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Civil War in China (1927 - 1949)
The Chinese Civil War was fought between forces loyal to the existing Nationalist government of the Republic of China led by Chiang Kai-Shek and forces loyal to the Communist Party of China led by Mao Zedong. The conflict eventually resulted in the Communists winning and an establishment of the current government, known as the People's Republic of China.
The first 10 years of the war (1927 - 1937) can be quickly described as the Communists gradually building up support against the existing Nationalist government and organizing attacks in various locations periodically (some successful, some not so much), but didn't involve anything on a really large scale.
Hostilities between the 2 groups cooled down for a while (1937 - 1945) due to Japan's invasion of Manchuria and eventually much of Eastern China during WWII. The 2 groups weren't overly friendly to each other during this time and usually fought separately and in a different manner (the Nationalist - led military fought very traditionally and the Communist - led troops used more guerrila war tactics), but they both realized they had a common enemy (the Japanese) that was much more important to defeat. The Nationalist military suffered extreme casualties and shortages of equipment and materials during this time compared to the Communists. The Nationalist leader (Chiang Kai-Shek) used this as an opportunity to attempt to extract more taxes from common citizens to help rebuild the military (plus keep some $$$ for himself and a small, select group of higher up Nationalist government officials). Many of these citizens didn't own land (they worked for landlords loyal to Chiang), and they resented the tax increases. Mao and the Communists used these realities as recruiting tools. They promised common people many things, including access to better education, their own land, and lower taxes.
About a year after the war against Japan ended, hostilities resumed between the Nationalists and Communists. This time, there was much more popular support for the Communists (due to the reasons listed in the last sentence of the above paragraph) and major conflicts broke out throughout most of China over the course of the next 4 years (1946 - 1949) between groups loyal to both sides. Mao and his Communist group received financial assistance and military equipment mainly from the Soviet Union while Chiang and his Nationalist group received the same kinds of assistance from the U.S., which was all about containing the spread of Communism elsewhere in the world... even if it meant helping out a government that was far from ideal in their eyes. Neither the U.S. or Soviet Union sent troops to assist either side. By the end of 1949, major military hostilities had ceased, the Communists gained control of the country despite the U.S. providing over $2 Billion in aide to the Nationalists, and the People's Republic of China was established.
The first 10 years of the war (1927 - 1937) can be quickly described as the Communists gradually building up support against the existing Nationalist government and organizing attacks in various locations periodically (some successful, some not so much), but didn't involve anything on a really large scale.
Hostilities between the 2 groups cooled down for a while (1937 - 1945) due to Japan's invasion of Manchuria and eventually much of Eastern China during WWII. The 2 groups weren't overly friendly to each other during this time and usually fought separately and in a different manner (the Nationalist - led military fought very traditionally and the Communist - led troops used more guerrila war tactics), but they both realized they had a common enemy (the Japanese) that was much more important to defeat. The Nationalist military suffered extreme casualties and shortages of equipment and materials during this time compared to the Communists. The Nationalist leader (Chiang Kai-Shek) used this as an opportunity to attempt to extract more taxes from common citizens to help rebuild the military (plus keep some $$$ for himself and a small, select group of higher up Nationalist government officials). Many of these citizens didn't own land (they worked for landlords loyal to Chiang), and they resented the tax increases. Mao and the Communists used these realities as recruiting tools. They promised common people many things, including access to better education, their own land, and lower taxes.
About a year after the war against Japan ended, hostilities resumed between the Nationalists and Communists. This time, there was much more popular support for the Communists (due to the reasons listed in the last sentence of the above paragraph) and major conflicts broke out throughout most of China over the course of the next 4 years (1946 - 1949) between groups loyal to both sides. Mao and his Communist group received financial assistance and military equipment mainly from the Soviet Union while Chiang and his Nationalist group received the same kinds of assistance from the U.S., which was all about containing the spread of Communism elsewhere in the world... even if it meant helping out a government that was far from ideal in their eyes. Neither the U.S. or Soviet Union sent troops to assist either side. By the end of 1949, major military hostilities had ceased, the Communists gained control of the country despite the U.S. providing over $2 Billion in aide to the Nationalists, and the People's Republic of China was established.
3 minute brief description of the Chinese Civil War.
The Korean War (1950 - 1953)
For a brief history of the Korean peninsula, a quick summary of why the war started and its results, and how the 2 countries created at the end of the war remain distinctly different today, click here
Korean War Summary Video
About 4 minutes long. Good Summary
MASH
The Korean War lasted from 1950 - 1953. The movie MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) and TV Show that followed (cast is pictured above) depicted (and make fun of) the events and futility of the war. CBS aired 251 episodes of the show over 11 years (1972 - 1983). The final episode of the series was watched by nearly 106 million viewers and held the title as the most watched TV program in U.S. History until the 2010 Super Bowl between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts finally surpassed it. It is still on the cable channel TV Land all the time.
Satellite Image of the Korean Peninsula at night - 2010
The NASA satellite image of the Korean peninsula at night (with the coast artificially outlined to differentiate between land and water) was taken in 2010. This visual shows how two nations (born at the same time) have progressed over the course of the past 60+ years. Democratic, capitalist South Korea has a thriving economy and gleams with prosperity while totalitarian, communist North Korea is kept in the dark with numerous oppressive rules.
Life in North Korea today
The Korean border (DMZ = demilitarized zone) today
The Beginning of the Korean War
The 1st minute of this clip covers a variety of content covered in the chapter including the Chinese Civil War that leads to it becoming communist. The remaining 5 and a half minutes explain how Korea was divided immediately after WWII and the conflict that followed shortly afterwards. The clip ends with Truman warning MacArthur to not have United Nations troops get close to the Chinese border.
The End of the Korean War
The 6 minute clip covers China entering the Korean War and pushing the United Nations forces backwards, MacArthur wanting to wage war on China and Truman firing him because he disagreed, the conclusion of the Korean War when Eisenhower became President, and its long term impact on defense spending of the U.S. and Soviet Union.
45 minute clip covering the Korean War
Covers many aspects of the war that the book doesn't. I have questions that accompany this video that we may end up using during class. You can find those questions by clicking here