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Qing Dynasty
Massive civil disorder and the loss of leaders, led to rebellion, which ousted the infant leader on this date. This dissolved into the Republic of China and the Warlord Period -
GMD
Established on this date. It was the nationalist party of China, and was the most prominent party until Mao took over in 1949. They still are the leading party in Taiwan. It was founded by Sun Yat Sen and later led by Chiang Kai Shek -
Warlord Period
Beginning this year and going until the 1928 northern expedition, after the Qing Dynasty fell, those with power were the military leaders. They split the country into regions that they each brutally controlled. -
Comintern
International communist organization which "intended to fight by all available means, including armed force, for the overthrow of the international bourgeoisie and for the creation of an international Soviet republic as a transition stage to the complete abolition of the State" They both instructed and provided aid the Communists in Cuba. -
May Fourth Movement
Student Demonstrations on this date were a protest against the Chinese government's weak response to the Treaty of Versaille. It was an anti-imperialist, political and cultural movement. The protests on this day spread across the country, and caused an upsurge of nationalism. It was also a demonstration of the populist power in China. -
Treaty of Versailles
Effective on this date, it took away several Chinese territories and gave them to Japanese. -
CCP
Communist Party of China is founded. It is the founder and leader of the People's republic of China. Although there are technically other parties, in practice it is currently the only party in China, and has been since Mao gained control over China. It's history is defined by varoius power struggles and ideological battles. Although once a member of the Comintern, it broke relations due to differing ideologies in the 1960's -
Politburo of China
Elected by the Congress of the Communist party on this date, the politburo is a group of 25 people that oversee the Communist Party of China. -
First United Front
This was the alliance between the KMT and CCP against the war lordism in China. They formed the National Revolutionary Army, and went on the Northern Expedition. It allowed the KMT to control the communists from within, but for the communist to reach a much larger group of people and to have much more political influence. It ended in 1927 when Chiang Kai-Shek purged (killed) many of the Communists. -
Josef Stalin
Taking power on this date, it was his will for the Communist Party of China that was imposed on the party, who often ignored or rejected it, but for a time relied on both political and financial aid. It was under his leadership that the largest and most powerful communist state was grown. -
National Party Congress
Founded on this date it has become significant recently for a sympbolic part in leadership changes in the PRC. In the first Congress, Mao Zedong attended as a representative from Hunan. It operates as the decision/law making/enforcing body of the CCP, which for a long time also meant being the same body for all of China, which was controlled by the CCP. -
Sun Yat-sen
Died on this date. He was a revolutionary, founder and father of the Republic of China. He was instrumental in overthrowing the Qing Dysnasty. He was president of the RoC for a while, and co founded the KMT. He often struggled to keep power, and fell into exile numerous times. He did not live to see China defeat the Warlords. -
Northern Expedition
Starting on this date, the KMT united with the CCP, and led an army against the Warlords in northern China, eventually reuniting China in1928 -
Shanghai Massacre
On this day, Chiang Kai-shek perfrom a surge (killed) many of the communists that had aided them in an alliance during the Northern Expedition. This utterly decimated the CCP which took 20 years to recover to fight back. -
Jiangxi Soviet
This was the territory that the Communist Party controlled, and was the location of the CCP Rujin, the headquarters of the CCP. Here, they were able to practice instatement of some of their policies, most of which failed, but the economy in this region was better than in most places. -
Peoples Liberation Army
The operation armed forces of the People's Republic of China, established on this date. It was formed when Chiang Kai-shek rebelled against the leaders of the army, ending the first United Front. It was integrated into the National Revolutionary Army during the Sino Japanese War, and once the war over was renamed the People's Liberation Army. It modernized using soviet aid in the 1950's, and by itself during the Cultural revolution. -
Nanjing Decade
Started in this year, it was the point when the KMT united the country by defeating the warlords and took power over China, It was much more stable, but violence was still rampant. -
Chiang Kai-Shek
Officially took power on this date, after decimating the CCP, as leader of the KMT, who now controlled China. He led the Northern Exepedition. Unlike his predecessor, he was not well like by the communists. He won a Civil War against the Communists, and ruled for 10 years, until he needed to ally with the CCP against the Japanese. Distrust was high between the groups, and when a american sponsored coallition between the groups failed, the civil war resumed, with the CCP eventually winning. -
