1
Q
What was the main foreign threat facing China in 1936?
A
Japanese expansion
Japan had already seized Manchuria and continued to threaten further Chinese territory.
2
Q
Which Nationalist leader headed the Guomindang in 1936?
A
Jiang Jieshi
He is also often referred to as Chiang Kai-shek in English-language works.
3
Q
What was the Guomindang’s main political position in China before full civil war resumed?
A
Ruling Nationalist party
The GMD held formal state authority but faced corruption, weakness and internal problems.
4
Q
What was one key weakness of Jiang Jieshi’s regime by the late 1930s?
A
Corruption, repression and limited popular appeal weakened Nationalist authority.
5
Q
Which Chinese political movement was led by Mao Zedong?
A
Chinese Communist Party
The CCP developed from a small revolutionary party into a mass force during the war years.
6
Q
Fill in the blank:
The Chinese Communist Party is usually abbreviated to the _____.
A
CCP
It built support through ideology, organisation and rural mobilisation.
7
Q
What was distinctive about Mao’s revolutionary strategy compared with orthodox Marxism?
A
Mao placed far greater emphasis on peasants than on the urban proletariat.
8
Q
Why were relations between the CCP and GMD hostile before 1937?
A
They competed for control of China and had already fought bitterly in earlier conflicts.
9
Q
What was the Xi’an Incident?
A
Jiang detained
In 1936 Jiang Jieshi was seized and pressured into cooperating with the Communists against Japan.
10
Q
What alliance was formed after the Xi’an Incident?
A
Second United Front
It brought the GMD and CCP into a temporary alliance against Japan.
11
Q
True or False:
The Second United Front ended all suspicion and rivalry between the CCP and GMD.
A
False
Cooperation against Japan was limited and mistrust remained intense throughout the war.
12
Q
What was the Sino-Japanese War?
A
It was the major conflict that transformed China’s politics and the balance between CCP and GMD.
13
Q
How did the war against Japan affect the GMD?
A
- Military losses
- Corruption and economic strain damaged Nationalist prestige.
14
Q
How did the war against Japan help the CCP?
A
The CCP expanded its influence, especially in rural areas, through resistance and organisation.
15
Q
What was one political advantage gained by Mao during the anti-Japanese war?
A
Stronger leadership position
Wartime success helped Mao secure greater dominance within the CCP.
16
Q
What happened to Nationalist-Communist cooperation after Japan was defeated?
A
The shared front broke down rapidly and civil war resumed.
17
Q
By 1946, which side had greater urban and international recognition?
A
Guomindang
The GMD held the main cities and was internationally recognised as China’s government.
18
Q
By 1946, which side had stronger rural organisation and popular mobilisation in many areas?
A
CCP
Communist strength in the countryside became a major advantage in the civil war.
19
Q
What was one major reason for Communist victory in the Civil War?
A
Land policies, discipline and local organisation gave the CCP wider backing.
20
Q
What was one major reason for Guomindang defeat in the Civil War?
A
Inflation, poor morale and administrative failure badly damaged the Nationalists.
21
Q
Fill in the blank:
Communist victory in 1949 led to the proclamation of the People’s Republic of _____.
A
China
The PRC was declared by Mao in Beijing.
22
Q
In what year was the People’s Republic of China established?
A
1949
The Communist victory marked one of the most important turning points in modern Chinese history.
23
Q
What was the condition of China after years of war by 1949?
A
Devastated
The economy, transport and agriculture had all been badly damaged by conflict.
24
Q
Which sector of the Chinese economy remained dominant despite wartime damage?
A
Agriculture
China was still overwhelmingly rural, and control of the countryside mattered greatly.
25
What happened to much of Chinese **industry** after years of war?
Serious disruption
## Footnote
Industrial weakness made reconstruction a major priority for the new regime.
26
What position did **Mao** hold in the new **Communist state**?
Paramount leader
## Footnote
Mao dominated politics through his status, authority and control of the CCP.
27
Which organisation was the real centre of power in the **PRC**?
CCP
## Footnote
The party shaped government, policy and ideology at every level.
