VCE Revolutions | Chinese Revolution Unit 4 AOS 1

Sun Yixian (Sun Yat-sen)

caused the 1911 Revolution through his anti-imperialist and nationalist leadership resulting in the fall of the Qing Dynasty and establishment of the Republic of China

Three Principles of the People

caused by Sun’s desire to modernise and unify China resulting in ideological foundation for both Nationalists and later the CCP to claim legitimacy

Guomindang (GMD / Kuomintang)

caused by Sun’s attempt to unify revolutionary groups under one nationalist party resulting in early organisational base for China’s modern state

Yuan Shikai (Yuan Shih-k’ai)

caused by Qing collapse and military power vacuum resulting in authoritarian rule and failure of early republican democracy

Challenges to the early Republican era: Yuan’s presidency

caused by his desire to centralise power and declare himself emperor resulting in public outrage and renewed instability

Challenges to the early Republican era: the warlords

caused by Yuan’s death and power vacuum resulting in fragmented regional control and civil conflict throughout the 1910s–1920s

New Culture and May Fourth movements (1915–1919)

caused by intellectual frustration and Treaty of Versailles betrayal resulting in anti-imperialist nationalism and growth of modern political ideologies

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) (1921)

caused by Marxist influence and May Fourth radicalisation resulting in new revolutionary alternative to GMD

First United Front (1923–1927)

caused by need to defeat warlords and strengthen China resulting in temporary GMD–CCP alliance supported by the USSR

Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek)

caused by Sun’s death and military experience resulting in leadership of GMD and commitment to centralised authority

Northern Expedition (1926–1928)

caused by GMD aim to reunify China and eliminate warlords resulting in nominal unification under Nationalist government

Shanghai Massacre (1927)

caused by Jiang’s desire to eliminate communist influence within the GMD resulting in violent CCP purge and end of United Front

Nationalist Decade (the Nanjing Decade) (1927–1937)

caused by Jiang’s consolidation of power resulting in relative stability modernisation and corruption under authoritarian rule

New Life Movement (1934)

caused by Jiang’s attempt to restore moral discipline and combat communist appeal resulting in limited ideological success and social control

Japanese occupation of Manchuria (1931)

caused by Japanese imperial expansion and Chinese weakness resulting in loss of territory and rise of nationalist anger

Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung)

caused by CCP rural turn and internal debates resulting in development of peasant-based revolutionary strategy

Red Army (1927–1934)

caused by need for CCP survival and defence against GMD forces resulting in disciplined guerrilla organisation

Jiangxi Soviet (Kiangsi Soviet) (1931–1934)

caused by CCP retreat to rural base resulting in early model of communist governance and land reform

The Long March (1934–1935)

caused by GMD encirclement campaigns resulting in massive CCP losses but survival of Mao’s leadership and mythic revolutionary symbolism

Xian Incident (1936)

caused by Jiang’s reluctance to fight Japan and growing nationalist frustration resulting in forced Second United Front between GMD and CCP

Yan’an Soviet (1936–1947)

caused by CCP survival after Long March resulting in stable base for Mao’s ideological and military consolidation

Mao Zedong Thought (Maoism)

caused by adaptation of Marxism to Chinese peasant conditions resulting in emphasis on self-reliance mass mobilisation and guerrilla struggle

Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945)

caused by Japanese invasion of China resulting in devastation nationalist weakening and CCP growth through rural resistance

Second United Front (1937–1941)

caused by need for national unity against Japan resulting in temporary cooperation between CCP and GMD before collapse of alliance

Civil War (1945–1949)

caused by breakdown of Second United Front and competition for power resulting in CCP victory and establishment of the People’s Republic of China