Changes

===China===

===China===

China was always independent, but it was not always a unified nation.  The Qing dynasty did rule from 1664 to 1912, but it was overthrown by the Revolutionary Alliance, led by a doctor named Sun Yixian who had been living in the United States.  Perhaps inspired by what he saw in America, Sun led the Nationalist Party ([[Guomindang]]) to become the first leader of the new republic China.  Sun quickly turned over power (after only 6 weeks) to Yuan Shiakai, who then ruled as a military dictator.

China was always independent, but it was not always a unified nation.  The unified Qing dynasty ruled from 1664 to 1912, but it was overthrown by the Revolutionary Alliance, led by a doctor named Sun Yixian who had been living in the United States.  Perhaps inspired by what he saw in America, Sun led the Nationalist Party ([[Guomindang]]) to become the first leader of the new republic China.  Sun quickly turned over power (after only 6 weeks) to Yuan Shiakai, who then ruled as a military dictator.

When Yuan died, however, civil war broke out and warlords ruled amid chaos.  The opium trade returned, irrigation failed, and World War I added to the general misery.  Millions of peasants died due to a famine during the war.  Central rule was elusive.

When Yuan died, however, civil war broke out and warlords ruled amid chaos.  The opium trade returned, irrigation failed, and World War I added to the general misery.  Millions of peasants died due to a famine during the war.  Lasting central rule was not achieved.

China sided with the Allies during World War I, and offered some limited assistance.  China was hoping to obtain return of land that Germany controlled in China.  Instead, the Treaty of Versailles gave that land to Japan.  Feeling betrayed, the Chinese angrily demonstrated against that decision with the May Fourth Movement, which Guomindang supported.

China sided with the Allies during World War I, and offered some limited assistance.  China was hoping to obtain return of land that Germany controlled in China.  Instead, the Treaty of Versailles gave that land to Japan.  Feeling betrayed, the Chinese angrily demonstrated against that decision with the May Fourth Movement, which Guomindang supported.

Communism began to creep in China, and some abandoned Sun Yixian’s vision of democracy.  Mao Zedong, a Marxist, founded the Chinese Communist Party in 1921 in Shanghai.  Sun himself then accepted Lenin’s offer of receiving communist military advisors in China.

Communism began to creep in China, and some abandoned Sun Yixian’s vision of democracy.  Mao Zedong, a Marxist, founded the Chinese Communist Party in 1921 in Shanghai.  Sun himself then accepted Lenin’s offer of receiving communist military advisers in China.

After Sun died in 1925, he was replaced as head of the Nationalist Party by a businessman named Jiang Jieshi who opposed communism and even executed communist leaders in April 1927.  That destroyed the Chinese Communist Party, and Jiang became president of the Nationalist Republic of China in 1928.  Britain and the United States recognized his government.

After Sun died in 1925, he was replaced as head of the Nationalist Party by a businessman named Jiang Jieshi who opposed communism and even executed communist leaders in April 1927.  That destroyed the Chinese Communist Party, and Jiang became president of the Nationalist Republic of China in 1928.  Britain and the United States recognized his government.

But gradually the Chinese Communist Party made inroads in China, advocating more land for peasants, speaking out against the practice of foot-binding, and seeking a right for women to divorce.  The Party itself divided land that it controlled among peasants.  Jiang’s government did not improve peasant life and became less and less democratic.

But gradually the Chinese Communist Party made inroads in China, advocating more land for peasants, speaking out against the practice of foot-binding, and seeking a right for women to divorce.  The Party itself divided land that it controlled among peasants.  Jiang’s government did not improve peasant life and became less and less democratic.

A civil war broke out between the Communists and Nationalists in 1930.  Mao Zedong’s communist peasants received training in guerilla warfare and fought hard.  But Jiang’s army surrounded the Communist army, and in 1934 forced the communists to go on the Long March, which was a 6,000-mile retreat back to northwestern China.  Few made it back alive.

A civil war broke out between the Communists and Nationalists in 1930.  Mao Zedong’s communist peasants received training in guerrilla warfare and fought hard.  But Jiang’s army surrounded the Communist army, and in 1934 forced the communists to go on the Long March, which was a 6,000-mile retreat back to northwestern China.  Few made it back alive.

Meanwhile an aggressive Japan invaded Manchuria, an area of northeast China rich in iron and coal deposits needed by Japanese industry.  This Manchurian invasion was the beginning of World War II in Asia.  Japan followed this with an invasion of China in 1937 along the Yangtze River.  The Chinese civil war stopped temporarily to defend against the Japanese invasion.

Meanwhile an aggressive Japan invaded Manchuria, an area of northeast China rich in iron and coal deposits needed by Japanese industry.  This Manchurian invasion was the beginning of World War II in Asia.  Japan followed this with an invasion of China in 1937 along the Yangtze River.  The Chinese civil war stopped temporarily to defend against the Japanese invasion.

Turkey was formed in 1923, soon after the break-up of the Ottoman empire at the end of World War I and an invasion of Turkey by the Greeks in 1919.  Mustafa Kemal was the leader who deposed the final Ottoman sultan in 1922, and then became the president of Turkey in 1923.

Turkey was formed in 1923, soon after the break-up of the Ottoman empire at the end of World War I and an invasion of Turkey by the Greeks in 1919.  Mustafa Kemal was the leader who deposed the final Ottoman sultan in 1922, and then became the president of Turkey in 1923.

Although Turkey is nearly 100% Muslim, Kemal established secular rule through reliance on a strong military.  He abolished Islamic courts and gave women the right to vote and the right to hold government positions.  Kemal established a legal system based on that in the West.  Today Turkey is the only Muslim country that uses democratic elections, not including the elections in Iraq protected by the United States military.

Although Turkey is nearly 100% Muslim, Kemal established secular rule through reliance on a strong military.  He abolished Islamic courts and gave women the right to vote and the right to hold government positions.  Kemal established a legal system based on that in the West.  Today Turkey is the only Muslim country that uses democratic elections, not including the elections in Iraq protected by the United States military.  But Turkey is run today more by military control than by democratic self-government; for example, the military bans the wearing of the popular head coverings for Muslim women in government buildings.

The British attempted to rule Persia (now Iran) after World War I, but the Muslims revolted and Reza Shah Pahlavi rose to power in 1925.  In 1935 the name of the country changed from Persia to Iran.  The shah enjoyed full power, like a king.  He built the infrastructure and allowed greater rights for women than under Islam.

The British attempted to rule Persia (now Iran) after World War I, but the Muslims revolted and Reza Shah Pahlavi rose to power in 1925.  In 1935 the name of the country changed from Persia to Iran.  The shah enjoyed full power, like a king.  He built the infrastructure and allowed greater rights for women than under Islam.

There was less modernization in Saudi Arabia, which was unified beginning in 1902 under the leadership of Abd al-Aziz Ibn Saud, who named the country “Saudi Arabia” in 1932.  Oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia in the 1920s and 1930s, along with discoveries in Kuwait, Iran and Iraq.  Western countries provided the technology for drilling the oil, but there has been continuing conflict with the Western countries ever since over control and access to that oil.

There was less modernization in Saudi Arabia, which was unified beginning in 1902 under the leadership of Abd al-Aziz Ibn Saud, who named the country “Saudi Arabia” in 1932.  Oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia in the 1920s and 1930s, along with discoveries in Kuwait, Iran and Iraq.  Western countries provided the technology for drilling the oil, but the Western dependency on that oil has been a source of conflict ever since.

==Science and Art in the Early 20th Century==

==Science and Art in the Early 20th Century==