China After WW II

A)The Civil War

• Chiang Kai Shek’s Nationalists vs. Mao Tse-Tung Communists
• 1945-49
• Mao had broad support from the peasants
• Mao’s forces had done most of the fighting against the Japanese during the occupation
• Mao defeated Chiang’s forces, and forced Chiang to flee to Taiwan in 1949

 Why did Mao win?

• Recognized as the defender of China by the people during WW II
• Troops were better trained and prepared/motivated
• Chiang’s government was corrupt
• American backing of Chiang decreased his support (open door policy)

B)Mao in Power

• 1949-1969
• Faced major problems in creating the new China
• Industrialization was down 50%, agriculture was down 25%
• Devastated roads and rail systems

Step 1- Agriculture:

• Peasants were given millions of acres of land taken from the old landlords
• Peasants encouraged (not forced like Stalin) to form co-operatives / collectives.

Step 2- First 5-Year Plan

• Nationalized Heavy Industry to increase production of steel, coal, electric power and oil.
• Some limited success, but lacked consumer goods
• Soviets helped in sending engineers and technicians, but were unwilling to give up Atomic secrets. This began to create tensions between the two Communist countries.

First Five Year Plan

The first five-year plan of Mao Tse-Tung was put into effect in 1953 and used propaganda such as pamphlets and newspapers to familiarize the people of the new communist China. China, whose plan was based on the Soviet Union’s model of industrialization, was forced to sign agreements with the Soviet Union in 1953 to put their ideas into use. When China purchased Soviet technology to aid in their advancement, production went up to over 41.8% in 1952, while wages were only up 6.9%. However, even though the amount of crops being produced increased, the income of money did not, causing the First Five Year Plan to be a failure.

• Gov’t wanted to revitalize industry by implementing soviet style 5 yr. Plans.
• 1^st plan produce energy and hydroelectric power – little heard about it except that some progress has been made. – even today China has small industrial base for a country of its size.
• By 1957 – output in farm machinery, trucks, tractors and jet planes doubled.
• Growth in industry came at the expense of the peasants. – but it revitalized cities and attracted people to them – the urban population went from about 60 million to over 100 million - this created problems.
• Industry also had an effect on the communist hierarchy – some leaders grew comfortable in the city and abandoned their rural roots (therefore no governing leadership in the country)
• The party split into two at this point – right wing conservatives = economic and industrial growth: Left wing radicals = democratic development of the farm – this division still a problem to this day (question – which path to take to socialism utopia???).
• 1960 almost all farms had been organized on a village collective basis.
• By 1956 – Mao believed that socialism had come and been accepted by the people. – however he thought that China needed more thinkers – on May 2 – he gave a speech calling for 100 schools of thought and giving free reign to scientists to debate theories and encourage writers and artists to comment on society without criticizing the socialist system. – Those intellectuals who spoke out against the part were repressed.

Step 3 - The 100 Flowers Campaign – 1956

• “Let 100 flowers bloom and 100 schools of thought compete” – Mao
• China’s intellectuals were encouraged to give their views on Communism and the national program.
• The criticism was too much for Mao, who shut down the campaign, but did take some ideas.

Step 4- The Great Leap Forward – 1958 – 1962

• - Goal was self-sufficiency by increasing quotas in industry.
• - The plan failed because the quotas were too high, communes were too large
• - Droughts and floods did not help, and the Sino Soviet Split.

The Great Leap Forward 1958-1960

With the goal of economic and technical development, “The Great Leap Forward” was established by Mao Tse-Tung in 1958, but ended in economic failure. This program set up commune systems that divided families to work on the land as well as send Chinese workers to improve the infrastructure. Throughout 1959, there was an increased rate of starvation in addition to the decline of industrial plants because of a lack of profit motive. After this failure, Mao ordered for the “Great Proletariat Revolution”, which had people abandon capitalistic ideas, ending in chaos and myriad deaths.

• Great Leap Forward (was unsuccessful), was meant to foster both industrial and agrian growth. – wanted to accomplish this by sending the urban unemployed back to the country where they could be the leaders of creating local industries. – Mao at this time tried to shift his focus to the creation of light industries – which would provide consumer goods that would energize the peasants to work harder (so that they could afford to buy these goods) which would produce higher yields to sustain the growth in heavy industry.
• 1000’s of youths flooded the countryside – this resulted in chaos and disruption, followed by drought and a flood. This plan ended in failure in 1960.
• 1958- there was a shortage of food.
• By 1960 most communes were abandoned

Foreign Policy

• death of Stalin create a rift btwn Soviets and China. – Mao disagreed with Khrushchev de-Stalinization and policy of peaceful co-existence. – Soviets in return adopted a policy of containment to China and did not support the border was China had with India in 1959.
• Brezhnev replaced Khrushchev in 1964 – 1969 – Brezhnev Doctrine – state that the Soviet Union had a responsibility to intervene in other socialist countries in the interest of communist solidarity (did this with respect to the Czech republic) – China afraid USSR will invade them – so they turn to the US for support – 1977 Nixon visited Beijing.
• 1971 – China took Taiwan seat in UN
• 70s – China retreated from socialism to a modified private enterprise.
• 1964 – The Red Book – Mao’s thoughts in political indoctrination (brainwashing).

