Communist China affects the world
The spread of COMMUNISM beginning from one man
Communism
But what happens when someone had found this idea, communism and equality sounds great. No one had establish Communism, making it real. This is why Mao Zedong is he founder of communism.
This is a story about a leader, his influence on the world, and his own country.
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong as a child had been influenced by western ideas, such as Marxism or Communism. When he was young he had studied the idea of Communism. It sounded great to him, equality to everyone. Though he didn't make up the idea, he was the 'Founder' of Communism because he had actually put the idea into action. That is why he had decided, the future of China shall be Communist.
Zedong was the leader of the Communist Red army, with 100,000 troops. The Red Army was an army full of Communist followers, they made sure every citizen in China understand that communism was the perfect idea.
But before this all happened, the Red Army was only a few people, people who didn't seem like a threat to China. How did a small group of people turn into a swarm of people who are passionate about what they believe. This was gained through what we call 'The Long March'
The Long March
-The first action towards communism-
The troops through out their journey traveled through 18 mountains ranges, and 24 rivers to reach the northwestern province, Shaanxi. Because their embarked journey, they had picked up many followers on their way. They influenced many peasants by their idea of equality, because the poor did not like the fact that there were rich people who lived their lives so easily, meanwhile they are hard workers who deserve nothing in return.
The army seemed harmless, and nothing that would threaten the provinces that they had gone through. Mao Zedong had told the Red Army to help the peasants they passed by. He told them not to harm them or cause any trouble, they offered the peasants a future, something to trust and look forward too. The peasants felt like this is what they deserved and this is why they must join the Red Army.
They didn't expect to be falling into communists people, they wanted to join the Red Army because of how they had helped the poor people have a voice, that they were just as good as the rich. Zedong had helped many of them, telling his army to help the poor. He even made up the Six Principles of the Red Army.
"Put back all doors when you leave a house
Rice-stalk mattresses must all be bundled up again and returned
Be polite. Help people when you can.
Give back everything you borrow, even if it’s only a needle.
Pay for all things broken, even if only a chopstick.
Don’t help yourself or search for things when people are not in their houses."
Every member of the army had to follow these principles. The Red Army was a group of good people, or we're they just influenced because they thought it was a better way to become just like the rich?
China Officially Communist
Establishing it
The Great Leap Foreward
The failed idea that killed many
During this time many citizens lived in rural areas working as peasant farmers. Mao thought that if the farmers worked in factories and produce the product, it would be fine, but he didn't think that taking the farmers will create a shortage in food produced to feed the large Chinese nation.
This idea failed because millions died from starvation, considering that there was shortage of food, poor harvest, and droughts. Because of this people began questioning his leadership.
Cutural Revolution
The Revolution that had changed China
The Revolution that had changed China
Mao Zedong had changed China through communism, and using his government he was going to change peoples view on culture.
Zedong showed that he was serous about communism, he didn't want people to doubt his leadership. He was going to make sure communism was the only thing that could be mentioned, this way China would be 100% communist, with everyone supporting communists. This revolution was a change that had changed everything.
This revolution was to renew the Chinese Communist revolution, because people began thinking maybe he wasn't a great leader. He began removing everything that went against communism .
He removed books, arts that showed self expression, religion, and any ideas of democratic freedom or government. He wanted every child to grow up to be influenced by communism so, he had the schools teach about the idea. He replaced foreign books with books that he wrote about communism. High school students were recruited and formed the Red Guard who had the power to enforce policies of the Cultural Revolution.
His wife Madame Mao had led the revolution and controlled the society and culture of China. Any art or anything that had to do I with color and expression had to reflect communism in some way. That is why Mao had people brainwash and used propaganda making it sound like communism was the greatest thing ever.
Who ever went the idea was punished or even killed. Mao Zedong was very serious about this belief and he proved to his citizen that he would do anything to make communism the greatest idea ever.
Tiananmen Square
A fight for freedom, for a democracy, for a new China
Tiananmen Square massacre was a burn in history, it was the time where the people rose and showed their thoughts about communist China. It was the time where people thought there was a hope and chance, even though they knew they'll lose.
It on they day of April 1989, when protesters began filling up the square. The people wanted a democracy, and refused to let the Chinese Liberation Army pass through the square.
Thousands to millions of people filled up the square holding signs of protest. Doing chants and sitting in the hot sun for hours and days. Many students, elders, men and women went on hunger strikes, college students shouted for democracies.
Protesters held parades and held up the democracy sign. They shouted for a freedom, and even built a wall of people from keeping the communist soldiers from passing into the square. The Chinese police officers held a parade, wanting a democracy and a freedom.
People even attempted to harm the soldiers who we're doing their jobs. They beat them or burned up the tanks and guns. They covered up Mao Zedong's portrait and built a statue to represent their want for a democracy.
Protest went on and on for 6 weeks and on May 22nd the PLA declared martial law on the citizens. Troops moved into the square and on the morning of June 4th, the tanks and soldiers fired the protesters, crushing them with tanks, beating them, and arresting the people who were still in the square.
Many were killed , around thousands of people had died, and many were injured. People did escape but the protesters who were passionate and wanted a freedom had died trying, and they knew they would lose against the communist government.
