So now moving on from the 4000 year history of the Chinese Empire, I'd like to turn the page to modern Chinese history. This will be specifically pertaining to their Xinhai Revolution that occurred in 1911 and the subsequent Chinese Civil War that followed from 1927-1950. I know very little on this historical topic, yet am intrigued now more than ever after studying their ancient history. When I think of Chinese Revolution, the first image that comes to mind is the iconic revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. I intend to further elaborate on his role in this historical event that ultimately established the People's Republic of China.
First hand thought, its quite interesting how throughout history, civil war often follows a nation's revolution or independence. Consider the examples of the American Revolution that gave way to the American Civil War; or the Irish War of Independence that gave way to the Irish Revolution. Both nations achieved their independence from the British Empire, yet later had internal conflicts pertaining to different political ideals. Now in the case of the Chinese Revolution, this was not a conflict against a foreign influence yet rather-so a full scale rebellion. The toppling of the Qing Empire could thus forth compare to the French Revolution's toppling of the monarchy or the Russian Revolutions toppling of the tsardrom.
I think the Chinese Revolution is especially similar to the Russian Revolution. They both occurred at nearly the same time and after achieving their revolution they both had massive civil wars that ensued. Both these revolutions were surely the result of the wave of communism that had occurred at the turn of the 20th century. Thru this new ideology both Russia and China shared a new found empowerment movement for the peasants and working class of the vast nations. This movement was due to imperial failures, lack of modernization, and quite frankly new modern ideals.
Decline of the Qing Dynasty
Now as I mentioned in my previous post the fall of the Qin Dynasty began in the mid 1800s due to heightened western influence. Throughout the 1700s China had established themselves as an economic powerhouse which gained the interest of many western powers. This eventually gave way to the Opium Wars in the mid 1800s, by which the British were able to subdue their will upon the Chinese Empire. This defeat ultimately marked the turning point for China, in a period often referred to as China's century of humiliation.
To further squeeze China's power, Japan had emerged as a new economic power during the 1870s with the aid of western influence. China was no longer able to compete with the modernized Japanese army that began a series of aggressive campaigns at the turn of the century. The First Sino-Japanese War of 1894 marked another major defeat for the Chinese Empire who were forced to cease control of Korea to the Japanese. After this came the ultimate defeat at the Boxer Rebellion by which the Chinese Empire was defeated by an alliance of western powers including Britain, France, the United States, and Japan. This was the final straw for outcries to modernize the country's government.
During this humiliating time for China, the Qin Dynasty was also undergoing internal conflicts and struggles. This conflict ensued between the regent Empress Dowager Cixi and the puppet emperor Guangxu. The conservative Empress Dowager rejected any motions to modernize and westernize the government. Furthermore she cancelled Guangxu's reform effort, known as the Hundred Day's Reform which ultimately demonstrated she was in power. She is therefore ultimately pointed as the scapegoat for the early organizations of the revolution.
Anti-Imperial Movement
The Anti-Qing movement had emerged throughout China by the 1890s with various political organizations. Their motives ranged from the decline of their economy, the humiliating defeats they had endured, yet most-so the suppression of Chinese culture (specifically the majority Han ethnicity). Some of the earliest organizations included the Furen Literary Society in Hong Kong, the Revive China Society based out of Honolulu, the Huaxinghui Society, and the Guangfuhi Restoration Society in Shanghai. By the summer of 1905 many of these smaller organizations had begun to unify at established the Tongmenghui United League based out of Tokyo, Japan. Sun Yat-sen was one of the earliest philosophers and leaders of the movement.
These societies quickly expanded among students and intellectuals who contributed to the growing revolutionary fervor. Foreigners began contributing as well with intentions to see China return to it's traditional values with a modernized government. The Empire of Japan especially supported the growing anti-Qing movement and saw it as a means to further exert their dominance in the Pacific region. Sun Yat-sen based much of his early operations out of Japan with the support of various Japanese right-wing organizations such as the Black Dragon Society.
Sun Yat-sen established three major principles by which China should transform it's government. This included nationalism, democracy, and the livelihood of the people. The third principle encouraged a united society of the various Chinese ethnicities (the Han, the Manchus, the Mongols, the Hui, and the Tibetans. This gave way to the Five Races Under One Union principle which became the symbol of the revolutionary factions and the influential Beiyang Army.
The Wuchang Uprising
First hand thought, its quite interesting how throughout history, civil war often follows a nation's revolution or independence. Consider the examples of the American Revolution that gave way to the American Civil War; or the Irish War of Independence that gave way to the Irish Revolution. Both nations achieved their independence from the British Empire, yet later had internal conflicts pertaining to different political ideals. Now in the case of the Chinese Revolution, this was not a conflict against a foreign influence yet rather-so a full scale rebellion. The toppling of the Qing Empire could thus forth compare to the French Revolution's toppling of the monarchy or the Russian Revolutions toppling of the tsardrom.I think the Chinese Revolution is especially similar to the Russian Revolution. They both occurred at nearly the same time and after achieving their revolution they both had massive civil wars that ensued. Both these revolutions were surely the result of the wave of communism that had occurred at the turn of the 20th century. Thru this new ideology both Russia and China shared a new found empowerment movement for the peasants and working class of the vast nations. This movement was due to imperial failures, lack of modernization, and quite frankly new modern ideals.
