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May Fourth Movement
Over 5,000 students of all classes marched to Peking University to protest the Treaty of Versailles as well as to protest Imperialist Japan. These protests started a wave of nationalism. -
CPC is Formed
The Communist Party of China (CPC) is created by Mao after he is kicked out of the KMT. -
The First United Front
The First United Front, also known as the KMT–CPC Alliance, was formed in 1923 as an alliance to end warlordism in China. Together they formed the National Revolutionary Army. -
Sun Yat Sen Dies
Sun Yat Sen dies and Chiang Kai-shek becomes leader of the KMT. Chiang Kai Sek is more conservative and dictatorial, but the party still followed Sun's Three Principles of the People: Nationalism, Democracy, and People's Livelihood. -
Shanghai Massacre
Chiang Kai-shek led an attack against the CPC. They killed over 5,000 communists and the former alliance between the KMT and CPC ended with the beginning of the Chinese Civil War. -
Chinese Civil War Begins
Was fought between the KMT and the CPC from April 1927 to May 1950. However, the opposing sides came together to fight the Japanese during the Second Sino-Japanese War and WWII. After Japan surrendered in 1945, the Chinese continued to fight each other. -
Mao Moves to the Countryside
After being purged by the KMT, Mao and other CPC members fled to the countryside. During his stay, Mao began to gain support from the peasants and building a peasant army using guerrilla warfare tactics. -
Chinese Soviet Republic Established
Was established by future CPC leader Mao Zedong. It was an independent state within a state that Mao gained leadership skills that he later used to successfully accomplish the communist conquest of China in 1949. -
Japan Invades Manchuria
After the Japanese claimed that the Chinese sabotaged a railway, they led a violent invasion to take over Manchuria.However, Japan really wanted more land, resources, and economic opportunity that they believed the Chinese did not deserve. -
The Long March
6,000 mile track from southern China to northern China, where members of the CPC were attacked by nationalists (KMT). The Long March showcased Mao's ability to lead. -
The Second United Front
The Second United Front was the alliance between the CPC and the KMT to resist the Japanese invasion during the Second Sino-Japanese War. This also suspended the ongoing Chinese Civil War until 1941. -
Xi'an Incident
Chiang Kai-shek was detained by his subordinates Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng with the purpose of forcing changes in policies towards the Empire of Japan and the CPC in the ruling KMT. Chiang agreed to end the ongoing civil war against the CPC, and began preparing for the impending war with Japan after he was released.