Tiananmen Square was the first event that showed the voice of the people. Not all wanted communism, they wanted a freedom.
Communism Affecting China
What impact does these events have?
Starting from the very beginning when Mao Zedong was escaping the Nationlists, communism was already beginning to spread. The Long March picked up followers on the way because he traveled, he met people and showed his ideas of communism. Many people were peasants, poor, and had a hard life. He granted them a wish of being like the rich, that they were equal and this is how it's going to be. Because of that he had gained people for the Red Army to fight for him, fight for his idea. Just like a disease, communism and the idea of it spread through travel.
In the Great Leap forward. It wasn't a great idea but it was a push to the Cultural Revolution. Mao's idea was a blessing and a curse, China became very successful in their economy but during that time, there were many farmers. So Mao took the farmers thinking that they'll help produce steel. He didn't realize that there were less farmers to produce food for the big nation. Millions had starved and died, that made people question his leadership.
That led to the Cutural Revolution. Mao proved that he was a very serious communist leader. He ended up brainwashing and influencing people about communism and forced it upon them. He was determined to make people a communist believer. Mao ended up throwing every culture, tradition. Religion, ideas, creativity, and self expression out side of the border. This revolution led to the Tiananmen Square massacre.
That was the massacre where people showed their thoughts, maybe communism wasn't as great as they thought, maybe they wanted a freedom, a choice.
All of this impacted the establishment of communism in China, because Mao Zedong did his job. He got peasants, and people to believe that this idea was great, that there would be no social class. He got followers from traveling high and low, by forcing it upon them, by canceling out their voices. There were many who didn't want communism but because of the strong government that Mao had built, he influenced people with propaganda, books, and art that made Communism sound great and it made people happy. This is why China is communist because of one man and his army. He started small but began getting bigger and impacting his home nation with his idea of a great society, and a powerful nation
The Korean War
The First War of prevent Communism
This war was described as the Seesaw war, because one side would gain land, then lose it, it continued like that.
In the first year of the Korean War the communist general Chai Ung Chai invaded South Korea. North Korea wanted all of Korea to become communist, and in less than a week, Seoul had been taken over.
During September 1955, U.s and Korean troops captured Icnheon. They thought Incheon was the key point because it was near the court and west of Seoul. Shortly after that U.S got control is Seoul. They felt like victory was near. But in October the UN captured Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.
The US and UN thought that they didn't have to worry about the Soviets helping North Korea because in the war they had lost many, but they didn't expect China to help. China did help, the sent forces into North Korea and took land back. The forces attacked the UN forces.
January 1961, China took Seoul but by March the UN forces took Seoul back. On June 1951, the second part of the war taken place. It lasted for 2 years and both sides gained and lost, there was no more pushing and pulling, they were stuck. Air forces were used in this war, it was the first time too.
On October 1952, both sides had notice that they weren't going anywhere with this war. So they both signed an agreement to divide both Korea's at the 38th parallel. The war ended in a stalemate, with neither of them gaining anything. In 1953 armistice was declared, which is an agreement to STOP fighting.
South Korea is now a very successful democratic country while North Korea is still suffering with their economy.
The Vietnam War
The Long Fight that wasn't worth it
Ho Chi Minh had the Viet Minh who were the communist people in North Vietnam, and there were people who wanted communist in the south called the Viet Cong. They all fought against the other people in the South. The US viewed this as communist aggression.
Therefore the President, Eisenhower felt like US should be there to prevent the Domino Effect.
The Viet Cong used guerrilla war tactics against the US, they used the hit and run when fighting instead of using the traditional way. The war also escalated when the US had heard that the North Vietnamese had attacked their navy ships. The president had sent troops into Vietnam.
Long before the US was involved, North Vietnam troops had used the Ho Chi Minh Trail. It was system of jungles and mountains that connected North Vietnam and South Vietnam, also with Laos and Cambodia. These trails were used more often when the US began bombing. These trails were very effective against the US troops.
Later on the communist launched the Tet Offensive in 1968. It succeeded in reducing the American's support for the war. So after that was launched the president Richard Nixon had the US withdraw from Vietnam. They had called this Vietnamization, and the last troops left in 1973 after signing the Paris Peace Accords.
Vietnam had succeeded because of their war tactics, even thought they are small they had outsmarted the big troops of US. The US focused on bombing the country side more than focusing on the guerrilla war tactics.
The Americans didn't like that they had to lose many lives for a war that wasn't worth it, many didn't support. Because of that Vietnam had remained a communist country.
My thoughts and Opinion
Like in the Korean War, US had succeeded in keeping South Korea a democratic country, "38,000 United States soldiers had provided a defense force guarding against invasion from the militant North Koreans."
Because of their attempts, South Korea is a successful country, "Southh Korea has become a prosperous country embracing democratic ideals."
As for other previous communist countries, in my interpretations I think they thought that communism wasn't a great idea, so they are trying to become democratic. The US had some influence.
It's like the butterfly effect, communism is still there but it's trapped in one area. A butterfly is kept in a container, separating it from the rest of the world. Even though it's in the jar, it's still flying into other places in the jar. That represents the communist country.
Even though communism is still there, it's separated from the rest of the world. And like I said, I believe that containment of communism had worked.