28
What does **democratic centralism** mean in **Communist government**?
Debate then obedience
## Footnote
Discussion was allowed internally, but once a decision was taken, all were expected to follow it.
29
Why was mass **party membership** important to the new regime?
Extend control
## Footnote
It spread Communist authority and ideology into local communities and institutions.
30
What were **mass mobilisation campaigns**?
Organised political drives
## Footnote
They were used to involve the population in reform, denunciation and ideological change.
31
What role did the **PLA** play in consolidating **Communist rule**?
Enforce regime authority
## Footnote
The People's Liberation Army helped secure territory, suppress opposition and support campaigns.
32
What method did the **CCP** use alongside persuasion to consolidate power?
**Violence**, intimidation and punishment were used against perceived **enemies**.
33
How did **propaganda** help **Mao's regime** after **1949**?
It glorified the **revolution**, spread **ideology** and reinforced obedience.
34
What was **land reform** in early **Communist China**?
Redistribution of land
## Footnote
Land taken from landlords was redistributed to poorer peasants.
35
Which social group was specifically targeted in early **land reform campaigns**?
Landlords
## Footnote
They were denounced as exploiters and often publicly humiliated or attacked.
36
# True or False:
Land reform was carried out without violence or coercion.
False
## Footnote
In many areas it involved struggle meetings, terror and killings.
37
How did **land reform** help the **CCP** politically?
Won peasant backing
## Footnote
It attacked rural elites and linked the regime to peasant hopes for justice and land.
38
Which war soon drew the **PRC** into major international conflict after **1949**?
Korean War
## Footnote
Chinese intervention in Korea shaped the PRC's early foreign policy and security outlook.
39
Why did the **Korean War** matter for the **PRC** domestically?
Increased mobilisation
## Footnote
It strengthened discipline, patriotism and the sense of an embattled revolutionary state.
40
What was the **PRC's** attitude towards **Tibet** in the early **1950s**?
Assert control
## Footnote
The regime moved to incorporate Tibet more firmly into the Chinese state.
41
Why was **Taiwan** important to the **PRC** after **1949**?
Nationalist refuge
## Footnote
It became the base of the defeated GMD and a focus of continuing hostility.
42
Which major **Communist power** was the **PRC** initially allied with?
USSR
## Footnote
Early PRC foreign policy relied heavily on links with the Soviet Union.
43
What was a major political issue inside the **CCP** in the **1950s**?
**Disputes** emerged over policy, power and the direction of **socialism**.
44
What was the **Hundred Flowers Campaign**?
Mao encouraged **criticism** of the regime before turning against many **critics**.
45
Why is the **Hundred Flowers Campaign** important?
It revealed **criticism** inside society and was followed by **repression**.
46
# True or False:
The **Hundred Flowers Campaign** led to lasting freedom of speech in **China**.
False
## Footnote
It was followed by an anti-rightist reaction that punished many critics.
47
What happened to many critics after the **Hundred Flowers Campaign**?
Many were denounced, purged or sent for **punishment** and **re-education**.
48
Why did **Mao** resign as Chairman of the **PRC**?
Policy setback
## Footnote
His formal state role changed, though he remained the dominant figure in Chinese politics.
49
What was the first **Five Year Plan** mainly designed to develop?
Industry
## Footnote
It prioritised heavy industry with strong Soviet influence.
50
How did the first **Five Year Plan** affect Chinese **industry**?
Major growth
## Footnote
Industrial output expanded significantly, especially in heavy industry.
51
What happened to **agriculture** during the transition to socialism in the **1950s**?
Collectivised
## Footnote
Farming moved from private holdings towards collective organisation.
52
What is meant by **voluntary collectivisation**?
Joining cooperatives willingly
## Footnote
At first peasants were encouraged to pool land and labour in smaller collectives.
53
What is meant by **compulsory collectivisation**?
Forced joining of collectives
## Footnote
Later stages involved far more pressure and state coercion.
54
What was the **Great Leap Forward**?
Mao aimed to accelerate **industrial** and **agricultural growth** through mass mobilisation.
