During the period of the New Democratic Revolution (1919-1949), China transformed from a feudal society to a modern society.
The period from 1919 to 1949 was a crucial period in Chinese history, which witnessed China's transformation from a feudal society to a modern society, as well as profound changes in the country's politics, economy, and society.
The main features and historical stages of this period are detailed below:
New Democratic Revolution (1919-1949): This period began with the May Fourth Movement of 1919, which is considered an important turning point in China's modern history and marked the beginning of China's New Democratic Revolution. The May Fourth Movement promoted the development of new ideas and aroused the people's patriotic feelings and anti-imperialist and anti-feudal consciousness.
After the May Fourth Movement, China entered a new stage of the new democratic revolution, which went through the following main stages:
Preparatory period for new democracy (1919-1924): This period was mainly the rise of various anti-imperialist and anti-feudal patriotic movements and ideological enlightenment movements.
Northern Expedition War Period (1924-1927): This period was dominated by the Northern Expedition promoted by the cooperation of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, with the goal of overthrowing Beiyang ** and unifying the whole country.
Agrarian Revolution (1927-1937): During this period, after the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party and the agrarian revolution, the Communist Party established a number of revolutionary base areas in the countryside.
Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945): The whole nation resisted the war, and the Kuomintang and the Communist Party cooperated again to fight against the Japanese invaders.
Liberation War Period (1945-1949): This period was the culmination of the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, which culminated in the victory of the Chinese Communist Party and the founding of the People's Republic of China.
The founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 marked the basic victory of China's new democratic revolution. This victory laid the foundation for China's modernization.
During this period, China underwent tremendous social, political, economic and cultural changes with far-reaching impacts.
The period of the New Democratic Revolution (1919-1949
New Democratic Revolution Period (1919-1949): The New Democratic Revolution was a great revolution carried out by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Party to oppose imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism for national independence and people's liberation. The period of preparation for the new democracy, that is, from 1919 to 1924, is also often referred to collectively as the period of the old democratic revolution. The following is a detailed elaboration of the main contents and characteristics of this period.
The May Fourth Movement marked the beginning of the new democratic revolution, an important struggle of the Chinese people against feudalism and imperialist aggression. The founding of the Communist Party of China in 1921 was a turning point in the face of the Chinese revolution and provided a strong leadership core for the Chinese revolution.
Impact of the May Fourth Movement:
It has stimulated the national consciousness and patriotic enthusiasm of the vast number of young people.
It promoted the spread of Marxism and the founding of the Communist Party.
It prepared the ideological foundation and social impetus for the rise of the new democratic revolution.
National Revolution period (1924-1927):
The Kuomintang cooperated with the Communist Party and formed the Revolutionary United Front.
A broad popular mobilization was carried out, and the struggle against imperialism and feudalism was launched.
The Northern Expedition was launched to overthrow the rule of Beiyang warlords such as Wu Peifu and Sun Chuanfang.
Agrarian Revolution Period (1927-1937):
After the defeat of the National Revolution, the Communist Party began to independently lead the revolutionary struggle.
The countryside surrounded the cities, and the path to armed seizure of power was established.
A number of revolutionary base areas were created, land reform was carried out, and revolutionary forces were expanded.
Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945):
The Kuomintang and the Communist Party once again cooperated and formed an anti-Japanese national united front.
The people of all nationalities throughout the country united as one and finally defeated the Japanese aggressors through an arduous struggle.
War of Liberation (1945-1949):
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party broke out again.
After the three major battles of Liaoshen, Huaihai and Pingjin, the rule of the Kuomintang was finally overthrown.
On October 1, 1949, the People's Republic of China was founded, and the New Democratic Revolution achieved a basic victory.
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The period of the Northern Expedition (1924-1927) was an important period in Chinese history, which was mainly characterized by anti-imperialist and anti-feudal revolutionary wars, with the goal of overthrowing the rule of the Beiyang warlords and realizing the unification of the country and the independence of the nation. The following are the main contents and characteristics of the period of the Northern Expedition:
Kuomintang-Communist Cooperation: During this period, the Chinese Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China cooperated to form a united front against imperialism and feudalism. In 1924, the First National Congress of the Kuomintang was held in Guangzhou, which established the three major policies of uniting Russia, uniting the Communist Party, and supporting peasants and workers, marking the beginning of the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party.
