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With the aid of progressive advisor Kang Youwei, Emperor Guangxu initiated various reforms to modernise China. After only 103 days, Empress Dowager Cixi and her conservative allies ended the reforms, exiling/executing the reformers and placing Guangxu under house arrest.
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The Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, known as the “Boxers”, launch a rebellion against the foreigners inside China. The Boxers moved throughout China, attacking all associated with Western culture. Initially paralysed by indecision, Cixi soon sided with the Boxers. The foreign forces prevailed in the end, defeating both the Boxers and the Imperial soldiers, forcing the humiliated Cixi and Guangxu to sign the Boxer Protocol and flee from Beijing to the Shaanxi Province.
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Cixi and her administration, in the wake of their recent defeat in the Boxer Rebellion, initiate a number of reforms. These were overall quite similar to those included in the 100 Days of Reform, and is often referred to as the “New Government” period. These reforms continued to approximately 2009.
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Emperor Guangxu suspiciously passes away due to arsenic poisoning, leaving some to assume that Cixi was responsible. The following day, as a result of being unwell from dysentery, Empress Dowager Cixi passes away. Her three year old grand-nephew Pu Yi takes the throne, with his father Prince Chun acting as regent.
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The united forces of the New Army and the Tongmenghui begin an armed uprising against the Qing Dynasty. Famous general Yuan Shikai betrays the Qing and unites with Sun Yat-sen to defeat the regime. They overthrow the Qing but allow them to remain within Beijing.
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Sun Yat-sen is inaugurated as the provisional president of Republican China, with Li Yuanhong taking the role of vice president.
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Sun Yat-sen steps down as president of China on the 14th of February 1912, allowing Yuan Shikai to take his place on the condition that he secures the abdication of the Qing Emperor.
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Sun Yat-sen and Song Jiaoren found the GMD; the ruling political party of China.
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The intellectual populace of China begin a “flow of intellectual energy”; a series of changing educational ideas and mindsets collectively known as the New Culture Movement. It lasts approximately four years.
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Japan presents twenty-one demands to Yuan Shikai, a series of requests that grant Japan extensive rights to certain parts of China, in response to Yuan Shikai’s various debts to Japan. Yuan rejects only some of the demands, accepting the economic conditions. The Chinese populace is generally outraged as a result, establishing a “Day of Shame” for the7th of May.
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After declaring himself Emperor, mass outrage towards Yuan Shikai follows. Internationally he is essentially not recognised as Emperor, and even his closest generals and allies agree that he is overstepping his bounds. Yuan Shikai renounces his claims on the 22nd of March the same year.
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Yuan Shikai falls increasingly ill and succumbs to kidney failure. His death sparks the “Warlord Period” where China becomes effectively divided between both the centralised authority and the various warlords.
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Dutchman Hendricus Sneevliet helps organise some of the Marxists of China, helping form China’s first Communist Party. Chen Duxiu is elected as secretary-general to lead the party.
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Sun Yat-sen and Adolf Joffe organise an alliance between the communists of Russia and the communists of China. The various forces united in order to re-stablish control of China.
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Led by General Chiang Kai-shek, The Northern Expedition was a campaign to unify all of China under the Guomindang. They effectively targeted the communists, Beijing government and the warlords.
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The Communist forces briefly capture the city of Nanchang with an army of approximately thirty-thousand soldiers. They held it for merely four days before being forced to retreat.
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Chiang Kai-shek’s administration led a massacre on between 5000 and 10,000 communists and unionists. This was viewed as a greatly authoritarian move on Chiang’s part, and greatly wounded the communist party.
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Mao’s Communist forces in Hunan attempted to seize the capital of Changsha, but failed brutally after seizing only a few towns. Mao was captured, but managed to escape.
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The GMD eventually capture most of China under their control, establishing the Nanjing government under the fascist Chiang Kai-shek.
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With the intention of invading into Manchuria, Japan staged a bombing in order for an excuse for war and occupation. Japan proceeded to encroach on Chinese territory.
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Due to Chiang attacking the Jiangxi Soviet, Mao leads the remaining communist forces on a massive yearlong retreat in an attempt to relocate the party.
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A large battle between the Communists and the Nationalists occurred at Luding Bridge as the Communists attempted to elude the greater nationalist forces. The Communists emerged victorious despite some casualties, ensuring their survival.
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7000-8000 of the initial 100,000 communists end up surviving the Long March, setting up a soviet base at the town of Yan’an. More and more communist arrive at Yan’an and it effectively becomes the Communist capital under the leadership of Mao.
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The Communists and Nationalist united in order to repel the Japanese invaders. Yan’an is treated as an autonomous region of the Republic.
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Japanese and Chinese troops clash at the Marco Polo Bridge for reasons unknown. Japan uses this skirmish as an excuse to launch a full scale invasion of China.
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Over a six week period after capturing Nanjing, Japanese forces rape, murder and pillage their way through the city, killing over 300,000 people. This event is widely considered to be one of the most brutal incidents in the war.
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As a result of the nuclear bombs dropped upon them by the USA, Japan surrenders its involvement in its wars. As a result, the GMD and Communists began their full-scale fighting again.
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The GMD and Communists begin fighting for control of China, despite some attempts to broker a peace treaty. Internationally, the GMD is generally more recognised as the true Chinese rulers.
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After losing to the point where the Communists no longer required guerrilla warfare and had taken several cities, Chiang flees China and heads to Taiwan. He leaves Li Zongren in charge, but Li ultimately fails at negotiating with the Communists.
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Mao addresses a massive crowd in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, declaring the foundation of the People’s Republic of China.
