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FIND OUT MORE. China’s First Empire 378 • Imperial China 393

Revolutionary China

By the late 19th century, the Chinese Empire was growing

weak and foreign nations were controlling its trade.

In 1912 the last emperor, Puyi, was overthrown after a

nationalist revolution. Many years of turmoil followed.

WHO CONTROLLED CHINA AFTER THE REVOLUTION?

Many forces fought to control China. First there were

the nationalists, who founded a republic in 1912. Then

there were the generals and regional warlords and, in

1921, the Chinese Communist Party. Finally, there was

Japan, which gained Chinese territory in 1919.

1912 Chinese republic

founded

1919 Japan gains

Shandong

1931 Japan occupies

Manchuria

1934– The Long March

1935

1937– Japan invades

1945 China

1949 Communist

victory

CHINA 1912–1949

1 MAO ZEDONG’S VICTORY

This poster dates from 1949, the year in which the People’s Republic of

China was founded. It shows the communist leader Mao Zedong in front

of Beijing’s Imperial Palace, with workers united together.

4 HARMONIOUS FIST SOCIETY

In 1900, this nationalist

organization (also known as

“the Boxers”) attacked foreigners

living in China. Lurid reports were

used to justify intervention by

an international force, which

suppressed the rebellion.

CULTURAL REVOLUTION

Economic failures caused dispute within

the Chinese Communist Party. Fearing

that the ideals of the revolution would be

lost, Mao Zedong called for a “cultural

revolution”, a change in public attitudes.

WHO WERE THE RED GUARDS?

Students and young people took up Mao’s ideas with

fervour. They declared themselves “Red Guards”,

dedicated to never-ending revolution. They tore down

temples, denounced their teachers, and rooted out

“traitors”. The suffering was immense. By 1967, the

regular army was clashing with the Red Guards and

Mao had little choice but to disband them in 1968.

DID CHINA REMAIN COMMUNIST?

When Mao died in 1976 there was a struggle for

power. In the years that followed, China was still

governed by the Communist Party, but it started to

adopt some capitalist economic policies.

ALL TOGETHER NOW 3

Chinese soldiers recite famous

quotations of Mao Zedong. In

the 1960s everything Mao did

was publicly praised. There were

pictures and statues of him

everywhere. However, his

political enemies were

biding their time.

WHAT WAS “NEW CHINA”?

The nationalists fled to Taiwan and the communist

leader Mao Zedong proclaimed a people’s republic.

Its successes in the 1950s included better education,

literacy, and health. However, unrealistic agricultural

and industrial reforms caused hardship, leading to

political chaos during the. CULTURAL REVOLUTION.

WHO WON THE STRUGGLE?

After 1925, Chiang Kai-shek became nationalist

leader. Nationalists and communists became rivals but

were forced into alliances as Japan overran China.

Japan’s defeat in 1945 was followed by civil war. By

1949, the communists had defeated the nationalists.

Red star

represents

communism

The Little Red

Book of Mao’s

thoughts was

brandished at

mass rallies

revolutionary

China