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Mao Zedong Born
Mao Zedong was born to a family of somewhat wealthy peasants in the Hunan province. For much of his childhood, he read many books about revolutionaries and war heroes. It was while he still lived amongst peasants that he thought up many of his ideas. His passion for education got him a job at Beijing University, as assistant to the librarian. It was here he witnessed the May Fourth Movement, and founded the Communist party. -
Sun Yixian Overthrows Qing Empire
Sun Yixian, leader of a nationalist movement, overthrows the last emprorer of China. Soon after, he passes presidency on to another member of his nationalist party, Yuan Shikai. Shikai becomes corrupt and betrays the party by going against democratic ways. Nationalists start to lose control of country. -
Warlordism Period
As the Nationalist government, also known as the Kuomintang, lose control, civil war breaks out. Wealthy warlords start to battle and conquer parts of China. Soon, China is broken up, and the Kuomintang scramble to gain control again, with little success. -
May Fourth Movement
China had sided with the Allies, and had declared war on Germany in hopes that they would recieve colonies Germany had taken. Instead, these colonies are awarded to Japan. In outrage, 3000 students protest at Beijing University, where the assistant to the librarian, Mao Zedong watches. This anger soon becomes a nation wide movement. -
Chinese Communist Party Forms
Mao Zedong and others gather at Beijing University and form the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP. Mao Zedong speaks at this meeting, arguing passionately that peasants are capable of being revolutionaries. Zedong and his coworkers spoke of ideals based around Marxist teachings and communistic ideas. The party then set up in South China, and recruits a small army, calling the soldiers the Red Army. -
Jiang Jieshi Takes Control Of Nationalist Government
Former leader of Chinese nationalist group, Sun Yixian dies, so Jiang Jieshi leads the party. His first order of business is to take down warlords and bring China together under the nationalists. Jieshi is corrupted, however, and turns against democratic rights the party stands for. Because of this, many former GMD supporters now support Zedong's communist party -
Jieshi Overtakes Warlords
By 1928, practically all warlords were stopped and China was under control of the nationalist party again. As the CCP tries to gain control, the GMD kills many communist fighters, a massacre that Communists stayed angry about for years. Friction between the two parties was now very high, and many civilians started to pick sides. -
Civil War Between the CCP and GMD
As the CCP, led by Zedong, begins to gain ground, the two parties go to war. Much outnumbered, the CCP sets up their base in the mountains of South China. CCP fighters were all peasants, while the nationalists were backed by a lot of the business class, so they got better weapons and more fighters. Because of this, the GMD, led by Jieshi, was able to get the CCP on the defensive very early. -
Zedong and CCP Forces Surrounded in Mountain Stronghold
After their retreat to the mountains, the GMD and their 700,000 fighters surrounded the mountains. The goal was to starve the Red Army of peasants into surrender. After a short time, the CCP fighters broke through the GMD forces and started their long escape. -
Period: to
The Long March
Mao Zedong and forces began their long march through the mountains, the whole time with the GMD on their heels. They started the march with 100,000 men, and ended it with just 7,000, one of the Mao Zedong. -
Japan Declares War on China
The civil war between the CCP and GMD had left China vulnerable, so Japan started attacking and claiming land. The two parties called a temporary truce and united to defend China from Japan. The CCP fought very well, and was able to keep Japan away. The GMD, however, lost a lot of men, and ended up needing CCP aid to keep Beijing. -
Jieshi Betrays Treaty
By this time, Japan had almost fully retreated, but the CCP was under the impression that until Japan was fully out of China, the treaty protected them from GMD attacks. Jieshi took this opportunity to launch an attack on Zedong and the CCP. The CCP was able to defend themselves and retreat enough to avoid many casualties. -
Jieshi Launches Large Scale Attack
The GMD launched yet another attack, this time very much weakening their own forces. With this weakness, the CCP attacked a large industrial harbor. From here they took over a lot of China. After this win, Zedong gave a victory speech. -
GMD and Jieshi Flee China
After their series of defeats, GMD leaders and some soldiers fled China out of fear for what the CCP would do now that they were in power. Not many followed them here. In an attempt to protect their pride and try to stay respectable, they claimed Taiwan was the "real Chinese government." -
Zedong Gives Victory Speech
Once other countries officially recognized Zedong and the Communist party as official rulers, he gave a victory speech to a large crowd of supporters. Shortly after, China was completely under Communist control. Even though the Nationalists were gone, many ex-followers stil opposed Communist rule.
