Unit 6: Accelerating Global Change and Realignments
c1900 to the Present
China Revolution - Background
China was dominated by imperialist
powers
 Chinese gov’t was conservative and
anti-foreign (remember the Boxer
Rebellion!)
 BUT…Gov’t was blamed by many
Chinese for being weak due to the
domination of foreigners

Chinese Revolution (1911-1912)

In response to the decline of the Qing
 Failed to modernize China
 Didn’t confront foreign powers
Series of uprising and revolts mostly fought
by peasants (as is the case in the decline
of EVERY Chinese dynasty)
 Leadership is based on cooperation
between intellectual elite (including
Communists) and provincial Chinese
warlords.
 The Guomingdang (Nationalist) Party is
formed

China (Civil War) - Roots
1912 - China becomes a republic under Sun
Yat-sen, a medical doctor and early
organizer of the Chinese opposition
 But, Chinese warlords overthrown the
republican government and Sun Yat-Sen
flees to Japan
 Other warlords fight the Nationalist Party
for power
 1928 – Sun Yat-sen’s successor, Chiang
Kai-shek, eventually leads the Nationalists
to power

Chinese Civil War (Roots)
Sun Yat-sen
Chinese Civil War
Under Chiang Kai-shek – the gov’t does
not improve the living conditions of the
peasants.
 Communists – supported by peasants

 Nationalists were seen as corrupt and
favoring the elite and business classes

The Communists, led by Mao Zedong,
splits with the Nationalist government
 Mao forms the Red Army to fight against the
Nationalist government
Chinese Civil War
Chiang Kai-Shek
Mao Zedong
Chinese Civil War
The Nationalists win many victories
against the Communist Red Army.
 Chiang and his Nationalist army surround
the Red Army.
 The Long March – Red Army under Mao
breaks free and retreats. Started with
100,000 men and ends with only 8,000
left.
 1939 - Communist and Nationalist join
forces to fight against Japanese invasion.

 This saves the Communist movement
The Long March
Chinese Civil War


After WWII – Civil War continues
1949 – Mao’s Communist forces defeat
Chiang’s Nationalist forces
 Communist forces used weapons given to them by
the Nationalists to fight the Japanese
 Increased support from the Soviet Union
 Western democracies abandon support for Chiang
Chiang/Nationalists retreat to the island of
Taiwan off the coast of China.
 Mao/Communists in charge of mainland
China
 Separation of China still exists today.
Continuing source of conflict.

Retreat of Nationalist Forces
China – Great Leap Forward
Chinese communists want to build a better,
more industrialized economy
 People worked in “communes” (or large gov’t
controlled cooperatives)

 made steel in their backyards.

Ultimately a disaster – 20 million people
starved as production on farms slashed
China – Great Leap Forward
China – the Cultural Revolution






Ideological division in China’s Communist
Party
Pragmatists – wanted practical reforms
Cultural Revolution – Mao’s attempt to take
power away from pragmatists
Red Guards – students who supported Mao.
Attacked teachers, people in authority
Red Guard uses extreme force to conduct
the Cultural Revolution
1968 – Mao uses Red Army to put a stop to
the Cultural Revolution
China – the Cultural Revolution
China – the Four Modernizations
1976 – Mao dies. Deng Xiaoping gained
power
 Four Modernizations

 Improvements in agriculture, industry, science,
defense
 End commune system – some private property
 Attract foreign investment
 Create more efficient factories operating on
principles of supply and demand
China
Deng Xiaoping
China – Tiananmen Square Massacre
(1989)
As a result of Deng’s policy, China had free
enterprise – but no political freedoms
 Students protested for more open political
system in Tiananmen Square
 Protest brutally put down by government
 1,000’s killed, many other imprisoned

China – Tiananmen Square
Massacre (1989)
Mexican Revolution - Background

Rigid social order remains




Creoles
Mestizos
Native Americans
Africans
United States has great influence over Mexican
economy (railroads, oil production, banking)
 Mexican Presidency was traditionally a “job for
life” position
 President Porfirio Diaz looking to grow Mexican
industry with foreign capital

Porforio Diaz
Mexican Revolution - Background

The Effects of the “Porfiriato” (or Policy
of Porforio)
 Foreign/Mexican owners discriminated
against Mexican workers and Mexican
middle class
 Did nothing to improve the lives of the
poorest Mestizos
 Neglected education
 Confiscated ejidos (or common lands)
Ejidos
Mexican Revolution





By 1910 – large portions of Mexican society fed
up with Diaz
Political and social turmoil resulted
Diaz said he was ready to retire and would
allow other presidential candidates to run
against him
Diaz reneges on his promise, jails his opponent
(Francisco Madero), and the election results in
widespread voter fraud. Widespread revolts
occur.
1911 – Diaz is overthrown and exiled
Porforio Diaz
Mexican Revolution

Francisco Madero – despite being a
wealthy landowner, promises agrarian
reform
 Doesn’t fulfill his promise

New rivals for influence among
peasants/reformers emerge
 Emiliano Zapata – organized peasants from
southern Mexico
 Francisco “Pancho” Villa – organized
peasants from Northern Mexico
Francisco Madero
Emilio Zapata
“Pancho” Villa
The Mexican Revolution

Huerta and the US
 1913 - Victoriano Huerta overthrows Madero
○ Mexican general
○ Conspires with US Ambassador to overthrow the
Madero gov’t
○ However, the US Gov’t doesn’t recognize this
gov’t and sends forces to occupy the city of Vera
Cruz (1914)

Carranza
 The US backs Venustian Carranza, a politician
more friendly to the US
 Zapata and Villa both fight Huerta as well
Mexican Revolution
Victoriano Huerta
Venustian Carranza
The Mexican Revolution
Huerta is defeated and Carranza
becomes President
 Zapata and Villa now fight against
Carranza
 Villa conducts raids in southwestern US
– the US sends troops into Mexico to
capture Villa (NEVER DO!)

 This background impacts US reaction to the
Zimmerman Telegram (remember WWI!)
Chasing “Pancho” Villa
US General Pershing
The Mexican Constitution
 Ratified
on January 31st, 1917
 Universal suffrage
 Restrictions on foreign ownership of
Mexican land and industry
 Limits work day to 8 hours
 Establishes a minimum wage
 Requires land reform
Mexican Revolution - Aftermath
Zapata is tricked into capture and is executed in
1917
 Villa agrees to a peace deal with Carranza but is
later assassinated in 1923
 Who gains?

 Mexican middle class, some Mexican workers, Indian
culture (e.g. murals of Diego Rivera)
 PRI – the Institutionalized Revolutionary Party
○ Picks Mexican leaders
○ Little real democracy

Who gains the least?
 Poorest Mexican agricultural workers
○ Poorly paid
○ Illiterate
Diego Rivera
Mexican Peasants