China 1932-89

The Kuomintang – the People’s National PartySet up by its founder Sun Yet-sen and based on 3 principles: Nationalism, Democracy, Socialism The problem with the warlords. The new leader- Chiang Kai-shek

Chiang Kai-shek

The CCP• Started in 1921 in Shanghai by Mao Zedong • At the beginning there was a degree of

cooperation between the Kuomintang and the CCP• But then the Shanghai Massacre happened in

1927 (p.4)

• Mao starts the Red Army with 11000 members in 1930.

• War with Japan• The invasion of Manchuria by Japan in 1931• What kind of problems did the Japanese have

with regard to the invasion of China that was similar to the invasion of the SU called Plan Barbarossa?

• Japanese war strategy is the Three All Campaign: kill all, burn all, destroy all. What problem do you see with that strategy?

• CPC controlled land introduced confiscation of big estates, ban on foot binding, the RA was disciplined and tried to win over the peasants

•

Civil War 1945-49• Read p. 12 on the events of the civil war• By 1949 Kuomintang Army flees to Taiwan,

where the Nationalists remain the strongest party even today.

• October 1, 1949- The People’s Republic of China is founded. Big holiday every year in China.

• Look at p. 13 to compare the CCP victory with that of the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War

Lin Biao

October 1, 1949, the People Republic of China is being proclaimed

Chapter 3: Change under Mao• Mao inherits plenty of • Political (governing and removing opposition) • economic ( very poor, mostly farmers, inflation0• Social (backward, conservative and largely

illiterate)• Foreign ( refusal to recognize the Communist

gov.)

Political Changes

• One party system.• Common accusation: imperialist or counter-

revolutionary. • The Movement for the study of Mao’s

Thought. • Three Mountain Campaign: against capitalism,

feudalism and imperialism.

• Between 1949 and 1951, one million people are being executed.

One of the prominent victims of the purges was Gao Gang who committed suicide.

Land Reforms• A campaign against the landlords, confiscation of

land and redistribution. Over 2 million “wealthy farmers” are killed. Any similarity with Russia?

• Economy: Take over of banks, railways and heavy industry

• Woman: ban on child marriage and matchmaking for money.

• Rights of women and children: equal pay, maternity benefits and child care at the workspace

The first 5 Year Plan • Emphasis is on petro-chemical, steel and coal. • Any similarity to another 5 Year Plan? • 10 000 advisors from the SU. • No much attention giving to light industry like

food-processing, and consumer goods which meant that standard of living would be slow to go up.

Collectivization • Eventually 200-300 hundred families will join

their lands to form cooperatives. Landlords lost their lands and peasants were not supposed to own land but just to rent it from the state.

100 flowers campaign • This was supposed to be an attempt to open up the

Communist Party to public scrutiny and criticism, but how sincere was it actually?

• After couple of months of harsh public criticism, Mao had enough of it and went on an offensive.

• Leading critics had to retract their statements • Many were sent to the Chinese gulags for re-

education and thought reform. • Many lost their jobs and censorship was increased.

• There are two theories about the 100 flowers campaign.

• 1. Mao first wanted free speech but was eventually shocked by the reaction he received and decided to clamp down on it.

• 2. It was a deliberate attempt to uncover discontent and flush it out.

The Great Leap Forward • This was the name for the second 5 Year Plan• Propaganda played a key role in it and

loudspeakers were omnipresent playing revolutionary songs and encouraging people to work longer hours.

• Look at page 22 to see more details on the results of this campaign.

Why it failed? • A series of natural disasters affected harvest• Mao’s fell out with Khrushchev, which led to the

recall of all technicians and scientists back to the SU.

