Topic 12: China and Korea (1910 - 1950)
Topic 12 examines the momentous events in China and Korea between 1910 and 1950; the development of a national movement in China, the events leading to a civil war between Nationalists and the Communists in China, Japanese annexation of Korea and invasion of China through to Mao's victory in 1949.
Specifically this unit looks at:
- Development of national identity in China following the establishment of a Republic
- Rule of the Guomindang under Jiang Jieshi during the Nanjing Decade
- Development of the Communist Party, civil war between the CCP and GMD and the Long March
- Japanese invasion of China, the Second United Front, resumption of civil war and victory of the CCP
- Events in Korea from annexation by the Japanese through to the division of the country at the 38th parallel
- The establishment of Taiwan and the rule of Jiang Jieshi
1. Rise of national identity in China (ATL)
The Years 1911 to 1927 saw several key developments in China: the failed attempt of an imperial general, Yuan Shikai, to bring back the Imperial throne, a period of chaos during which Warlords held sway,...
2. The Nanjing decade (1927 - 1937)
The Nanjing Decade was a relatively stable period during which China was ruled by Jiang Jieshi, Sun Yixian's successor. However, many challenges remained and there was only limited success in creating...
3. Rise of Communism in China (ATL)
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had its origins in the turbulent decade of the 1920s. This section looks at its ideology and its conflict with the other major political force in China - the Guomindang....
4. China at war 1931 to 1949 (ATL)
From 1931, China was subjected to an invasion by the Japanese; this conflict became part of the wider conflict of the Second World War from 1941. Although Jiang and Mao created a second United Front to...
5. Korea 1910 - 1950: ATL
This section examines the political, social and economic impact of Japanese rule on Korea between 1910 and 1945. It also covers the events post Second World War which led to the permanent division of...
6. Taiwan and the Republic of China
With the defeat of Japan in 1945, Jiang's government took over Taiwan. When the GMD was defeated by the CCP in 1949, Jiang and his government fled the mainland to the island and claimed to represent the...
China and Korea (1910 - 1950) Extra Resources
On these pages you can find useful websites for this unit along with historians' texts that students might find enjoyable to develop their understanding further. These books are all very readable and...
China and Korea (1910 - 1950): Essay frames and writing exercises
This page contains a variety of essay writing exercises and essay plans for this topic.In pairs plan the following essays: Evaluate the impact of Yuan Shi Kai's rule on China. Use your planning grid on...
China and Korea (1910 - 1950): graded student examples
On this page you will find sample essays on this topic, written by students and graded by examiners. We have also suggested activities that can be done with these essays.This essay was written by a final...
China and Korea (1910 - 1950): videos
See below for videos on China and Korea. These are in addition to the videos which are linked to activities on the ATL pages.This video starts with student demonstrations in 1989 and then links these...
China and Korea (1910 - 1950): Quizzes
On this page you will find quizzes on this topic to help students learn key facts.You can download these quizzes for the students to do. Alternatively students can do the interactive version of the quizzes