55
# Fill in the blank:
**Mao's** radical economic campaign from **1958** was the Great _\_\_\_\_ Forward.
Leap
## Footnote
It sought to transform China rapidly but ended disastrously.
56
What was one aim of the **Great Leap Forward**?
Mao wanted **China** to overtake rivals through revolutionary effort and **local production**.
57
What was one method used during the **Great Leap Forward**?
People's communes
## Footnote
Rural life was reorganised into very large collective units.
58
Why did the **Great Leap Forward** fail?
Unrealistic targets
## Footnote
Poor planning, coercion, false reporting and disruption undermined production.
59
What happened to **agriculture** during the **Great Leap Forward**?
Output collapsed
## Footnote
Mismanagement and collectivist pressure caused severe declines in food production.
60
What major human disaster followed the **Great Leap Forward**?
Famine
## Footnote
Millions died as a result of food shortages and policy failure.
61
# True or False:
The **famine** after the **Great Leap Forward** was mainly caused by a successful harvest.
False
## Footnote
It resulted from disastrous policy, disruption and severe shortages.
62
Which senior **Communist** criticised the **Great Leap Forward** and was then purged?
Peng Dehuai
## Footnote
He attacked Mao's policies and was removed after the Lushan Conference.
63
What did the purge of **Peng Dehuai** show about **Mao's leadership**?
Intolerance of criticism
## Footnote
Open challenge to Mao on major policy issues was politically dangerous.
64
What followed the failure of the **Great Leap Forward** in economic policy?
Policy debate
## Footnote
Leaders argued over how far to retreat from Maoist radicalism.
65
What were **rectification campaigns**?
Ideological purges
## Footnote
They were used to discipline officials and eliminate suspect attitudes.
66
What happened to so-called **class enemies** under **Mao** in the **1950s**?
Persecution
## Footnote
Landlords, rightists and other targets were attacked through campaigns and repression.
67
How did **Communist rule** affect **women's rights** in the **1950s**?
Some legal improvement
## Footnote
The regime promoted formal equality and attacked older patriarchal practices.
68
What was one social aim of **Communist welfare campaigns**?
Campaigns targeted **health**, literacy and **social reform** alongside political control.
69
How did **collectivisation** affect rural **society**?
Reduced peasant independence
## Footnote
Village life became more tightly controlled by the party-state.
70
What was one social consequence of **famine** in **China** by the early **1960s**?
**Hunger**, death and dislocation deeply damaged confidence in **Maoist policy**.
71
How did the **Korean War** affect **China's foreign relations**?
Increased hostility with USA
## Footnote
It hardened the PRC's international position and intensified Cold War tensions.
72
What was the **Sino-Soviet split**?
Breakdown with USSR
## Footnote
Relations between the two Communist powers deteriorated sharply by the late 1950s.
73
Why did relations between **Khrushchev** and **Mao** worsen?
Ideological and personal clashes
## Footnote
They disagreed over strategy, leadership and the direction of world Communism.
74
What was one result of the **Sino-Soviet split** for **China**?
Growing isolation
## Footnote
China lost Soviet support and had to rethink its international and economic position.
75
# Fill in the blank:
The worsening breakdown in relations between **China** and the **USSR** is known as the **Sino-Soviet** _\_\_\_\_.
Split
## Footnote
It became a defining feature of Communist politics by the end of the period.
76
What was **Mao's** position within the **PRC** in **1962** after the failure of the **Great Leap Forward**?
Weakened but dominant
## Footnote
Mao's authority had been damaged, but he still remained the most powerful figure in the regime.
77
What main divide existed inside the **CCP** after **1962**?
Ideology versus pragmatism
## Footnote
Leaders disagreed over whether to pursue Maoist radicalism or practical recovery policies.
78
Which two senior leaders became most associated with pragmatic recovery policies after **1962**?
Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping
## Footnote
They favoured more practical economic measures after the disasters of the Great Leap Forward.
79
# Fill in the blank:
After **1962**, the main policy conflict in the **CCP** was between ideology and _\_\_\_\_
pragmatism
## Footnote
This tension shaped both economic policy and the later Cultural Revolution.
