The Chinese Revolution

The Chinese Revolution was a long struggle that changed China from an ancient empire into a modern communist country. For decades, different groups fought over how China should be governed. In 1949, the Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, won a civil war and created the People's Republic of China. This was one of the biggest events of the 1900s and changed the lives of hundreds of millions of people.

Years of Struggle

In 1912, China's last emperor was overthrown and China became a republic. But the country was not at peace. Warlords fought for control of different areas. Two main groups emerged: the Nationalists, led by Chiang Kai-shek, and the Communists, led by Mao Zedong. They fought each other in a civil war, paused to fight together against Japan in World War II, and then continued fighting each other.

A New China

In 1949, Mao's Communist forces won the civil war. The Nationalists fled to the island of Taiwan. On October 1, 1949, Mao stood in Beijing and declared the founding of the People's Republic of China. The government took control of farms, factories, and businesses. China went through many changes, some good and some very difficult. Today, China is one of the most powerful countries in the world.

Fun Facts

• Mao's Communist army made a famous journey called the Long March, covering about 6,000 miles in one year.
• China has the largest population of any country in the world.
• The Nationalists who fled to Taiwan set up their own government that still exists today.

Did You Know?

The Long March was so dangerous that out of about 80,000 people who started it, only around 8,000 finished the journey.