Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
as the largest grouping. Parliamentary democracy did not last long, as the
Kuomintang itself was outlawed by Yuan and Sun fled to exile in Japan.
However, after Yuan's death in 1916 the country split into rival regions ruled by
militarist warlord-leaders. Also, in reality, the foreign powers still had control
over much of China's domestic and international situation. The city of Shang-
hai became the focal point for the contradictions of Chinese modernity. The ra-
cism that accompanied imperialism was visible every day, as Europeans kept
themselves separate from the Chinese. Amid the glamour of modernity, its in-
equalities and squalor also inspired the first congress of the Chinese Com-
munist Party (CCP).
Double-dealing by the Western Allies and Chinese politicians who had made
secret deals with Japan led to some 3000 students gathering in central Beijing
in 1919 and marching to the house of a Chinese government minister closely
associated with Japan. Once there, they broke in and destroyed the house.
This event, over in a few hours, became a legend.
The student demonstration came to symbolise a much wider shift in Chinese
society and politics. The May Fourth Movement, as it became known, was as-
sociated closely with the New Culture. In literature, a May Fourth generation of
authors wrote works attacking the Confucianism that they felt had brought Ch-
ina to its current crisis, and explored new issues of sexuality and self-develop-
ment while the CCP was founded in the intellectual turmoil of the movement.
The Northern Expedition & the Long March
After years of vainly seeking international support for his cause, Sun Yatsen
found allies in the newly formed Soviet Russia. The Soviets ordered the
fledgling CCP to ally itself with the Kuomintang. Their alliance was attractive to
Sun: the Soviets would provide political training, military assistance and fin-
ance. From their base in Guangzhou, the Kuomintang and CCP trained to-
gether from 1923, in preparation for their mission to reunite China.
Sun died of cancer in 1925. Under Soviet advice, the Kuomintang and CCP
prepared for their 'Northern Expedition', the big 1926 push north that was sup-
posed to finally unite China. The most powerful military figure turned out to be
an officer from Zhejiang named Chiang Kaishek (1887-1975). Chiang moved
steadily forward and finally captured Shanghai in March 1927. Using local
