China 1925

Synopsis

In early 1925 both the working class and the Chinese elite in Shanghai began to agitate against the presence of foreigners in the city. In May the situation became tense when a Japanese foreman killed a Chinese worker. On 30 May several thousand residents of Shanghai marched to protest the killing. Police responded by firing into the crowds, killing 10 people and injuring dozens more. This event prompted the city's workers, merchants, and students to unite in what is sometimes called the May Thirtieth Movement. The result of the movement was a general strike in the city that virtually shut down Shanghai. However, the unity of the various groups did not last, as the merchants ended their strike in late June. The workers continued to strike until September, by which time they had reached compromises with Shanghai's foreign interests.

Timeline

• 1910: Introduction of neon...