China

What is communist China?

After the Second World War, China became the 'People's Republic of China', a communist state. This added a new dimension to the Cold War conflict.

When did China become a communist country?

China became a communist country in 1949.

Who was the leader of communist China?

The new leader of communist China was Mao Zedong.

What events led to China becoming communist?

There were 5 main events that led to China becoming a communist country.

• ❖ The Chinese empire came to an end in 1911. The country became a republic, and rival factions fought to determine China's future.
• ❖ In July 1921, the Chinese Communist Party was formed, led by Mao Zedong. Support grew among many people in China, especially from the majority peasant population.
• ❖ From the 1920s, Chinese communists fought a civil war with Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist party, the Kuomintang (KMT).
• ❖ During the Second World War, the two parties joined forces to fight Japan, but the conflict renewed when the war ended.
• ❖ Despite US support for the KMT, the communists were eventually victorious. On 1st October, 1949, Mao Zedong announced the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

How did China becoming communist affect the Cold War?

The fall of China to communism was an important development in the Cold War, turning it from a predominantly European conflict into a worldwide struggle.

How did China becoming communist cause tension in the Cold War?

The fall of China to communism caused tension between the superpowers in 3 main ways.

• ❖ It represented a huge failure of President Truman's containment policy. The USSR now had a communist ally in Asia.
• ❖ The Treaty of Friendship was agreed in 1950, committing the USSR to support China's economic, technological and military development. The USA saw this as an attempt by Stalin to spread communism worldwide.
• ❖ The USA refused to recognise the new regime as China's legitimate government, and continued to support Chiang Kai-shek's right to represent China in the UN.