Topic Outline
This section focuses on China and Korea between 1910 and 1950. It examines the rise of nationalism and communism in China after the establishment of the Chinese Republic, as well as the nature of Japanese rule of Korea, which had been formalized with the annexation in 1910, and which became more oppressive during the years of the Sino-Japanese War. The section concludes by examining the reasons for the victory of the communists in the Chinese Civil War and the consequences of this defeat for the nationalists.
1. The rise of nationalism
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This first unit begins in the years after the 1911 Revolution and seeks to identify the key turning points in the rise of Chinese national identity. The topic culminates in an essay examining the reasons for the growth in nationalism.
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2. The Nanjing Decade
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To unite China, Chiang Kai-shek had to form alliances with both the CPC and hostile warlords. The fragility of these alliances would impact hugely on his ability to rule. Yet to describe this period as one of failure masks the many successes.
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3. The rise of communism
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Teleological perspectives on history can result in perspectives that view communism as inevitable. Yet the CPC faced many events that could have doomed them. So what does account for the rise of the CPC?
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4. The impact of war
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Most modern perspectives acknowledge that rightly or wrongly, the Second World War was a huge turning point for the CPC. Despite its horrors, the party emerged strengthened from the war in comparison to the GMD, a position it would leverage to its advantage.
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5. Japanese rule of Korea
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The Japanese occupation of Korea still remains a highly contentious period of East Asian history. This unit will explore both the positive and negative aspects of Japanese rule, the consequences of war, as well as the causes of the eventual division of Korea in 1948.
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6. Martial Law in Taiwan
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The period of Taiwanese history from 1945-1950 remains a largely forgotten period, at least in Western historiography. It is often assumed that GMD rule after 1945 was welcomed. Yet the period is marked as one of harsh repression and terror as the GMD sought control.
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