80
What was the main aim of **Liu Shaoqi** and **Deng Xiaoping's** economic approach?
They wanted to restore **output** and **stability** after famine and disruption.
81
Why did **Mao** distrust the pragmatic policies of **Liu** and **Deng**?
Mao believed practical **reforms** risked weakening revolutionary **socialism**.
82
What was the **personality cult** of **Mao Zedong**?
Leader worship
## Footnote
Propaganda portrayed Mao as the infallible guide of the Chinese revolution.
83
How did **Mao's personality cult** help him politically?
Strengthened loyalty
## Footnote
It raised his authority above rivals and linked obedience to devotion.
84
What happened to **agriculture** under pragmatic recovery policies after **1962**?
Partial recovery
## Footnote
Incentives and more flexible management helped improve production.
85
What happened to **industry** under **Liu** and **Deng's** pragmatic policies?
Stabilisation and growth
## Footnote
Greater practicality and restored order improved industrial performance.
86
# True or False:
After **1962**, **Mao** fully accepted pragmatic economic reform without resistance.
False
## Footnote
Mao remained suspicious of pragmatism and later struck back through the Cultural Revolution.
87
What was one area of social change for women in the **PRC** in the early **1960s**?
**Communist rule** promoted legal **equality**, though reality often lagged behind propaganda.
88
How did **communist rule** affect **education** before the **Cultural Revolution**?
Expanded access
## Footnote
Schooling spread, though it remained shaped by ideology and state priorities.
89
How were **young people** viewed by the **Communist regime** in the early **1960s**?
Agents of socialism
## Footnote
Youth were expected to be politically loyal and ideologically committed.
90
How did the **PRC** treat many **ethnic groups** and **religions** in this period?
Tighter control
## Footnote
The regime often suppressed separate identities and attacked religious practices.
91
What was one benefit of **communist rule** for many Chinese people by the early **1960s**?
Greater social provision
## Footnote
Literacy, healthcare and state organisation had expanded in many areas.
92
What was one disadvantage of **communist rule** by the early **1960s**?
Lack of freedom
## Footnote
Political dissent, religious practice and independent organisation were tightly restricted.
93
What issue worsened **Sino-Soviet relations** in the early **1960s**?
Conflict over ideology
## Footnote
Beijing and Moscow increasingly accused each other of betraying true socialism.
94
Which **border region** became a source of tension between **China** and the **USSR**?
Xinjiang
## Footnote
Soviet influence and border concerns added to wider mistrust.
95
What was the **Cultural Revolution**?
Political and social upheaval
## Footnote
Mao launched it to reassert control and attack perceived enemies within party and society.
96
# Fill in the blank:
**Mao** launched the **Cultural Revolution** in _\_\_\_\_
1966
## Footnote
It became one of the most disruptive episodes in modern Chinese history.
97
Which radical political group in **Shanghai** helped encourage the **Cultural Revolution**?
Shanghai radicals
## Footnote
They backed Mao's attack on the party establishment.
98
What was one main aim of **Mao** in launching the **Cultural Revolution**?
Regain control
## Footnote
Mao used the movement to destroy rivals and reassert ideological dominance.
99
Which two senior leaders were purged at the start of the **Cultural Revolution**?
Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping
## Footnote
Both were denounced as taking the capitalist road.
100
Who were the **Red Guards**?
Radical youth activists
## Footnote
They were mainly students mobilised to attack old ideas and alleged enemies of Mao.
101
What did the **Red Guards** attack during the **Cultural Revolution**?
The Four Olds
## Footnote
They targeted old customs, culture, habits and ideas.
102
# Fill in the blank:
The **Cultural Revolution** called for the destruction of the 'Four _\_\_\_\_'.
Olds
## Footnote
This slogan justified attacks on traditional and cultural life.
103
What was the role of **Lin Biao** in the **Cultural Revolution**?
Mao's military ally
## Footnote
He backed Mao and helped promote the cult of Mao through the PLA.
104
How did the **PLA** become important during the **Cultural Revolution**?
Restored order
## Footnote
The army was used when Red Guard chaos threatened state stability.
105
What happened as **Cultural Revolution campaigns** widened?
