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May Fourth Movement
A mass student protest which began Tiananmen Square and spread throughout the country. -
Communist Party of China (CCP) founded
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was founded and began to spread its influence across China. With Chairman Mao as the head, they created reform for China. -
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Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought from 1927 to 1950 in two different parts which were separated by Sino-Japanese War. -
Shanghai Massacre
Nationalist forces led by Chiang Kai-Shek attacked the CCP. -
Chinese Civil War begins
Communist party launched an uprising in Nanchang against the Nationalist government in Wuhan; this event led to the creation of the Red Army. -
China becomes united
The Nationalist party takes control of Beijing, and Jiang Jieshi declares China now united. -
Japan Takes Manchuria
Japan invades territory of Manchuria, which leads to a halt in in hostilities between the CCP and GMD -
Japan Attacks Shanghai
Conflict between China and Japan before the official hostilities of the second Sino-Japanese War commenced. -
Long March Begins
Was a series of marches for a military retreat lead by the Red Army of the Chinese Communist Party, to escape the pursuit of the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) army. -
Sino-Japanese War begins
Japan invades China which sparks the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War. It began with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident where a dispute between troops from both sides escalated into a battle. -
Battle of Shanghai
Fought between the National Revolutionary Army and the Republic of China and the Imperial Japanese Army. It was one of the bloodiest and largest battles of the entire Second Sino-Japanese War. -
Rape of Nanjing
A mass murder, rape, and massacre committed by Japanese troops on Chinese civilians in Nanjing. It played out over six weeks in which 40,000 to 300,000 people were affected. -
Anhui incident ends Second United Front
During this time, the Chinese Civil War was suspended to fight against the Japanese. The communist and nationalists united against the Japanese during the Sino-Japanese War, but this cooperation ended with the Anhui (New Fourth Army) incident. The incident resulted in a nationalist victory. -
Japan formally surrenders in Chinese Theater
Following the Allied victory in Pacific, American General Douglas MacArthur ordered that the Japanese forces surrender in China, which allowed China to emerge from the war as leading military power. After the Japanese surrender, the Red Army under General Lin Biao entered Manchuria to secure this important industrial region under communist control. -
Sino-Japanese War ends
The Sino-Japanese war, which was fought between China and Japan, finally ended after 7 years of fighting. The war ended because they were attacked by the USA with the atomic bomb and the Russians went into the former Japanese invaded territory of Manchuria. Because of this Japan was also forced to end the Sino-Japanese War. -
Truce between CCP and GMD
No solid result was fully reached in this truce between the communist and nationalist parties, however this negotiation prevented full-blown confrontations. This agreement was made out of convenience, but it could not be maintained. -
Fighting breaks out in Manchuria
The truce between the CCP and GMD broke down in March 1946, and by May, the GMD was in control of the central area of Manchuria. The CCP’s Red Army then went on the offensive, and Mao used guerilla tactics to cut the GMD forces off by targeting their supply routes, the railways. By March 1948, the CCP gained control of Manchuria and the Red Army had gained the upper-hand in artillery and manpower over the GMD. -
Mao Land Reforms
To gain the support of the peasants, Mao implemented a series of land reforms to sway the peasants into supporting the communists; the peasants were incentivized to support the CCP because the CCP’s victory ensured the peasant’s keeping their land. Gaining support of the peasants would give Mao the support of the majority of the population and provide him with the manpower and resources needed to fight he GMD. -
Battle of Huai-Hai
The conflict between the CCP and Nationalist party, which started when the People’s liberation Army launched a major offensive against the Nationalist Party’s headquarters in Xuzhou. The Huai-Hai Campaign ended when the PLA reached t he north of the Yangtze, leading to a decisive communist victory and Communists occupying areas north of the Yangtze river. -
CCP takes Nanjing and Shanghai
In April the People’s Liberation Army (the Red Army) launched the final series of offensives and took Nanjing then Shanghai. Because of the CCP’s ability to acquire support from the peasant areas, they were able to establish a better army and have more military support. By taking these two populated and powerful cities, the CCP made a strong declaration of their power. -
Mao proclaims establishment of the People’s Republic of China
The civil war concluded when Mao Zedong established a new government order, and the remnants of GMD resistance were crushed. Zedong stated, “Our nation will never again be an insulted nation. We have stood up.” The Chinese Communist Party now had control of China.