• Mao resigns as head of state

• The political power goes to • President Liu Shao-chi• Prime Minister Chou En-Lei• The CCP General Secretary Deng Xiaoping

Liu Shao- Chi Chou En-Lei Deng Xiaoping

The Cultural Revolution• In 1966 Mao announces to young people that the

revolution was in danger and that their have the task of saving the revolution. Those young people will be known as the Red Guards

• Mao would call all those opposed to his ideas as “Capitalists”, “Counter-Revolutionary”, or “Revisionist”.

• The Defense Minister Lin Biao joins Mao in his return to establish control and distributes to the PLA Mao’s book called “The Little Red Book”, which was a collection of Mao’s thoughts on different subjects. But overall it was a propaganda booklet with little substance.

Lin Biao

Mao’s Famous Little Redbook

The Red Guards• See page 27 for more details.• In general they were a huge mass of thugs who

were feared by many and answered to Mao only.

• They break into the President’s home and force Lio Shao-Chi to sign his own confession as # 1 enemy of the state.

• Lio dies shortly after from the lack of medication.• The Red Guards are after many party officials.• They also attack schools and teachers It is during that time that the cult of personality of Mao comes into flourishing.

• In 1967 Mao, now in total control again, recalls the Red Guards and orders them to return to normal lives. Some guards are sent fro re-education themselves. Mission accomplished.

• The effects of the Cultural Revolutions were immense. See p. 29 for details.

• Lin Biao is now second in command but eventually has to flee Mao and his plane crushes in Mongolia.

The Rise of Deng Xiaoping

• In 1977 Deng Xiaoping became the leader of China and the struggle between the left wing radicals and the right-moderates of the Communist Party could start.

• The radical left was represented by The Gang of Four.• Finally the Gang is arrested in 1976 and millions of people

rejoice, as they were hated by many for their repressive ideas and practices.

The Gang of Four

• Eventually the Gang of Four will lose the support of the politburo and the PLA

• The moderates are slowly gaining grounds and Deng initiates modernization of the country.

• Deng introduces the 10 Year Plan to modernize the country. He also encourages the production of consumer goods such as bicycles, sawing machines, watches etc.

• Foreigners are for the first time welcomed as tourists and investors.

• Factories now must run for profit and not expect state’s intervention.

• Many factories switch to good that would sell well, such as TV sets, motorbikes and washing machines.

• But the buy power remained very low; a TV set cost 2 years’ wages.

• Also, inequalities in wealth are becoming apparent.

Agriculture• Farmers sign contracts to produce fixed amount

of food for sale to the state, surplus can be sold for market profit.

• Education• Return to examinations for admission to

colleges, rather than having good political record.

• Reduction of political education

Birth control• One child family policy issued. Why?• Read the incentives on p.36 that encouraged

families with only one child.

Westernization

• Under Deng, China opens up greatly• Chinese students go to study in the West to learn

about western technologies and engineering. • Foreign investment is now part of the New China

Democracy Movement in China• Deng liked the ideas of economic reforms, but

was vehemently opposed to political reforms. • CCP is to maintain its monopoly on power• In other words Deng was an economic reformer,

but a Communist hard liner.• The Democracy Wall Movement

• Wei Jingsheng – the first martyr of Democracy Movement

One of the first intellectual who made an attack on Deng. For his civil rights activism he was sentenced to 15 years of prison. Corruption, trials and executions. Deng continues to deny people a greater participation in politics.

Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989 • Death of Hu Yaobang • Hunger strikes • 3-4 June at 10:00PM the military steps into

action .• Difficult to assess the number of casualties. • Why were the students fired at instead of using

water cannons, tear gas etc? • Many believes that the violent crack down was in

line with Chinese tradition of teaching a lesson.

• The message is clear: the CCP is to stay and will not allow anyone to question its monopoly on power.

• Power struggle between Li Peng and Zhao Ziyang. Li Peng supported military intervention against the students.

• The hope of Chinese people that the collapse of Communist governments in Europe could be emulated in China was dashed.

• In 1992, the CPP confirmed that the dictatorship of the CPP is to continue and no opposition is to be permitted.