Do Now: Radiation

• Answer the following in 3-5 complete sentences

• What do you know about radiation poisoning? What types of things can happen from exposure to radiation? If you do not know, what do you think might happen?

Atomic Bombs & Radiation

• mainly burns from rays and flames• wounds (trauma) from blast and falling structures.• symptoms of damages by radioactive rays

– loss of hair, anemia, loss of white cells, bleeding, diarrhea• “secondary injuries”

– Disfiguration, severe scar formations (keloids), blood abnormalities, sterility (both sexes)

• Long term: – leukemia, birth defects, A-bomb cataracts, cancers of

thyroid, breast, lungs, salivary glands

Communists Take Power in

China

Objective: Analyze why communism gained popularity in

China.

Communists vs. Nationalists• China was in a Civil War between the Nationalists &

Communists

• Japan invaded in 1937 and both groups united to fight against the Japanese during WWII

The Communists

• Mao Zedong—leader of the Chinese Communist Party (founded in 1921)

• Mobilized peasants for guerilla warfare against the Japanese during WWII

The Nationalists

• Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-Shek)—leader of the Nationalist

• Did not do much fighting in WWII

• Instead, they saved up strength to fight Mao’s Red Army after WWII ended

Chinese Civil War Resumes

• Renewed Civil War lasted from 1946-1949• China’s economy collapsed as a result of

WWII & thousands of soldiers & civilians switched to the Communist Party

Chinese Civil War Resumes• By 1949, China’s major

cities fell to Mao’s Red Army

• Mao’s Promises– Give land back to the

peasants– China became the People’s

Republic of China– Signed Treaty of Friendship

with Russia (1950)

Two Chinas

• Taiwan or Nationalist China– Supported by U.S.– Militarily weak & corrupt– Weak public support

• Communist or People’s Republic of China– Supported by Soviets– Experienced & motivated guerilla army– Strong public support

Communists Transform China

• Agrarian Reform Law of 1950– Mao seized land of owners & returned it to the

peasants– Killed over a million people in the process

• Established a 5-Year Economic Plan– Plan to boost industry & business– Increased output of coal, steel, concrete, & electricity

Communists Transform China

• The Great Leap Forward (1958)– Called for large collective farms, or communes– Peasants worked & lived there, owning nothing– Considered a failure after crop famines killed 20

million people

• China and USSR begin to compete to lead the worldwide Communist Movement by the late 1950s

The Cultural Revolution • Led by the Red Guards, militias of Communist supporters

• Goal: to establish a society of peasants & workers in which all were equal

• Anything artistic & intellectual considered useless

• Shut down colleges and schools

• Intellectuals had to “purify” themselves by doing hard labor

• Thousands executed & imprisoned

• Chaos threatened the farm production & industry

• Communist National Army was told to suppress the Red Guards & end the revolution