Part 2

Essential Question

The Communist Revolution in China

• 1937 – Nationalists & Communists united to defeat the Japanese

• When Japanese were defeated in 1945 the nationalists & communists resumed their fight

• Soviets supported Communists, who quickly took control of countryside

• Nationalists were forced onto Taiwan in 1949, giving Communists complete control of China

The Red Star Over China

• All aspects of life came under control of Communist Party & its leader Mao Zedong

• Changes to China Under Mao– Elimination of Capitalist Class – Communists said

capitalists exploited others, & killed 1 million– Reeducation – Communist beliefs became

required learning in universities– The Family – Family authority was replaced by

authority of Communist Party

The Great Leap Forward

• 1956 – Mao forced peasant to work on cooperative farms; Families shared work & crops

• 1958 – Mao introduces 5 Year Plan to turn China into an industrial power

• Large population used to build dams, roads & factories

• Poor planning & high costs led to disaster• China faced starvation & economic crisis

The Korean War (1950-1953)

• Westerners worried that Communism would spread after it began in China

• 1945 – Korea divided into Communist North Korea, & non-communist South Korea

• 1950 – Communists invade South Korea• U.S. & other countries helped, & forced

Communists back to North Korea

• General MacArthur led U.N. forces into North Korea

• China intervened as forces approached Chinese border

• 1953 – Compromise ended war, leaving things the way they were before it started

The Korean War (1950-1953)

The Cultural Revolution

• 1962 – Soviets & Chinese split after arguing• Mao launched campaign to become leader of

Communist movement throughout the world• Worried about loss of enthusiasm & wanted to

cover his mistakes in Great Leap Forward• Invited 11 Million students to revitalize

Communism by becoming “Red Guard”

• Red Guard attacked those who had abandoned Communism

• Many people were tortured & killed• Mao was forced to use the army to regain

control of the Red Guard• Revolution ended when food shortages caused

Mao to send Red Guard to work on farms

The Cultural Revolution

The Nuclear Arms Race

• 1949 – U.S.S.R. detonates their 1st nuclear bomb• U.S. & Soviet Union developed hydrogen bombs &

missiles to carry them• 1957 – Soviets launch Sputnik, 1st satellite• Both realized atomic weapons were too

destructive to use, & became deterrents• Superpowers locked in Balance of Terror• Involvement in regional conflicts led to smaller

wars

Krushchev & Eastern Europe

• Nikita Krushchev replaced Stalin after his death• Krushchev condemned Stalinism which triggered

unrest in Eastern Europe– Poland – Krushchev allowed striking workers to reform as

long as they remained part of Warsaw Pact– Hungary – Soviet troops crushed government reform– East Berlin – Many fled to West, & Krushchev built Berlin

Wall in 1961– Czechoslovakia – Soviets sent tanks to stop revolution, &

hard-line Communist leaders were put in power

Communism Comes to Latin America

• Poverty & oppression made it perfect for Communism

• 1959 – Fidel Castro overthrew Cuban rulers• Promised democracy, but nationalized business• U.S. stopped trade with Cuba• Soviets lent support, & helped turn Cuba

Communist• 1961 – CIA trained Cuban exiles invade Cuba at

Bay of Pigs

• President Kennedy refused to support invasion, which later failed

• 1962 – American leaders discover Cubans are building bases for nuclear weapons

• Cuban Missile Crisis resulted in U.S. blockade of Cuba

• Weapons were withdrawn• Krushchev’s failure led to removal from power

in 1964

Communism Comes to Latin America

The War in Vietnam

• Vietnam divided after gaining independence• Ho Chi Minh created Communist North Vietnam• South Vietnam refused to hold elections to

reunify the country• Viet Cong, Communists, invaded South Vietnam• America intervened in 1964

• 1973 – Americans withdraw after not being able to turn tide against Viet Cong

• 1975 – South Vietnam fell to Viet Cong, & country was reunited as Communist

The War in Vietnam

Cambodia

• Withdrawal of Americans from Vietnam led to collapse of Cambodian government

• 1975 – Cambodian Communists, Khmer Rouge, seized control

• Pol Pot, leader, carried out a policy of genocide

• Killed 4 Million, but were eventually overthrown by Vietnamese intervention