Summary
Highlights
China's dynastic rule ended in 1911, leading to internal conflict between the Nationalist party and the newly formed Chinese Communist Party under Mao Zedong. After a temporary alliance to fight Japan in World War II, the civil war resumed, with the Communists emerging victorious in 1949 with Soviet backing, establishing the People's Republic of China.
Under Mao, China nationalized industry and collectivized agriculture. Unlike the Soviet Union, early collectivization in China was relatively peaceful due to the Communist Party's rapport with peasants. However, Mao's 'Great Leap Forward' aimed to rapidly industrialize China through small-scale rural industrialization. This program, combined with bad harvests, led to a devastating famine, during which Mao refused foreign aid and continued grain exports, resulting in the deaths of 20 to 50 million people.
The spread of communism and socialism extended to other parts of the world, including Egypt. In 1952, Gamal Abdel Nasser overthrew British rule and, while not a communist, implemented socialist reforms including the nationalization of the Suez Canal. This threatened European interests, leading to an invasion by British, French, and Israeli forces, which was ultimately thwarted by Soviet nuclear threats and US pressure.
After World War II, Vietnam declared independence from Japan and France. Two rival governments emerged: a communist government in the north and an anti-communist government in the south. The northern communist government implemented significant land redistribution, transferring land from wealthy landowners to the rural peasantry.
In 1956, Fidel Castro led a revolution in Cuba, establishing it as a communist state. Castro aimed to reduce Cuba's economic dependence on the United States. With Soviet support, he launched programs for land distribution, raised wages, and nationalized land owned by US corporations. This led to a failed US-backed attempt to overthrow Castro, which further solidified his communist beliefs and strengthened ties with the Soviet Union.