China and Japan

• Qing/Machu Dynasty was weakening


  Early 1900s
• Wuchang Uprising, marking the end of Chinese rule by dynasties

  1911
• Reasons for weakening and collapse of Qing/Machu Dynasty

  • Weakened by Japan in 1st Sino-Japanese War in late 1800s
  • Suffered by Western Imperialism in China in late 1800s
  • China was failing to modernise
• Republic of China established in Nanjing


  1912
• First Provisional President

  Dr Sun Yat Sen
• Meanwhile, in 1931, the Manchurian Crisis occurs. This is yet another area of China that Japan has taken as they took Formosa and Korea during the First Sino-Japanese War.

  The occupation of Manchuria lasts until 1937 when the Second Sino-Japanese War commences.

  The Second Sino-Japanese War coincides with World War two, and the USA enters the War on the side of the Allies (with China) when Japan bombs Pearl Harbour.

  In response, the US drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, ending the War in the Pacific.
• The Long March

  A retreat by the Communists in 1934 as they were surrounded by the Nationalists
• The Long March

  1. The Communist Party's Military marched through extremely tough terrain towards the North-West of China

  2. They marched from the province of Jiangxi to Yan'an in Shaanxi
• Mao Zedong

  • Was able to create a greater role as a leader, enabling him to take control of the Communist Party of China during the Long March
• During the Sino-Japanese War / WW2

  There was a break of full-scale Civil War in China as they focused on fighting the Japanese, however, it resumed following the defeat of Japan
• Reasons for increased support for Communist Party

  • Increased support from the Rural population
  • The Communists were able to expand their strength by fighting the Japanese invaders
  • The party controlled around 100 million people and had an experienced army and had created an alliance between peasants, workers, the middle class, and smaller-scale capitalists. This meant that their power and influence continued to spread
• German-administered peninsula of Shandong was occupied by Japan


  1914
• China joined the allies, declaring war on Germany, on the condition that Shandong would be returned to China if they won the War


  1917
• Allied victory

  1918
• China was forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles, which was conjoined with Japan's 21 Demands, which included the recognition of Japanese control over previously German-administered areas of China, including the Shandong province


  1919
• The European Powers had already promised Shandong to Japan


  As they wished to persuade them to join the war against the axis powers with Germany
• This enraged the Chinese public who felt betrayed by the Western powers, who had promised the return of the Shandong Peninsula to China in return for their assistance in the War</b>
• The Chinese saw the Treaty of Versailles as a symbol of Japanese aggression as they were able to use their power and position to obtain what they wished for
• Protests began, carried out mainly by 3,000 college students Universities in the Beijing region, who were infuriated by the Terms of the Treaty of Versailles which left no improvement in China's democracy and freedoms


  May 4, 1919
• Protests

  1. Marched towards the foreign embassies

  2. Handed out fliers about their cause, criticising the Paris Peace Conferences

  3. Riots began, at least 32 protestors were arrested by the Police
• Protests formed across the country, including in major cities of Shanghai, Nanking, Tianjin and Guangzhou
• Labour strikes

  1. Organised across China with the aim of urging the Government to take action and pursue better terms

  2. Resulted in a number of shops losing money and closing due to a lack of workers

  3. Japanese Residents were attacked, while Japanese goods were boycotted and even destroyed by some protestors
• Washington Conference, when the situation was solved as Japan withdrew it's territorial claim

  1922
• The May Fourth Movement marked the introduction of new ideas into Chinese culture and China's road to modernisation
• Increase in newspapers and pamphlets

  • Aim of 'mobilising the masses'
  • Articles were written by intellectuals who returned from Japan to China after years of study
  • These people encouraged a revolution
• Self-expression was widely expressed by new writers, including controversial areas, such as sexual freedoms
• Why did support for the Kuomintang (KMT) increase

  • It reflected the growth of Chinese nationalism among the people who sought freedom and independence
  • The views of Sun were in line with the aspirations of students and intellectuals
  • KMT offered prospect of ending chaos caused by warlords (warlords increased as they were unchecked by the collapsed Manchu Dynasty)
  • Collaboration with the communists and the Soviets broadened the appeal to the KMT
• The Northern Expedition

  1926-28
• The Northern Expedition

  A military campaign launched by the National Revolutionary Army against the Beiyang government and other regional warlords
• The Northern Expedition took place

  9 July 1926 to 29 December 1928
• The Northern Expedition

  • It was when the Kuomintang marched from Guangdong/Guangzhou region Northwards
  • It was led by a fragile coalition including KMT rightists, centrists led by Chiang, KMT leftists, and the CCP
  • They managed to hold together, laying the groundwork for the Northern expedition
• Warlord coalitions across China in 1926

  • Forces of Wu Peifu
  • Coalition of Sun Chuanfang
  • Most powerful coalition led by Zhang Zuolin
• Purpose of the Northern Expedition

  To reunify China, which had become fragmented in the aftermath of the Revolution of 1911 and further so after the death of Yuan Shikai
• Factors for the success of Northern Expedition

  • Chiang marched Northwards to bring the warlords under his control
  • The expedition was well planned, with a blueprint developed during the leadership of Sun Yat Sen with the assistance of Soviet military advisors
  • Chiang's army had received training from the USSR and Japan, so they were more organised than the disorganised warlord armies
  • The Kuomintang had the support of ordinary Chinese who were tired of the violence and oppression under the rule of the warlords
• Chiang believed he needed to take drastic action to reduce the power of the Communist party

  1927
• Reasons for Chiang's purge of the Communists

  • The Communists were influenced by a Marxist ideology and wanted a revolution against the Warlords, who supported Chiang
  • The Kuomintang and the Chinese Communists had very differing views, with the Kuomintang basing their ideas on Urban Workers and the Communists focusing on Rural peasants
  • Chiang was concerned that the Communists wanted China to be under Soviet control and around 1926, Chiang was becoming increasingly concerned of the power of the Communists in Guangzhou, believing they would kidnap him there
• By 1927, the Kuomintang had two separate governments, one led by Chiang Kai Shek in Nanchang, and the other led by Wang Jing Wei in Wuhan
• The Wuhan government

  • It was dominated by Borodin (who represented the USSR communists in China) and the left-wing Kuomintang led by Wang Jingwei
  • Wang had been a close associate of Sun Yat Sen and was prepared to work closely with the Chinese Communist Party, unlike Chiang Kai Shek
• Chiang began the Shanghai Massacre, in which 300 communists were killed, to purge all communists from the Kuomintang party

  April 12th 1927
• The purge spread to other areas, including Nanjing and Guangdong