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WH+12.3+Lecture+-+Imperial+China+Collapses

12.3 Imperial China Collapses

Overview

  • The transition of power from the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China.

  • Key figures and events leading to the rise of nationalism and communism in China.

Map Representation

  • Map details boundaries of modern China and key geographical regions.

    • Major provinces and locations include:

      • Shaanxi Province

      • Jiangxi

      • Outer Mongolia

      • Japan

      • Qing (Manchu) Dynasty territories

    • Notable landmarks include The Great Wall and major rivers such as Huang He (Yellow River) and Yangtze.

Kuomintang (Nationalist Party)

  • Advocated for modernization and nationalism, alongside a Western-style government.

    • First great leader: Sun Yat-sen (Sun YiXian).

    • In 1911, nationalists overthrew the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

    • In 1912, Sun became the first President of the Republic of China.

Principles of the Nationalist Movement

  1. Nationalism: Call for an end to foreign control in China.

  2. People's Rights: Push for democratic governance.

  3. People's Livelihood: Focus on economic security for citizens.

Power Transition

  • Sun lacked military strength, handed power to General Yuan Shikai, leader of the era's most powerful regional army.

  • Following Yuan's death in 1914, provincial warlords took advantage of the resulting power vacuum, leading to the Warlord Era (1916-1927), with regional leaders controlling various parts of China.

  • By 1928, Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi), second leader of the Kuomintang, unified China, establishing the Nationalist Republic of China (1928-1949).

Page 2: The May Fourth Movement

Context of the Movement

  • Date of occurrence: May 4, 1919.

  • Triggered by China's disappointment in post-WWI peace treaties, notably the Treaty of Versailles, which ceded Chinese territories controlled by Germany to Japan.

Events and Actions

  • Over 3,000 students protested in Tiananmen Square (Beijing).

    • Students from 13 colleges participated.

  • Protests escalated into small riots; students stormed the Ministry of Communications and assaulted the Chinese Minister to Japan.

  • The Chinese government faced public backlash leading to:

    • Pro-Japanese officials dismissed.

    • Refusal to sign the Treaty of Versailles and subsequent agreements.

    • The emergence of a boycotting movement against Japanese goods and workers' strikes.

Impact of the Movement

  • The May Fourth Movement stimulated the birth of the Chinese Communist Party, rejecting Western ideas and advocating for a reformed future.

Page 3: The Rise of Chiang Kai-shek

Leadership of Chiang Kai-shek

  • Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) rose to prominence as a leader of the Kuomintang after Sun Yat-sen.

  • He aimed to defeat the Communist goal of a state-controlled economy.

  • Came from a middle-class background, attracting support from wealthy, pro-capitalist individuals (bankers, business people).

    • This shift caused peasants to increasingly favor the Communist Party due to unaddressed rural issues.

Civil War in China

  • Civil war broke out between the Kuomintang (Nationalists) and the Communists (Red Army).

  • Significant engagements included aerial bombardments and skirmishes.

The Long March

  • Duration: 1934-1935.

  • Approximately 100,000 communist forces fled from Jiangxi to Shaanxi, covering over 6,000 miles.

  • Many suffered severe hardships, including hunger and exposure, with only about 8,000 completing the journey, crossing numerous rivers and mountain ranges.

Japanese Invasion

  • Japan exploited China's weakened condition by invading Manchuria (northeast province) for resources such as coal, iron, and arable land.

  • The Japanese threat prompted a temporary alliance between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party to resist foreign aggression.