Mobilization Nation: Mass Movements in the People's Republic of China

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the role played by two mobilization campaigns in the development of a modern Chinese national identity in the People's Republic of China. After the triumph of the Communist Party at the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War mobilization campaigns became the primary force establishing the traits of a new Chinese identity. The Land Reform Campaign initially began as a divisive campaign designed to physically eliminate undesirable classes, yet by the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War it became a unifying movement for the advancement of the nation. On the other hand, the Resist America-Aid Korea Campaign began in response to American involvement in the Korean War. As the conflict raged across the Bohai Gulf millions of Chinese were mobilized to fight, what they interpreted to be American imperialism in Korea. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese men and women participated in the most direct way possible, by fighting imperialism on the Korean peninsula. Millions of other Chinese participated in the campaign by producing weapons, clothing, and buying bonds in support of the war effort. Essentially, resisting America helped to create a Chinese national self by defining New China in contrast to an imperialist other, embodied by the United States. Together these campaigns increasingly fostered a sense of what it meant to be a citizen in the People's Republic of China.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

History

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Toledo

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Barnes, Melvin L., Jr.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Padilla, Roberto

• History
• Modern History
• Asian Studies
• Nationalism
• National Identity
• China
• Resist America Aid Korea Campaign
• Land Reform Campaign
• Yundong

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1365161929

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:toledo1365161929