The launch of the Northern Expedition: In 1926, the Nationalists decided to launch the Northern Expedition with the aim of unifying the whole country and overthrowing the rule of the Beiyang warlords. The Northern Expeditionary Army was mainly composed of the National Revolutionary Army, with Chiang Kai-shek as commander-in-chief.
Progress of the Northern Expedition: The Northern Expeditionary Army won a series of victories in the Northern Expedition, successively defeating Beiyang warlords such as Wu Peifu and Sun Chuanfang, conquering Wuhan, Nanjing, Shanghai and other places, and once threatening Beijing's rule.
Kuomintang and Communist Party**: In 1927, the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party broke down, and the right wing of the Kuomintang launched the "April 12" counter-revolutionary coup d'état, and the large-scale ** Communists and revolutionary masses. This incident led to the complete struggle of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and the Communist Party began to conduct an armed struggle independently.
Establishment of revolutionary base areas: During the Northern Expedition, the Communists established revolutionary base areas in rural areas, carried out an agrarian revolution, and implemented peasant land ownership, laying the foundation for the later socialist revolution.
Far-reaching effects: Although the Northern Expedition ultimately failed to achieve nationwide unification, it dealt a heavy blow to the rule of the Beiyang warlords, promoted social and economic development, and laid the foundation for China's modernization process.
The Northern Expedition was an important stage of social change and revolution in China, which not only overthrew the rule of the Beiyang warlords, but also created conditions for the later socialist revolution and the modernization of the country.
Period (1927-1937
The period of the agrarian revolution, also known as the period of the Second Civil Revolutionary War, refers to a revolutionary war launched by the Communist Party of China in Chinese mainland from 1927 to 1937 with the main content of fighting local tycoons, dividing land, abolishing feudal exploitation and debts, and satisfying peasants' land demands. The main features and contents of this period are as follows:
Siege of cities by countryside and armed seizure of power: During the agrarian revolution, the Communist Party of China (CPC) won the support of the broad masses of peasants by establishing revolutionary base areas in rural areas, implementing land reform, and distributing land to landless or landless peasants. On this basis, the armed forces should be gradually developed, and eventually the encirclement of the cities by the countryside and the armed seizure of power should be realized.
Establishment of Revolutionary Base Areas: During this period, the Communist Party of China established a number of revolutionary base areas throughout the country, such as the Jiangxi Soviet District, the Fujian Soviet District, and the Hunan Soviet District. These base areas have not only carried out land reform, but also carried out political, economic, and cultural construction.
Long March: In 1934, due to the encirclement and suppression of the enemy and the erroneous leadership of the "left" within the party, the **Soviet area was forced to give up, and the Red Army began the Long March. The Long March was an important event in the history of the Communist Party of China and the Red Army, which enabled the Communist Party of China and the Red Army to preserve their strength and laid the foundation for the later War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation.
Prelude to the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression: At the end of the Agrarian Revolution, Japan stepped up its invasion of China, and the Communist Party of China and the Kuomintang once again cooperated to resist Japanese aggression. The resistance struggle during this period laid the foundation for the outbreak of the later nationwide War of Resistance Against Japan.
The impact of the agrarian revolution: During the agrarian revolution, the Communist Party of China carried out land reform in rural areas, which satisfied the land demands of the peasants, won the support of the broad masses of peasants, and laid the foundation for the later socialist revolution and the modernization of the country.
Period (1937-1945
The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945) refers to a full-scale war fought by China against Japanese aggression during World War II. The main contents and characteristics of this period are as follows:
1.Outbreak of war: On July 7, 1937, the Lugou Bridge Incident broke out, marking the official beginning of the all-out war of resistance. Prior to this, in 1931, Japan had launched the September 18 Incident, invaded and occupied Northeast China, and gradually expanded the scope of aggression.
