Edexcel IGCSE History: China, Conflict, Crisis and Change, 1900–89 — Revision Notes

Quick-recall notes for Breadth Study B4 of Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History 4HI1 Paper 2, “China: conflict, crisis and change, 1900–89”. Full explanations are in the B4 study guide; practise with the B4 practice questions.

Syllabus coverage (4HI1, Breadth Study B4)

Key topic	Core content
1. Qing, warlords, chaos, 1900–34	Boxers, Qing reforms, 1911, warlords, May Fourth, Sun, Chiang, GMD, CCP, United Front, Northern Expedition, Shanghai, