China in Revolution

by John Robottom

In simpler form this has the content & many of the concepts of Goldston's Rise of Red China & Scott's China: The Hungry Dragon. 3 major sections--Sun Yat-sen, Mao & Chiang, Communist China--represent 3 stages, the 1st two personalized (i.e. circumscribed Old China as seen in Sun's boyhood). Chapter heads & subheads comprise a continuous outline. Maps & photos are usefully disposed. For all its appearance of a text, this isn't a skeletal treatment. A clear causative chain is established, most notably in regard to Communist aims & tactics & strategic retreats from the 1st cell thru the Kiangsi-Hunan Soviet, the Long March ("also an agitation corps"--Mao), consolidation in the Red Border Region & infiltration of Japanese-held areas--while the idle Kuomintang weakened internally & with the people. Thus, given the stubborn obtuseness of Chiang & his failure to better the peasants' lot, Communist victory became inevitable. What it's meant, in terms of self-respect & repression, is dealt with fairly in the long concluding section. Also included, & also assessed a propos of Sun's 3 Principles of nationalism, socialism, democracy, is a brief but thoro resume of China's foreign relations. To the extent that 20th century China can be reduced to 150 pages less pictures, this is a good job. Considering that many youngsters want just that, it should be good to have around.--Kirkus (edited)
"The history of modern China is a story of unceasing revolution & of the three men who led the revolutions. Sun Yat-sen, who rose from a poverty-stricken village boyhood to organize the republican revolt that would topple the Manchu dynasty from the throne of China; Chiang Kai-shek, successor of Sun Yat-sen; & Mao Tse-tung, who survived the Long March to become the master of postwar China."--cover
Preface
Prologue: A Narrow Escape
Sun Yat-sen: Life in 19th century China
A rebellious youth
China & the West
The end of the Manchus
Yuan Shi-kai & the warlords
The rise of the Kuomintang
Mao Tse-tung & Chiang Kai-shek
Mao Tse-tung
The Kuomintang defeats the warlords & the Communists
The Communists begin again
Manchuria
The long march
China in the 1930s
Sian
The war against Japan
Communist victory
Communist China: Making China Communist
Industry & agriculture
The government of Communist China
China & the world 1
Formosa & Indochina
China & the world 2
Life in the new China
Further Reading
Index

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

Reviews

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text is written for the intelligent high-schooler interested in modern Chinese history spanning the period from Sun Yat-Sen through the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. Being as ignorant as I was of the subject, it was a perfect introduction, both fair and well-organized.