Long March
This month began the Long March starting from Jiangxi Province. The KMT had enclosed the CCP, and in the longest retreat ever, the CCP marched for over a year to Yan'an. Many died, but Mao's leadership during this march began his rise to power. Those who survived were filled with the yan'an spirit, a passion for the CCP. It became legendary in the history of the CCP, revolutionary fodder. -
Yan'an
Communists take over Yan'an province in this month, after they finish the Long March. Here, although only about 10,000 members of the Red Army survived, the members of the CCP grew rapidly. It was offered to the CCP by the warlords who had also rebelled against the KMT. It became the headquarters of the CCP. Here, there was intensive military training, and molding of the peasants to the communist model. -
Second United Front
Begignning on this date, it was a temporary alliance between the CCP and KMT, in order to defend China from the Japanese. -
Jiang Qing, Gang of Four
On this date Jiang Qing marries Mao Zedong. Later, she along with Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, and Wang Hongwen. were accussed of orchestrating the failed GPCR, instead of Mao. They were labeled as rightists, were hated by most of the Chinese population. -
Harry Truman
On this date, Harry Truman became President of the USA. Under his leadership, the U.S. chose not to give aid to the KMT during the Chinese Civil War. He supported the KMT nonetheless. -
Mao Zedong, Mao Zedong Thought, Mass Line
Took power of the CCP on this date, taking control of China on October 1st 1949. He converted China into a single party communist state, nationalizing agriculture/business and instituting many social reforms. He is seen as both a savior and a dictator. Mao Zedong Thought is marxist, although it postulates that the agragarian class is the means for communist revolution. Mass line is the political method of Mao. It is it is the "concentrated correct ideas that the masses gain in everday life". -
Kim il-Sung
Leader of North Korea from it's establishment until his death in the 8th of July, 1994. He was an active member of the Communist Party of China, and fought against the Japanese in China. -
Zhou Enlai
Took power as the First Premier of China. He was skillful foreign diplomat for China, advocating peaceful coexistence with western countries. Due to his expertise, he survived being purged during the GPCR. -
Taiwan, Formasa
KMT went there on this date, after losing to the CCP in the Chinese Civil War. -
Suppression of Counter Revolutionaries
Effective on this date, it's purpose was to get rid of opposition, especially former KMT accused of trying undermine the new Communist government. The campaign was implemented as a response to the rebellions that were common in the early years of the People's Republic of China. Those targeted during the campaign in were labeled as "counterrevolutionaries", and were publicly denounced in mass trials -
Marriage Law of 1950
It raised the marriagable aid, created a civil registry for marriages, and made sure both parties consented when getting married. -
Land Reform, Mutual Aid teams, Speak Bitterness meetings
Mutual Aid Teams were the beginning of cooperativization, where there was some labor and monetary sharing. Land reform originally redistributed land, taking it away from landlords and giving it to peasants. In this process there were often speak bitterness meetings, where peasants would put land lords on public unofficial trial, violently expressing their complaints, often killing the landlords. -
Treaty of Alliance and Friendship
A treaty between the Soviet Union and China. -
3-Anti/5 anti
End of 1951 and 1952 respectively, Designed to rid cities of corruption and enemies of the state. Turned into campaigns that consolidated Mao's power by targeting political opponents and capitalists
3 antis: corruption, waste, bureaucracy
5 antis: bribery, theft of state property, tax evasion, cheating on government contracts, stealing state economic information. -
5 Year Plan
Although there were a series of 5 year plans, the first one focused on intensive industrial and agricultural growth, based on the Soviet model and using much Soviet Assistance. Although the industial sector expanded, and agricultural output increased (for a time) through collectivization, agricultural production couldn't keep up with industry, and the national income dropped immensely. -
National People's Congress
The parliment of China, it is what currently has control of China, yet the overwhelming majority of Communist politicians means that the Communist Party has control of this Congress.For most of existence, until recently, it ratified decisions made by the National Party Congress -
Agricultural Cooperativization, Cooperativization, Collectivization, Peoples Communes