Radicalisation and violence
## Footnote
Struggle sessions, faction fighting and persecution spread across China.
106
# True or False:
The **Cultural Revolution** brought steady order and calm to Chinese society.
False
## Footnote
It produced disruption, factionalism, repression and widespread instability.
107
Why were the **Red Guards** later purged or restrained?
They became **uncontrollable**
## Footnote
Their violence and disorder threatened the functioning of the state and party.
108
By what year had the main phase of the **Cultural Revolution** campaign been brought under control?
1969
## Footnote
Although politics remained unstable, the most chaotic phase had eased by then.
109
What happened to **Liu Shaoqi** during the **Cultural Revolution**?
He was removed from **power** and died in harsh **conditions**.
110
What happened to **Deng Xiaoping** during the **Cultural Revolution**?
Purged then returned
## Footnote
He was denounced and removed, but later re-emerged in politics.
111
What happened to **Lin Biao** after his rise during the **Cultural Revolution**?
Fell from favour
## Footnote
His downfall showed the instability and danger of Mao-era politics.
112
Which senior leader often appeared as a moderating figure during the later **Cultural Revolution**?
Zhou Enlai
## Footnote
He helped maintain some continuity in government and foreign policy.
113
Who was **Jiang Qing**?
Mao's radical ally
## Footnote
She became a leading figure among the radical faction later labelled the Gang of Four.
114
What was one economic effect of the **Cultural Revolution**?
Disrupted growth
## Footnote
Political upheaval damaged education, production and administrative efficiency.
115
How did the **Cultural Revolution** affect many **young people**?
Many **students** were mobilised politically and sent away from normal **schooling**.
116
What was **rectification** during the **Cultural Revolution**?
Ideological punishment
## Footnote
People were investigated, criticised and forced to conform politically.
117
What happened to **culture** under the **Cultural Revolution**?
Censorship intensified
## Footnote
Artistic and intellectual life narrowed sharply under political control.
118
What was **Mao's** '**Little Red Book**'?
Collection of quotations
## Footnote
It became a symbol of loyalty and ideological conformity.
119
# True or False:
The **Little Red Book** was mainly a manual of economic reform.
False
## Footnote
It was a political and ideological text used to spread Maoist thought.
120
What happened to **Sino-Soviet relations** during the **Cultural Revolution** era?
They deteriorated sharply
## Footnote
Ideological hostility and border tensions pushed the two Communist powers apart.
121
What significant military clash occurred between **China** and the **USSR** in **1969**?
Border conflict
## Footnote
Fighting on the frontier showed how serious the split had become.
122
Which major **world power** did **China** begin improving relations with in the early **1970s**?
United States
## Footnote
Both sides saw strategic advantage in closer contact against the USSR.
123
What was **ping-pong diplomacy**?
Symbolic sporting contact
## Footnote
Table tennis exchanges helped open the way for improved US-China relations.
124
Which US national security adviser made a key visit to **China** before **Nixon**?
Kissinger
## Footnote
His secret diplomacy prepared the ground for formal rapprochement.
125
Which US president visited **China** in **1972**?
Nixon
## Footnote
The visit marked a major turning point in Cold War diplomacy.
126
What was **China's** internal condition at **Mao's death** in **1976**?
The country remained shaped by **political upheaval**, weak institutions and unresolved **tensions**.
127
What was **China's** external position at **Mao's death**?
More recognised internationally
## Footnote
Relations with the USA had improved, though hostility with the USSR remained.
128
What issue followed **Mao's death** in **1976**?
There was no automatic **consensus** over who would dominate post-Mao **China**.
129
Which leader briefly emerged after **Mao's death** before being eclipsed by **Deng**?
Hua Guofeng
## Footnote
He initially held top offices but lacked Deng's long-term authority and support.
130
# Fill in the blank:
After **Mao's death**, **Hua** _\_\_\_\_ briefly emerged as leader.
Guofeng
## Footnote
His position was weakened as Deng Xiaoping advanced.
131
What was the **Gang of Four**?
Radical Maoist faction
## Footnote
They were blamed for much of the Cultural Revolution's excesses after Mao's death.
