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Qing Dynasty
During the Manchu Dynasty the mayority of the population were peasants, their life was hard and the suffered of starvation due to the floods and droughts and had to pay taxes. In the cities there was unemployment. -
International Humiliation
Western nations humiliated and exploited China. Foreign influence increased casusing destabilization on the Manchu Dynasty. China lost territory to Japan and had to sign unequal treaties to European countries. -
Double Tenth Revolution
The ruling of the Qing Dynasty was overthrown during the Double Tenth Revolution, which began with the loss of control over the military by the government. In this movement most provinces declared independent of the central goverment in Beijing. -
Chinese Republic
The Chinese Republic was created after a meeting of the provinces in Nanjing. However, Sun Yixian (who was invited to be China's provitional president) arrenged a deal and agreed for Yuan Shikai to be President. Nontheless, there was no real introduction to democracy and most former imperial officials kept their positions. -
Yuan Shikai's Government
Key issues of the revolution of 1911 remained unsolved under Yuan's rule. Regionalism continued and became an obstacle to unite China. Furthermore, Yuan Shikai abolished regional assemblies attempting to centralize the power; he proclaimed himself Emperor in 1916. -
Warlord Era
After the abdication and death of Yuan Shikai, China broke into small states and provinces each controlled by warlords. Peasants duffered the most during the wars between the warlords to who wanted to expand their territories. -
May Fourth Movement
Students and intellectuals led a mass demonstration in Beijing against the warlords, traditional Chinese culture and the Japanese.This movement was dedicated to change and the rebirth of China "as a proud and independent nation". -
United Front
The GMD nationalist party and the emerging CCP (Chinese Communist Party) made an alliance in 1922. Both factions wanted to unite China and they knew the only way was to get rid of the warlords. However the fact that one part was nationalist and the other communist was to become a problem. -
The White Terror
The United Front was a "friendship of convenience". Once they defeated the warlords, Jian Jieshi (leader of the GMD) showed his true self. He was against communism and expelled all communists from the party. However, his attacks on communists reached a peak in Shangai where 5,000 communists were shot. This became known as The White Terror. -
The Purification Movement
It was a movement in which the GMD carried out similar attacks as the White Terror in other cities. By "purification" they meant massacre of about one quarter of a million people (communists). The CCP was nearly crushed by the end of 1927. Survivors fled to the mountains of Jiansi.