Mutual Aid teams evolved into cooperatives in 1954, where materials were shared, and a share could be claimed in the collective in the land was added to the common land pool. This evolved into collectivization, where shares were given bases on labor contribution, not amount of land owned. As agricultural output began to increase, this evolved into people's communes, made up of about 4,500 people, where baiscally everything was shared. -
100 Flowers Campaign
Mao encouraged citizens to openly express their opinions of the communist regime. -
Anti-Rightist Campaign
Instuted immediately after the Hundred Flowers Campaign, and the opposite there of, it purged alleged "rightists", a word that wasn't well defined, sometimes including critics to the left of the government, but officially referred to those intellectuals who appeared to favour capitalism and were against collectivization. Many who spoke out during Hundred flowers were attacked under this campaign. -
Great Leap Forward, Four Pests Campaign, Struggle Sessions
This year began the GLF, which was a social and economic campaign, designed to modernize China through industrialization and collectivization. Those who resisted were persecuted in struggle sessions, similar to the Speak Bitterness meetings. It was an utter failure, ending in economic regression, destruction of agriculture by getting rid of the locust eating sparrow in the Four Pests campaign, the death by starvation of millions. -
Liu Shaoqui
He was Chairman of the People's Republic of China, China's head of state, from 27 April, 1959 to 31 October, 1968, during which he made policies of economic reconstruction in China. He fell out of power in the later 1960s during the Cultural Revolution because of his perceived 'right-wing' viewpoints and because Mao viewed Liu as a threat to his power -
Lushan Conference
This was an informal meeting to discuss the Great Leap Forward, and some of the practical issues it had. Peng Dehuai, criticised the GLF, to which Mao criticized him, and was dismissed, arrested and replaced by Lin Biao. Although the criticism of Peng Dehuai resulted in a victory for Mao Zedong, many believe that he had been treated unfairly. Criticism of party actions and policies were now equal with criticism of Mao. -
Sino-Soviet Split
This was the worsening of Soviet and Chines relations during the Cold War. This was caused by the differing ideologies of Marxism and Maoism. This allowed for warming of relations with the U.S. in 1971 -
Quotations from Chairman Mao (Little Red Book)
It was a book of selected speeches and quotations from chairman Mao. It was one of the the most published books in the world, and was used by the Red Guard. -
Lin Biao
He was a high rnaking miltary Geneeral in the Communist Army, a general that was instrumental in the Chinese Civil War.He wasn't involved in politics much, but was key Mao's cult of personality in the 60's, and for this, was designated to suceed Mao when he died. On this date he came the Vice-premier of China, until his death September 13, 1971, after which he was blamed for the failings of the GPCR. -
Great Proleteriat Cultural Revolution
Mao Zedong started this revoltion to revive communism by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society, attemting to instill citizens with revolutionary spirit of 1949. After it failed, Mao blamed the failure on other members of the governement, such as the gang of four, so that he remained strongly in power. It was perfromed using the Red Guard. -
Red Guards
Set into motion by Moa on this date, they were a mass psuedo-military social movement of youth in China during the Cultural Revolution. They were assigned to rid China of the 4 Olds, and in doing so, descended into attacking and killing people who were suspected of committing one of the 4 olds. -
The Four Olds: Old Culture, Old Customs, Old Habits, Old Ideas
The Olds, seen as anti-proleriat, were destroyed during this campaign. Intellectuals were beaten for demonstrating the four olds, people were renamed, and many articles of chinese archtecture, books, and other art were destroyed. -
Richard Nixon, Rapprochement
Richard Nixon served as president of the United States from this date until his resignation. He attempted to heal relations with China through Rapproachment, and through open foreign diplomacy. -
Peng Dehuai
Died on this date. He rose through the ranks of the warlord army, then through the KMT, eventually allying himself with the CCP. He was instrumental in defending Jiangxi Soviet, and participated in the Long March. He was an important general in nearly all of wars that the CCP took on, and was large advocate for the United Front. He was effectively banished when he criticized the GLF. Peng is considered one of the most successful and highly respected generals in the Chinese Communist Party. -
Deng Xiaopoing
He was a politician and reformist leader of the CCP who led China towards a market economy. He served as paramount leader after Mao died. His economic policies contrary to those of Mao, and thus was purged twice during the GPCR, but regained prominence in 1978 by outmaneuvering Mao's successor, Hua Guofeng. Deng opened China to foreign investment and the global market . Because of him, China has had one of the fastest growing economies in the world and raising the chinese standard of living.