132
What happened to the **Gang of Four** after **Mao's death**?
They were defeated
## Footnote
Their removal helped end the Cultural Revolution era politically.
133
What characterised **Deng Xiaoping's** style of leadership?
Collective pragmatism
## Footnote
He promoted more practical, less charismatic rule than Mao's personal dictatorship.
134
What were the **Four Modernisations**?
They focused on **agriculture**, industry, defence, and **science and technology**.
135
Which sector was transformed first under **Deng's reforms**?
**Rural reform** began by loosening collective controls and encouraging **household incentives**.
136
How did **Deng's reforms** affect Chinese **industry**?
Industry expanded through greater **flexibility**, incentives and opening to **investment**.
137
Why were **science** and **technology** important in **Deng's programme**?
Deng saw **technical expertise** as essential for making **China** stronger and richer.
138
What happened to **China's economy** under **Deng**?
**Reform and opening** brought sustained expansion, though unevenly distributed.
139
# True or False:
**Deng Xiaoping** introduced full **Western-style democracy** alongside economic reform.
False
## Footnote
Economic change was significant, but political liberalisation remained tightly limited.
140
What was one major limitation to political change under **Deng**?
Continued CCP control
## Footnote
The party kept its monopoly on power despite major economic reform.
141
What were the **Tiananmen Square** demonstrations?
Students and others demanded **political change** and challenged **party authority** in 1989.
142
What triggered concern among **CCP leaders** during the **Tiananmen protests**?
Calls for political reform
## Footnote
Leaders feared loss of control and wider instability.
143
What happened in the aftermath of the **Tiananmen Square demonstrations**?
Military crackdown
## Footnote
The regime used force and then reasserted tight political control.
144
# Fill in the blank:
The major democracy protests of **1989** centred on _\_\_\_\_ Square.
Tiananmen
## Footnote
The crackdown became one of the defining events of Deng-era China.
145
How did **China** stand as a global power by **1997**?
Far stronger internationally
## Footnote
Economic growth and diplomacy had greatly increased China's global significance.
146
What role did **China** hold in global diplomacy throughout this later period?
UN Security Council member
## Footnote
Its permanent seat gave it significant influence in international affairs.
147
Which two major international financial institutions did **China** engage with more fully by **1997**?
IMF and World Bank
## Footnote
This reflected China's growing integration into the global economy.
148
How did relations with **Japan** develop under **Deng**?
Greater cooperation and trade
## Footnote
Economic links deepened despite political tensions and historical memory.
149
How did relations with the **USA** change under **Deng**?
Improved substantially
## Footnote
Trade, visits and strategic cooperation increased, despite periods of tension.
150
What happened to **Hong Kong** in **1997**?
Returned to China
## Footnote
Britain handed Hong Kong back, marking a major symbolic and diplomatic success for the PRC.
A-Level History (Edexcel)
flashcards
Decks in class (30)
# Cards
-
The Crusades and the Near East102
-
Spain: Monarchy and Empire94
-
Tudor England: Authority and Religion92
-
Stuart Britain: Conflict and Revolution74
-
Russia: Absolutism and Reform73
-
Industrial Britain: Change and Reform111
-
Modern Britain: Transformation and Society113
-
Russia: Revolution and the Soviet State119
-
The British Empire: Expansion and Decline108
-
The USA: Emergence of a Superpower116
-
Germany: Unification to Reunification110
-
Medieval England: Authority and Conflict136
-
Late Medieval England: Dynastic Conflict118
-
The European Reformation153
-
The English Reformation318
-
The English Civil War147
-
France under Louis XIV145
-
The American Revolution and Early USA129
-
The French Revolution and Napoleon161
-
The American Civil War and Reconstruction137
-
International Relations and the Origins of War100
-
Fascist Italy140
-
Britain: War and Welfare157
-
Russia: Revolution and Stalinism183
-
Germany: Democracy and Nazism153
-
China: Revolution and Reform150
-
The USA: Society and Change135
-
The Cold War147
-
Modern Britain since 1950150
-
The Collapse of Communism156
