International Relations 5-page paper

TIMELINE

INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS EXTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS

1839-1842—First Opium War and resulting “unequal” treaties

1850-1864-- Taiping Rebellion [other

mid-century rebellions last until 1870]

1858-1860—Anglo-French “second opium” war and resulting “unequal” treaties

1860—Start of decades long “self-strengthening”

movement in China

Key leaders: Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang

1860-1870—so-called “era of good feeling” in Sino-foreign relations

1870s—decades long tensions over Christian missions—frequent violence—e.g. Tianjin Massacre; decades of armed foreign encroachment on Chinese territory by Russia, France, Japan

1894-95—Sino Japanese war over control of Korea. China loses control of Korea, also loses Taiwan and Liaodong peninsula, must pay indemnity of 200 million Taels. Russia, Germany, France intervene; force Japan to return Liaodong in return for Chinese payment of 30 million more Taels. Then European powers “scramble for concessions” at China’s expense. U.S. postures with 1899 “Open Door” Notes.

1898—Crisis reforms known as 100 Days

Reforms—prompts conservative backlash.

Key leader—Empress Dowager Cixi

1900—Boxer Rebellion—occupy Beijing

1900—Foreign forces intervene, defeat Boxers—force indemnity of 450 million Taels. Foreign forces stay in Beijing and northern China. U.S. issues second round of Open Door Notes.

1900-1912—Qing reform efforts

1912—end of Qing and of imperial system;

power held by many warlords; widespread

reform and revolutionary activism seen

notably in the May 4th Movement 1919

Key leaders—Yuan Shikai, Sun Yat-sen

1914-1918—World War I—Western powers pull back forces from China; Japan emerges as leading foreign power in China—21 Demands 1915. China on allied side but loses Shandong to Japan with Versailles peace treaty 1919.

May Fourth Movement—1919 anti-Versailles

demonstration followed into 1920s by nation-wide

radical and moderate reform efforts—intellectual,

political, military, social, economic. Yet governance

in hands of warlords

U.S. leadership—Washington

Conference 1921-1922: China’s

sovereignty-integrity.

Sun Yat-sen (d. 1925) receives Soviet military

-political aid. Chiang Kai-shek leads Northern

Expedition (1926-1927). Chiang establishes new

government, purges Communists and Soviet

advisers

Soviet initiatives—support Sun Yat-

sen’s Kuomintang; foster new

Communist Party; provide military

and organizational training for

Northern Expedition.

Chiang’s nation building, suppression of Communists;

forced into united front 1936.

Japan encroaches from

Manchuria; full attack on China

1937.

Chiang holds out until US enters war; Japan defeat

foreseen—focus on Communists; Communists focus

on Chiang.

U.S. dominant foreign role in China-

East Asia; changing war strategy in

China; attempts mediation; uses

Yalta agreements (1945)

Chinese civil war 1946-49; Mao wins, leads

People’s Republic of China 1949. Chiang

retreats to Taiwan.

U.S. failure in China; Mao aligns with USSR (Feb 1950).