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| The first failure of the United State’s
Containment Doctrine, halting the spread of Communism, came in
1949 in China. Despite
billions of American dollars in foreign aid, the Chinese
Communists emerged victorious.
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This setback had major repercussions in the
conduct of foreign policy among the non-communist nations led by the
United States. The
continent of Asia was to become a hot spot in the Cold War in the
1950’s and 1960’s. Two
bitter “wars” in Korea and Vietnam taught the United States the
limitations of the “Containment Doctrine.”
In this assignment you will learn about the Chinese Civil
War, rise of Mao Zedong, the Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution
and Tienanmen Square Uprising.
The scope of this assignment will cover the years 1946 to the
1990’s.
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The post-war period from
1946 to 1949 was a period of political turmoil in China. In the Aftermath of WWII the Chinese Nationalists (KMT) and
the Chinese Communist Party led by Mao Zedong fought for
control of the fractured Chinese countryside and political
power. In 1949
the KMT fled to Taiwan, leaving the communists in control of
China. With Mao
Zedong’s primary enemy destroyed, he began his mission to
create a modern communist state based on the economic model
created by Stalin in the USSR.
The Great Leap Forward Began in 1958 as a way to
increase agricultural production, consequently ending in 1960
with the death of 20 million peasants and failure of farm
collectivization. |
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The Cultural
Revolution was a backlash against “bourgeoisie
intellectuals” who were supposedly undermining Mao’s
communist programs. The
Cultural Revolution led to thousands being exiled, imprisoned
or killed for the objectionable views against the communist
government. In 1989 a student led pro democratic movement went awry, when
the military was called in to suppress protests hundreds were
killed; leading to an international outcry against China’s
humanitarian policies. This protest took place in Tienanmen Square and was covered by the international
press. Since then
China has taken measures to liberalize its nation and is
currently working to modernize its nation.
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Assignment 9.04
- The China Syndrome
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- Create a timeline from 1945-1949 showing major events in the
Chinese Civil War and the rise of Mao Zedong’s power.
- In several paragraphs, write from the point of view of Chairman
Mao. Justify
the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.
What are the benefits of the Great Leap Forward and how
will you compete with the industrialized Western nations? How do you justify the Cultural Revolution and its
stressing of annihilation of western and ancient influences?
Extra Credit
- Rent and watch the movie, The Last Emperor; discuss the
accuracy of the portrayal of the Cultural Revolution.
How did these oppressive measures lead to the Tienanmen
Square Uprising of 1989? E-
Mail your instructor with your answer.
Links:
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