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The Boxer Rebellion (Perspectives)
The Boxer Rebellion saw peasants rejecting all European influences and besieging foreign embassies. In response, a joint European retaliation crushed the rebellion, and heavy reparations were imposed on China. -
The Xinhai Revolution (Consequence)
Organized by Sun Yat-sen, the Xinhai revolution was the culmination of discontent in the ruling class, the army, and peasantry, and ended in the abdication of the last Chinese emperor -
The Republic of China Is Founded (Change)
Following the Xinhai revolution, the Republic of China was established in Nanjing with Sun Yat-sen serving as provisional President. Lacking military, Sun soon allied with Warlord Yuan Shikai. -
The Guomindang is Founded (Causation)
The Guomindang (GMD) is founded by Sun Yat-sen based on the Three Principles (national freedom, democratic government, and the people's welfare) in an effort to unite China -
Yuan Shikai becomes President of the Republic of China (Change)
The democratically-elected President of the Republic, Song Jiaoren, is assassinated by Yuan Shikai who assumed the presidency. Yuan had no interest in the GMD's reforms, instead assuming dictatorial power. -
The Russian Revolution (Causation)
The 1917 Russian Revolution saw the rise of the first Communist state, popularizing Communist ideas in China due to the similarities between the two countries. -
The May Fourth Movement (Causation)
The Fourth of May movement was in response to Shandong province being given to Japan at the end of WWI, confirming China's weakness and leading to mass protests. -
Translation of the Communist Manifesto (Continuity)
The Communist Manifesto was translated into Chinese for the first time, leading to the spread of Marxist ideas and greatly influenced the founders of the Communist party -
The Official CCP is Formed (Consequence)
Chen Duxiu officially founds the Communist Party based on Leninist ideals of encouraging the working class to revolt after purging the anarchists, and receives aid from Russia -
First United Front Established (Causation)
The First United Front between the GMD and CCP is brokered by Russia, as the larger and more popular GMD was seen as the more likely instigator of change. -
Death of Sun Yat-sen (Change)
The death of Sun Yat-sen led to a power vacuum within the GMD, soon filled by his protege and general, Jiang Jieshi, marking the beginning of GMD territorial expansion -
The Northern Expedition (Consequence)
The Northern Expedition was a joint effort between the CCP and GMD to consolidate territory and conquer independent Warlords and was a monumental step in unifying China -
The Shanghai Massacre (Causation)
Jiang suddenly turned on the Communists after the Northern Expedition, ordering a massive and brutal purge of all Communists in Shanghai. The massacre spurred Communist protests in other cities. -
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The Encirclement Campaigns (Causation)
The five encirclement campaigns were an effort to surround the Jiangxi Soviet and exterminate them. The last three campaigns were successful, forcing the Communists to disperse and flee -
The Jiangxi Soviet is Established
The Jiangxi Soviet was a peasant government established by Mao as the base of his power and recruitment efforts, soon amassing a substantial fighting force and widespread peasant support -
Japanese Invasion of Manchuria (Causation)
Japan invades Manchuria, leading to a 5-month occupation and the establishment of a puppet government, eventually leading to the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and war with the GMD and CCP -
The Long March (Consequence)
The Long March was the Red Army's escape to Xi'An after Jiang's Encirclement campaigns. The march saw heavy casualties as well as the confirmation of Mao's status as leader -
The New Life Movement (Change)
The New Life Movement, headed by Sung Meiling supplanted the Western ideals of the May 4th Movement with traditionalist Confucian ideals as the ideology of the GMD -
Jiang Kidnapped by Zhang Xueliang (Causation)
Jiang is kidnapped by subordinate Warlord Zhang Xueliang, and is only released after reluctantly agreeing to a Second United Front to fight against the Japanese invasion but tensions persist -
The Rape of Nanjing (Continuity)
The Rape of Nanjing was a terror campaign orchestrated by Japanese forces after GMD forces fled the city. Innumerable war crimes were committed as the city's population was massacred. -
Marco Polo Bridge Incident (Causation
The Marco Polo Bridge Incident, fought between the GMD and Japanese Army, was initated by Japanese forces as pretext to the Second Sino-Japanese war, indirectly spawning the Second United Front. -
The Rectification Campaign Begins (Continuity)
The Rectification Campaign is launched by Mao in Xi'an to reject Soviet influence, consolidate his power, and silence dissent by forcing party officials to admit mistakes. -
The Civil War Resumes (Consequence)
The Civil War resumes as Japan unconditionally surrenders. The US attempts to broker a coalition between the CCP and GMD but fails. Jiang, leveraging numerical superiority, obtains US support. -
Red Army Begins Campaign in Manchuria (Continuity)
Mao directs the Red Army to attack Manchuria, isolating swathes of Nationalist forces, and eventually gains numerical superiority, proceeding to win decisive victories and capture Nationalist strongholds -
People's Republic of China is Declared
After taking all GMD-held cities, Mao forces the GMD out of mainland China and onto the island of Taiwan and proclaims the creation of the People's Republic of China