Nationalists and Communists in China

Vocabulary terms and historical events covering the fall of the Qing dynasty, the warlord era, and the conflict between Chinese Nationalists and Communists.

Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901)

An uprising driven by Chinese anger over foreign interference, unequal treaties, and suffering, whose failure demonstrated the weakness of the Qing dynasty.

1911 Revolution

A revolt in which revolutionaries overthrew the emperor, ending centuries of imperial and dynastic rule in China.

1912

The year the Qing emperor abdicated, leading to an unstable new republic that struggled to control the country.

Warlords

Rival military leaders who fought each other, carved China into pieces, and caused widespread chaos and suffering following the fall of the empire.

May Fourth Movement (1919)

A movement demonstrating growing Chinese nationalism that directly led to the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

A revolutionary political party founded in 1921, with Mao among its early members.

Nationalist Party

A political faction led by Chiang Kai-shek that sought to unify China and establish a strong state.

Shanghai Massacre

An event on April 12, 1927, where Jiang (Chiang Kai-shek) turned on the communists, breaking their alliance and sparking campaigns to crush them.

Long March (1934)

A military retreat in 1934 in which the communists fled Nationalist attacks, survived, and saw Mao's leadership grow stronger.

Japanese Invasion of 1937

A foreign invasion that caused the Nationalists and Communists to briefly work together, although deep mistrust remained between them.

People's Republic Of China

The state proclaimed by Mao on October 1, 1949, following the communist victory in the civil war after Japan's 1945 defeat.