2.The anti-Japanese war policy of the people: During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the people adopted the anti-war policy and organized a large-scale army to resist. In the early days of the war, the squadron achieved some victories on frontal battlefields, such as the Battle of Taierzhuang.
3.The Communist Party's War of Resistance Behind Enemy Lines: During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Communist Party of China mainly carried out anti-Japanese guerrilla warfare in areas behind enemy lines, and established a number of anti-Japanese base areas, such as Shandong Base Area and Jin-Cha-Ji Base Area. Communist-led armies, such as the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army, played an important role in the war behind enemy lines.
4.The stalemate phase of the War of Resistance Against Japan: Between 1938 and 1940, the War of Resistance against Japan entered a stalemate phase, and the two sides formed a stalemate on many battlefields. At this stage, the Japanese army carried out large-scale destruction of China's economy and lines of communication, implementing the so-called policy of "feeding the war with war".
5.Outbreak of the Pacific War: In December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and the Pacific War broke out, and the United States officially entered the war. Subsequently, China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War were combined to form an international anti-Japanese united front.
6.Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan: On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender, ending the War of Resistance against Japan. This war was the first national liberation war in which China won a complete victory against foreign invasion in modern times.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Chinese people experienced a long period of suffering and struggle, and the country and people made great sacrifices. The victory of this war is not only the victory of the Chinese people against aggression, but also an important part of the world anti-fascist war. The victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression laid the foundation for China's national independence and liberation.
Period (1945-1949
The War of Liberation (1945-1949), also known as the Third Civil Revolutionary War, was a decisive war between the People's Liberation Army led by the Communist Party of China and the Kuomintang Army. The main contents and characteristics of this period are as follows:
1.Background of the war: After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the contradictions between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party intensified again, and the two sides launched a nationwide war for political power and territory.
2.War Process: During the Liberation War, the Chinese People's Liberation Army adopted flexible strategies and tactics, such as movement warfare, guerrilla warfare, and positional warfare, and gradually eliminated the effective forces of the Kuomintang army.
3.Three major battles: From 1948 to 1949, the Chinese People's Liberation Army launched the three major battles of Liaoshen, Huaihai and Pingjin, which were key turning points in the war of liberation, marking the basic elimination of the main forces of the Kuomintang army and the liberation of vast areas in the north.
4.Battle of River Crossing: In April 1949, the Chinese People's Liberation Army launched a battle to cross the Yangtze River on the north bank of the Yangtze River, successfully breaking through the Yangtze River defense line of the Kuomintang army, and then occupied Nanjing, ending Kuomintang rule on the mainland.
5.Liberation of All of China: In the months that followed, the Chinese People's Liberation Army advanced rapidly, liberating most of the country, culminating in the proclamation of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on October 1, 1949.
6.Significance of the war: The victory of the War of Liberation not only ended the centuries-long rule of feudal dynasties, but also marked the victory of the new democratic revolution and laid the foundation for China's socialist transformation and modernization.
During the War of Liberation, the People's Liberation Army under the leadership of the Communist Party of China finally won a national victory and established New China under extremely difficult conditions, through correct strategy and tactics and strong will. The historical events of this period have had a profound impact on the history of China and the world.
Social change
From 1919 to 1949, Chinese society underwent unprecedented and profound changes. During this period, all aspects of Chinese society were greatly impacted and changed, and the following are the main aspects of social change during this period:
1.Political system change: The Xinhai Revolution in 1911 overthrew the Qing Dynasty and established China**, but then the country's politics were in turmoil for a long time, and it was not until the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 that a fundamental change in the political system was achieved.
2.Reform of the land system: From 1927 to 1949, the agrarian revolution led by the Communist Party of China completely changed China's land system, abolished the feudal land ownership system, realized the equal division of land, and enabled the vast number of peasants to obtain land.
3.Social structure change: the hierarchy of feudal society was broken, new social classes and middle classes emerged, and social mobility increased. At the same time, the women's liberation movement arose, and the status of women was promoted.