Step 5- The Cultural Revolution – 1966

• Mao was concerned that the energy and passion for true Marxism was lacking
• Revisionists wanted cautious, moderate change
• So, Mao attacked many Communists for their lack of Marxism
• Mao created the “little Red Book” a blueprint of true Marxism and how the country was going to get there. Huge support from the youths and students.

Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution 1966-1969

The great proletarian cultural revolution of 1966 was Mao Tse-Tung’s desperate attempt to retain his high power, which was being threatened by those leaders who challenged the soundness of his domestic foreign policies, which emphasized revolutionary action. Mao enlisted the support of the Red Guards, a national organization of young adults who were devoted to upholding Mao’s revolutionary ideas using violence and intimidation as their methods of enforcement. China was plunged into economic, political, and military chaos until order was restored by “revolutionary committees”, bringing to an end the era of violent revolution in China.

• 1966-76 – resembled a civil war – it was anti-intellectual in nature.
• Mao strategy was to use the youth to raise mass consciousness to the dangers or capitalism – the revolution began in the universities and spread to the schools (it was easier to brainwash students, who would then spread the ideas from there) – students were identified with a red armband.
• Many students left school to root out left-winged supporters across the country – wanted to destroy all symbols of the past – they were called the Red Guard – they were empowered by the army – they established local councils – but problem arose – they began to rival amongst each other for power.
• Sept 1967 – Premier Zhou Enlai ordered the peoples army to restore order by force – about 400,000 died and millions sent to correctional camps for re-education (“re-brainwashing”)
• 17 million were sent out in work brigades in the country to live a simple life and learn proper ethics and morals.
• Students return to the cities and could not go back to school – thus becoming a lost generation.
• Mao died in 1976 – under him china became a united nation for the 1^st time since 1911 and he tried to set it towards modernization.

Soviet Aid – 1950’s

During the 1950’s the Soviet Union and China developed an alliance between themselves, benefiting to both. The Soviets made major concessions to China, including the abrogation of Soviet privileges in Manchuria. In addition, trade between the bordering nations reached a value of two billion dollars annually. However, the past rivalry between the Soviets and the Chinese surfaced once the Soviets had refused aid in developing nuclear power in China, causing resentment and the breaking of the relationship.

The Sino-Soviet Split

• China dissatisfied with the lack of Soviet help during the Korean War.
• Belief that china was being treated as a Soviet Satellite
• USSR refuses China nuclear weapons, China wants to spread Communism in Asia
• Peaceful Co-existence speech was hated by China – not strong enough
• In 1959 Khrushchev visited the USA, a sign of weakness, on his way to visit China
• Mao criticized Khrushchev for not supporting the Great Leap Forward
• 1960 the USSR pulled out all its advisors
• 1964, China developed its own Nuclear bomb, then in 1967 a neutron bomb
• Over 4000 border incidents between the two countries.

Recognition:

The USA had never recognized Communist China, only Nationalist China (Taiwan). In 1971 Taiwan was replaced in the UN Security Council by Communist China. Ping Pong diplomacy! In 1972 US President Richard Nixon visited Beijing and recognized the country.

China in the 1980’s

• Mao dies and Deng Xiaoping gained control of the government
• He created special economic zones where communism would be relaxed for free trade. Done to help the Chinese economy get better
• 1990s China becomes a major economic and trading nation – population 1.25 billion people
• 1976-78 power struggle – Deng Xiaoping arose as leader – he wanted to modernize in agriculture, industry, defense and science. – Consumer goods entered the market causing both unemployment and inflation to increase.
• China didn’t have a stable economy until 1984.
• Deng reinstated the open door trading policies with the rest of the world – he created Special Economic Zones - which were established to control foreign trade. – within the zones, price and profit mechanisms were used to guide transaction. – Deng brought western flavor to China politically and socially in this manor.
• Political liberalization did not occur – Tiananmen Square in 1988, protests by students was ruthlessly oppressed.
• China economy boomed in the 80s – but in 1987 it hit a trade deficit (importing more than they were exporting)
• 1988 – 30% increase in cost of living – by the end of the year 80% - inflation erased the middle class savings.
• Right wing demonstrate – Deng stated that all forms of dissent illegal.
• 40^th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China was used to push for new reforms – Apr. 1989 – 10,000 students marched on Tiananmen sq. to demand political reforms and intellectual freedom. – By late Apr. 100,000 gather – start a hunger strike – by may 18 1 million people – 19 may martial law declared. – Deng called in the army – June 3 troops move into the city – fire at will and kill many – over next few days 4500 civilians killed and 1000 soldiers. June 9 1989 – Deng claimed victory – 2000 people arrested – 17 June – hangings began. – Suppression of press and of people’s ability to gather.