Decline of the Qing Dynasty
Now as I mentioned in my previous post the fall of the Qin Dynasty began in the mid 1800s due to heightened western influence. Throughout the 1700s China had established themselves as an economic powerhouse which gained the interest of many western powers. This eventually gave way to the Opium Wars in the mid 1800s, by which the British were able to subdue their will upon the Chinese Empire. This defeat ultimately marked the turning point for China, in a period often referred to as China's century of humiliation.To further squeeze China's power, Japan had emerged as a new economic power during the 1870s with the aid of western influence. China was no longer able to compete with the modernized Japanese army that began a series of aggressive campaigns at the turn of the century. The First Sino-Japanese War of 1894 marked another major defeat for the Chinese Empire who were forced to cease control of Korea to the Japanese. After this came the ultimate defeat at the Boxer Rebellion by which the Chinese Empire was defeated by an alliance of western powers including Britain, France, the United States, and Japan. This was the final straw for outcries to modernize the country's government.
During this humiliating time for China, the Qin Dynasty was also undergoing internal conflicts and struggles. This conflict ensued between the regent Empress Dowager Cixi and the puppet emperor Guangxu. The conservative Empress Dowager rejected any motions to modernize and westernize the government. Furthermore she cancelled Guangxu's reform effort, known as the Hundred Day's Reform which ultimately demonstrated she was in power. She is therefore ultimately pointed as the scapegoat for the early organizations of the revolution.
Anti-Imperial Movement
The Anti-Qing movement had emerged throughout China by the 1890s with various political organizations. Their motives ranged from the decline of their economy, the humiliating defeats they had endured, yet most-so the suppression of Chinese culture (specifically the majority Han ethnicity). Some of the earliest organizations included the Furen Literary Society in Hong Kong, the Revive China Society based out of Honolulu, the Huaxinghui Society, and the Guangfuhi Restoration Society in Shanghai. By the summer of 1905 many of these smaller organizations had begun to unify at established the Tongmenghui United League based out of Tokyo, Japan. Sun Yat-sen was one of the earliest philosophers and leaders of the movement.These societies quickly expanded among students and intellectuals who contributed to the growing revolutionary fervor. Foreigners began contributing as well with intentions to see China return to it's traditional values with a modernized government. The Empire of Japan especially supported the growing anti-Qing movement and saw it as a means to further exert their dominance in the Pacific region. Sun Yat-sen based much of his early operations out of Japan with the support of various Japanese right-wing organizations such as the Black Dragon Society.
The Wuchang Uprising
Various uprisings had begun as early as 1895 such as the First Guangzhou Uprising however most were squashed by the Qing Dynasty. Other minor uprisings included The Independence Army Uprising (1901), the Huizhou Qinuhu Uprising (1907), the Zhennanguan Uprising (1907), and the Second Guangzhou Uprising (1911). Of these failed uprisings, the Second Guangzhou Uprising led by Huang Xing resulted in 86 revolutionaries massacred which ultimately proved to be the rally cry for widespread action.
The beginning of the Xinhai Revolution is considered to have begun with the Wuchang Uprising of October 10th, 1911. This incident emerged from a Railway Protection Movement protest that was taking place at the time. The political leaders of the Tongmenghui society enlisted members of the New Army (known as the Hubei Military) and were able to unite with the railway protest movement.
This revolutionary faction then began an assault on the house of the Viceroy of Huguang and forced him to flee. By the next morning of Oct 11th, they had managed to capture the city of Wuchang and establish the Military Government of Hubei of Republic of China led by the revolutionary Li Yuanhong. Shortly after the powerful Beiyang Army led by Yuan Shikai sides with the revolutionary faction to make for an even formidable threat to the Qing Empire.
The Republic of China
The success of the Wuchang Uprising lead to a wave of various other uprisings throughout China in alliance with the Republic of China against the Qing Dynasty. This included uprisings in the cities of Changsha, Shaanxi, Nanking as well as independence uprisings in Mongolia, Tibet, and Taiwan. The bulk of the military engagement took place in the revolutionary headquarters of Wuchang by which the Battle of Yangxia ensued from Oct 18th-Dec 1st of 1911. The Qing army was eventually subdued on all major fronts and forced to surrender to the revolutionary forces. This ultimately led to the abdication of the Qing Imperial throne on Feb 12th 1912.
This revolutionary faction then began an assault on the house of the Viceroy of Huguang and forced him to flee. By the next morning of Oct 11th, they had managed to capture the city of Wuchang and establish the Military Government of Hubei of Republic of China led by the revolutionary Li Yuanhong. Shortly after the powerful Beiyang Army led by Yuan Shikai sides with the revolutionary faction to make for an even formidable threat to the Qing Empire.
The Republic of China
The success of the Wuchang Uprising lead to a wave of various other uprisings throughout China in alliance with the Republic of China against the Qing Dynasty. This included uprisings in the cities of Changsha, Shaanxi, Nanking as well as independence uprisings in Mongolia, Tibet, and Taiwan. The bulk of the military engagement took place in the revolutionary headquarters of Wuchang by which the Battle of Yangxia ensued from Oct 18th-Dec 1st of 1911. The Qing army was eventually subdued on all major fronts and forced to surrender to the revolutionary forces. This ultimately led to the abdication of the Qing Imperial throne on Feb 12th 1912.
The Republic of China was established on Dec 29th, 1911 and the revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen was elected as the first president. However his term was very short lived and he relinquished his presidency to the general Yuan Shikai. Yuan was then successfully able to dictate abdication terms to Emperor Puyi. This marked the end of the 4000 year imperial reign of China and the beginning of the Republic of China. However the internal fighting was just beginning and the provisional government experienced various civil conflicts over the national flag and the capital city. The capital was eventually set in Beijing, however the newly established Republic of China was not officially recognized until 1928.
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