I. Mao Tsetung and the Communists
By 1945 much of N. China was under Communist control. They recruited
peasants-they encouraged reading and helped them learn higher
food production.
II. Chiang Kaij- shek and the Nationalists
The "opposing side" to the Communists. They had much
of S. China in their control. The US gave them billions in aid.
However, their army was corrupt and they were very out of touch
with the peasants.
III. China and Civil War
After WWII the Nationalists and the Communists were preparing
for civil war(1946-1949). At this time, famine was rampant and
China's economy was close to collapse. Chinese Nationalist troops
stole and looted from the people. As the Nationlists weakened,
the Communist gained strength.
IV. Communists win
In 1949 China's major cities fell to the Communist. Mao Tse Tung
established a new government, The Peoples Republic of China
V. US refused to recognize Communist China
Even though Mao won China, the US "pretended" that he
did not. They considered Chiang and the island of Taiwan(where
he fled to) the new China until 1972! Why? The Cold War-they were
fighting USSR and the Communism and did not want to acknowledge
such a huge step toeard Communism. USSR sent massive aid to China.
VI. N. and S. Korean War
Korea had been occupied the JAPANESE since early 1900s.. After
WWII, Japan was driven out. Soviet forces occupied the North while
American troops held the south. Soon after WWII, the US cut back
its army in S. Korea. They backed N. Korea with major military
in an attempt to take over all of Korea
TRUMAN ordered support for S. Korea and N. Korea, also called on the UN to stop the N Korean invasion. All together 16 nations sent troops to Korea. So all the troops fought under the UN flag. GEN. DOUGLAS MACARTHUR commanded the UN forces.
VII. The End of the War
The UN eventually fought a "limited war"-where one or
both sides aim at less than all our victory over the enemy. The
UN goal was to drive the N. Koreans back to the 38th PARALLEL(the
original dividing line)
By 1952 UN troops had recaptured Seoul and were in firm control of S. Korea
In 1953 N. and S. Korea signed a cease fire agreement (or a truce). The end result was the original border between the two Koreas remained the same. Approximately 5 million lives were lost.
One result was the Communist China showed the world it had great strength-it had matced all of the military strength of the WEST.