World History

Notes 04-06-09


Revisionist interpretation of Cold War vs. Post-Revisionist interpretation (closer to the truth)
genuine fear, not deceitful, disingenuous conspiracy
Also, the Soviets actually WERE scarygoing through filesclear Soviet intent to use chemical, biological, tactical
nuclear weapons to further invade Eastern Europe
John Lewis Gaddis part of the post revisionist crewafter 1989 Soviet libraries opened upon, able to see important old
files, find out what was actually going on.
Third World still the loserSoviet and U.S. picking sides ended up creating conflict where it might not have arose before

Gadden:
The diversification of power did more to shape the course of the Cold War than did the balancing of power.
The United States and the Soviet Union built empires after WWII, although not of the same kind. (Some conservatives
dont like the idea that America was an empire.)
Many people then saw the cold War as a contest of good versus evil, even if historians since have rarely done so.
Democracy proved superior to autocracy in maintaining coalitions.
In contrast to democratic realism, Marxism-Leninism during the Cold War fostered authoritarian romanticism.
Nuclear Weapons exchanged destructiveness for duration.
As long as Stalin was running the Soviet Union a cold war was unavoidable.
New Cold War historians should retain the capacity to be surprised. (i.e. This is not the end of the story)

Liberal Tradition 4 themes:
Change and Development are Easyproven untrue for many countries
All Good things go togethernothing black and white
Radicalism and revolution are badbut democracy isnt always the easy-apply answer
Distributing power is more important than accumulating power

China becoming a power in its own right
1972 Sino/U.S. relations normalized. America withdraws from Taiwan
1979 U.S. withdraws from Vietnam, Sino Vietnam war begins soon after
Vietnam had received lots of aid from Russia, shared some hostility against China
1980s things noticeably improving in relations between China and Russia

Similar to Russia?
Both countries relatively AgrarianMarxism had to be fitted to a peasant society instead of industrial working class
Both had to determine how to translate Marxs ideas into the realities of government
Both use authoritarian means to push forward the government
Neither of these countries had a strong middle class to lead a liberal or moderate revolution

Differences:
Lenin actually an outsider to the Russian political scenedidnt return to Russia until well over a decade.
Lenins personality and commitment enabled the revolution to take place.
Mao spent years working from village to village to gain supportmany years of background work, not an outsider,
actually suspicious of intellectuals whod spent too much time overseas.
Mao formed a government as a personally popular leader. Matter-of-fact decisioncouldnt be anyone else.
Used personality cult to get the masses to follow his personal commands.
Struggle in China much more bloody and much more complex than Russia.

PROGRESSION:
Looked like Yuan Shikai would be new leader of China, abolishes parliament, establishes himself as president for life
WWIYuan unable to face the Japanese threat (who joined on the British side) along with continuing rivalry with local
warlords.
1916 1920s Warlordismno central government
1919 May Fourth, clear that China wouldnt get any concession from fighting in WWI. Prolonged protest against the
Japanese. Student activism against Japanese intervention. Also attempt to transform China into a liberal democracy.
Progressive movement, simplification of Chinese script, promotion of Western style individualism, freedom of women.
Sun Yat-sen comes back from exile. Organizes nationalist party. Argued for democracy and expulsion of manchus, yet
showed ambivalence for Western style indsutratialization, which he saw as .
Sun against uneven distribution of Wealth in America

Communist partyemerges as a more radical solution. Success of the Russian revolution causes many to look to
Marixsm/ socialism. Saw the peasants as the vanguard of the proletariat. LI Dazhao All of China abused by westerners.
Mao one of his primarily followers
Communist party born in Changhai in 1921

Soviets kept supporting the nationalists
Became increase increasinly interconnected and centralized
Tried to enstate Nationliast party without getting basis with the people
Followers were corrupt and untrustworthy, but werent ruthless like the bolshevisks.
Still, allowed communist to gain support throughout the countrysideMao institutes land-reform ,introduces new
education system, farming methods, literay (And train) communes, etc.
1934 long march nationalist surrounding the communists, communist flee 20,000 out of 90,000 After which Mao
was the clear leader

Maos father a well-to-do peasant, disliked how his father cheated the workers.
Western education, met Li. New ideas, established report with the peasants
Possibility for re-education so that people could be liberated
Mao also a very strong nationalist, whereas Marxisim is global development, but Mao deeply nationalistic
Mao thought the biggest enemies were not outside the country but inner renegades, much different then Chiang, who
was working very closely with the westerners

Japanese fighting the communists, so was the U.S.
But in the 1920s and 30s, Japanese intrusion hurt the nationalist more since they were on the coasts.
Weakened by the Japanese by WWII.



After PRC
Dispute between the ideologues and the pragmatists. Mao the ideaologuewanted to bring Communism at all cost.
Pragmatists thought that other economic ideas could also be beneficial, communism should only gradually be instituted.
Mao becomes first leaderpurges landowners
Some leaders pushing for industrialization
But Mao distrusted the intellectuals. Disliked specialization. Believed that peasants rather than workers drove
revolutions.
Established cooperatives in 1956
1957 hundred flowers movementdraw the dissenters outpremeditated aggression or reactionary? Sheer
confidence in himself and communismwasnt expecting to be criticized, or at least so devastantingly
Key movementeveryone afraid to speak out, even when government encourages dissent
1958 great leap forwardemphasized self-reliance within peasant communes. Everyday life strictly regimented
family life almost disappears. poor quality steelindustrial output actually drops. Total disaster. Possibly the worst
Famine in the world. 30 million died. productivity falls by 25%
Peasants resisted collectivization, commune leaders abusing power.
Grain grows on the backs of peasants, not the on the heads of intellectuals.
Many top party officials disagree with Maos Great Leap Forward, but only dong jao ping voices oppositiondeclared as
a traitor
Peasants knew only that their small regions were suffering
At first they buried the bodies, but later they didnt have the strength to bury them, or even chase the rats away.
After eating all the grass roots and tree bark, they eat clay
1960Mao steps down but keeps position as head of the party
Pragmatists step up.
Comes back in 1966begins Cultural revolution. In May, declares that the party is the main obstacle to communism.
begins an attack on the partycalls on young people to rebel against party officials and replace them with true
believers.
Students band together, called themselves the red guard. rebelling against parents, teachers, police. Schools didnt
even open in 1967
Mao condemns old veteran revolutionaries as counter-revolutionaries. Reorganizes party structure, demoting many
Encouraged destruction of old ideas, old culture, old customs, old habits. Encouraged attack against any Western
influence.
Ransacked museums, libraries, temples, searched and looted peoples homes. No reason behind action.
Violence against landlords, businessmen, intellectuals, and anyone accused of being associated with them. Tears
families apart. Millions beaten in public, at least 400,000 actually killed.

Why was Mao still such a cult figure?
Never took blame for problemsdangerous to assign him blame. Blamed someone else, counter-revolutionaries,
western imperialists, etc.
China a nonentity, without identity, for almost four decades until Mao united the country. invaded by Japan during
WWII, continually threatened from other sovereign powers. Mao gave China an identity, etc.