War started up again. (Technically was still going on during WWII)
Mao’s army was now known as the Red Army.
In 1949 the Red Army defeated the Nationalist government.
Oct – Mao proclaimed the creation of the People’s Republic of China. (a communist government)

8. Mao Zedong wanted a nation of farmers and workers (everyone equal)

9. Great Leap Forward (GLF)
Mao Zedong got rid of private ownership of property
1958, decided to organize all farms into large collectives where ownership and decisions were made by the government
Called the “Great Leap
Forward” because
Mao believed positive
changes would follow

10. Outcome of GLF
Many Chinese didn’t like the large farms – missed their own land
Couldn’t own anything for themselves – no incentive to work hard (think command economy!)
Late 1950s, China had a series of crop failures
China went through a period of famine
45 million died during this time (estimate)

11. Mao (left) and Ho Chi Minh (right)

12. Cultural Revolution (CR)
After failure of GLF, people began looking out for themselves (private ownership), which upset Mao
The idea of a classless, communist society was fading. So Mao responded with the Cultural Revolution.
Urged students to leave school and go to war on anything in society that promoted class differences
Student armies known as the “Red Guard”

13. Cultural Revolution
Community leaders in high positions were attacked – so were business managers, college professors, and gov’t officials who didn’t firmly believe in full equality
Chaos, random imprisonment, and frequent murder happened for 10
years until Mao finally
ended it

14. But Western investment = western ideas
Deng Xiaoping
Mao died in 1976, and by 1980 Deng Xiaoping was the new leader
Reforms:
Allowed farmers to own some land
Some private businesses to organize
Opened China to foreign investment
But Western investment = western ideas

15. Tiananmen Square (1989)
Over 10,000 students gathered to protest corruption in China’s gov’t
Wanted democracy!
Deng ordered thousands of soldiers to end the protest
Hundreds died, many more wounded, and a lot of them arrested. China would continue to be censored.