China Under Communism World War II to Present

1. China Under CommunismWorld War II to Present World History Mr. Meester

2. Mao Zedong Great Leap Forward Cultural Revolution Tiananmen Square Deng Xiaoping Vocabulary

3. Two Chinas struggle for control after WWII • A Nationalist government run by Jiang Jieshi ruled south and central China • A Communist government led by Mao Zedong flourished in the north. • They tried to form a cooperative government • It failed, a full-scale civil war began in 1946

4. Chinese Civil War • Mao’s overwhelming support • Millions of peasants joined him due to promises of land • The middle class due to corruption in Jiang’s government • By 1948 Jiang and 2 million of his followers fled to Taiwan. • In 1949, Mao Zedong made his victory speech in the capital city of Beijing.

5. Red China & the World • The USSR and China becomes uneasy allies during the 1950’s • The United States refused to recognize Mao as the legitimate leader of China • They support Jiang and Taiwan as the “Real” China.

6. The Great Leap Forward • 1958 Mao began the Great Leap Forward • An attempt to rapidly industrialize both industry & agriculture • Private farms were combined into huge people’s communes • More than 30,000 farmers on each • Bad weather & hatred of the new system caused it to fail • Millions died due to starvation • In 1960 the communes closed

8. The Cultural Revolution • The Cultural Revolution was another radical Mao program • It eliminated the “four olds”; old ideas, old culture, old customs, & old habits • He wanted to purify China of capitalism • The country was shut down for 6 months of cleansing • Schools, businesses, & the government were the main focus

9. The Red Guards • Anyone who questioned Mao’s ideas saw their property destroyed and/or were viciously attacked by Mao’s Red Guards. • Mao formed the Red Guards out of young desperate men and boys • They were urged to take to the streets to cleanse Chinese society • Only Mao’s death in 1976 would bring change

10. Red Guards & Mao Little Red Book

11. USSR and China • By the 1960’s border disputes and clashes over communist ideology caused the USSR to withdraw aid and advisors to China. • After the split the US allowed China to join the UN to further isolate USSR • This began the period of détente • Tensions eased between the US, USSR, & China

12. China after Mao • A group of radical reformers led by Deng Xiaoping took control of China after Mao • Ended the Cultural Revolution • Deng’s government began a policy known as the “Four Modernizations” • Improved industry, agriculture, technology, & national defense

13. Reforms Continue • Deng brought back capitalism • Foreign investors were invited to China • They invested heavily • Income levels rose and improvements were made in housing, education, agriculture, and industry • Thousands of students were sent to the U.S. to study science and technology

14. China’s Biggest Failure • Deng’s changes still did little to stop the oppressive ways of the Communist government. • As more information about the west reached educated Chinese, protests occurred. • The largest demonstration took place in Tiananmen Square where student protestors were crushed by the Communist led army. • Democracy still remains a dream in China today.

15. Tiananmen Square