The Manchus established the last dynasty, the Qing (1644-1912).
Political turmoil (1911-1949). The Revolution of 1911 toppled the Manchu dynasty; in the novel, it causes Winnie Louie's grandfather to commit suicide. Civil War ensued as the Communist Party, formed in 1921 with Mao Zedong (or Tse-Tung) as its leader, jockeyed for power against the nationalist Guomindang (or Kuomintang) rebel group. In 1924 the Guomindang finally aligned itself with the Communist Party during a period of nominal cooperation. Three years later Chiang Kai-shek, who was never very fond of the Communists, assumed leadership of the Guomindang's Central Executive Committee, and the Communist-Guomindang union crumbled. Under the Guomindang's rule, China's doors opened wide to foreign investment and trade, and the merchant class prospered. China's growing wealth sparkled like a jewel across the ocean, enticing the Japanese and adding impetus to their attempt to control the land. The Japanese invaded Manchuria and took over northeast China in 1931. During the ensuing war, the Japanese air campaign showered a blanket of bombs on Shanghai and other major cities that forced citizens to become transients, moving from city to city.
This is a free page. This page contains 178 words. This
article contains 3,605 words (approx. 12 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Article with our The Kitchen God's Wife Access Pass.