4.Economic structural change: The traditional small-scale peasant economy gradually disintegrated, and the national capitalist economy developed, especially during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the state intervention in the economy and post-war economic reconstruction promoted the change of economic structure.
5.Cultural and educational reform: The rise of the New Culture Movement has promoted the modernization of culture and the popularization of education. During the Sino-Japanese War, the education system continued to develop, despite the devastation of the war.
6.Nationalism and patriotism soared: During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party joined forces to resist Japan, which strengthened national cohesion and enhanced the people's sense of national identity.
7.Influence of the international environment: During this period, the world was between two world wars and on the eve of the Cold War, and China's political and economic destiny was affected by the international environment.
8.Establishment of the socialist system: The founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 marked the establishment of the socialist system in China, and the subsequent socialist transformation completely changed the nature of Chinese society.
The social changes during this period not only changed the face of Chinese society, but also laid the foundation for China's modernization process.
Economic change
From 1919 to 1949, China's economy underwent a process of transformation from a traditional feudal economy to a modern economy. The economic changes during this period are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
1.Disintegration of the feudal economy: During this period, the traditional feudal economic system gradually disintegrated, especially in rural areas, and the land reform and rural collectivization movement weakened the economic base of feudal land ownership and the landlord class.
2.Development of national capitalism: With the rise of the national bourgeoisie, the national capitalist economy has developed to a certain extent. Especially during the ** period, some national capitalists promoted the modernization of industry and commerce, and established new factories and enterprises.
3.Implementation of the economic plan: During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, China began to implement the economic plan, especially after the liberation, the state carried out comprehensive planning and guidance for the economy, and promoted the recovery and development of the national economy.
4.Priority development of heavy industry: During the period of socialist construction, China emphasized the priority development of heavy industry, and established the initial foundation for national industrialization through national investment and technology introduction.
5.Socialist Transformation: In the 1950s, China underwent socialist transformation, with the state taking over most of the important industries and enterprises and establishing a socialist economic system.
6.Rural collectivization: In the 1950s, collectivization was implemented in rural China, and the establishment of agricultural production cooperatives promoted the collectivization and modernization of agricultural production.
7.Adjustment of the economic system: During this period, China constantly adjusted its economic system to meet the needs of national development. This includes the nationalization of private enterprises, as well as the reform of the management and operation of state-owned enterprises.
Although the economic transformation during this period has undergone many adjustments and changes, it has laid the foundation for the modernization of China's economy and laid a solid foundation for subsequent economic development.
Cultural change
From 1919 to 1949, China's cultural field underwent unprecedented changes, and the cultural changes in this period were mainly reflected in the following aspects:
1.The Rise of the New Culture Movement: The May Fourth Movement of 1919 marked the beginning of the New Culture Movement, which promoted the critique of traditional culture and the assimilation of Western culture, and promoted the spread of modern values such as science, democracy, and freedom.
2.The development of literature and art: During this period, many important works and genres emerged in the field of Chinese literature and art. In literature, the number of realist and romantic works increased, such as the works of Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Ba Jin and othersIn terms of art, Chinese painting, oil painting, drama and other art forms have developed.
3.Reform of the education system: After the May Fourth Movement, China began to reform the education system, promoting new types of education, and increasing education access. During the Sino-Japanese War, despite the turmoil of the war, the education system continued to develop.
4.Progress in science and technology: During this period, China's science and technology have developed to a certain extent, especially during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, many scientists and engineers still carried out important scientific research under difficult conditions.
5.The Spread of Marxism: After the October Revolution in 1917, Marxism spread in China and became the guiding ideology of the Communist Party of China, exerting a profound impact on the field of Chinese culture.
6.The rise of nationalism and patriotism: During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party joined forces to resist Japan, which strengthened national cohesion and improved the people's sense of national identity, and nationalism and patriotism were widely spread in the cultural field.
7.Construction of socialist culture: Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the construction of socialist culture has become an important task of the state, promoting the development of literature, art, philosophy and other fields.
The cultural changes during this period not only changed the face of Chinese culture, but also laid the foundation for China's cultural modernization process.