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Revolution in China
This revolution marked the end of China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Chinese Republic. -
Abdication of the last Chinese Emperor
The emperor, Pu Yi, was abdicated due to a negotiation between Sun Yat-sen and Yuan Shih-kai. China was so divided at this point that they decided to avoid a seemingly possible civil war. Yuan was declared president of China after this. -
Establishment of the Kuomintang
Following the Wuchang uprisings, Sun Yat-sen returned to China and the Revolutionary Alliance joined
with other parties to form the Kuomintang (Guomindang). Sun was elected as ‘Provisional President of the United Provinces of China’ at a formal meeting of the independent provinces in December 1911. -
Period: to
First World War
World War I or the First World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Central Powers. Fighting took place throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific, and parts of Asia. -
Japan issued China with the Twenty-One Demands
Yuan’s popularity was severely damaged when
he was forced to accept Japan’s Twenty-One Demands in 1915. These demands gave Japan considerable influence over China’s affairs. To many Chinese, it appeared that Yuan’s government was just as weak as that of the Manchu dynasty in confronting foreign interference. -
Beginning of the May Fourth Movement in China
They advocated the adoption of Western culture, which would enable China to industrialise, end foreign
interference, destroy the unwelcome power of the warlords and reunify. It was students, supported by many of their teachers, who instigated the events of 4 May 1919. -
Formation of the Chinese Communist Party
The Chinese Communist Party was established by people, such as Chen Duxiu, who had been actively involved in the May Fourth Movement. Its aim, as stated by Chen Duxiu himself, was ‘to establish by revolutionary means a state of the working class in order to create a government and laws to put a stop to internal and external pillaging’. -
Period: to
Washington Naval Conference
In 1921,
therefore, the USA invited nine nations to Washington DC to discuss naval reductions and the situation
in East Asia. Britain, Japan, France and Italy were invited to join the USA in talks on reducing naval
capacity. Belgium, China, Portugal and the Netherlands were invited to join in discussions on the
situation in East Asia. -
Death of Sun Yat-sen
Divisions within the KMT were highlighted when, in March 1925, Sun’s death led to a power struggle for leadership of the party. As effective head of the KMT armed forces, the National Revolutionary Army (NRA), Chiang Kai-shek considered himself an obvious candidate. -
Chiang Kai-shek begins the Northern March
However, by January 1926,
communists held most of the strategically important posts within the KMT and many key roles within
the NRA, a clear threat to Chiang’s desire for leadership of the party. On 20 March 1926, in what has
become known as the Canton Purge, Chiang deployed the NRA to remove communists from key
positions within the KMT and declared himself as its leader. -
Kuomintang forces take control of Peking
KMT forces continued their march northwards, taking control of Hankow, Shanghai and
Nanking during 1927. Peking itself fell to KMT forces in 1928. -
Beginning of the Kuomintang's Purification Movement
By late March, the local warlord had been defeated.
While Wang congratulated the communists for gaining control of Shanghai, Chiang was incensed that
the action had been taken without his knowledge or permission. Chiang began what has become known
as the Purification Movement – a deliberate and calculated attempt to remove all communist influence
within the KMT. -
Mao Tse-tung is elected Chairman of the Soviet Republic of China
Also in 1931, Mao helped to establish – and was elected chairman of – the Soviet Republic of China.
Impressive though this sounds, the reality is that Mao controlled only a small area, with an army
consisting of ill-equipped and poorly trained peasants. -
Japanese invasion of Manchuria
In September 1931, against the wishes of Japan’s elected government, elements of the Japanese army
had mobilised and taken control over the whole of Manchuria, part of China. This event led to the
collapse of the Japanese democracy. -
Japan withdraws from the League of Nation
The Japanese delegation, defying world opinion, withdrew from the League of Nations Assemblyafter the assembly had adopted a report blaming Japan for events in Manchuria. -
Period: to
Sino-Japanese War
The ongoing disintegration of China provided the opportunity for Japan to test its new military strength.
Disputes over which country should control Korea led to the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894. The new,
modern Japanese army quickly overran Korea, Manchuria and parts of China itself. -
The Long March sets out in China
This retreat, now referred to as the
Long March, began in October 1934. Around 90 000 communists embarked on a journey of up to 9 700
km (6 000 miles), a journey that was to take 368 days. -
Japan signs the Anti-Comintern Pact with Germany
2.2). In November
1936, Japan formed an alliance with Germany, known as the Anti-Comintern Pact. The Comintern, which
had been established by the USSR’s Bolshevik government to encourage worldwide communist
revolution, was perceived as a threat by the governments of both Germany and Japan. -
Japan breaks off Diplomatic relations with the USA
There was renewed concern amongst the Western powers, particularly the USA and Britain, about
Japanese aggression, and some considered imposing economic sanctions against Japan. By 1939,
however, Britain was heavily involved in fighting its own war against Nazi Germany and the USA was
still pursuing an isolationist policy. Under -
Japan launches an attack on Pearl Harbor
Japan has launched a surprise attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and
has declared war on Britain and the United States. News of the daring raid has shocked
members of the American Congress at a time when Japanese officials in Washington were still
negotiating on lifting US sanctions imposed after continuing Japanese aggression against China. -
Japan declared war against the USA and Britain
Two hours after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, they declared war on the USA and Britain. America's policy of isolationism was finished at this point as they could no longer claim that the events happening outside of America did not affect them.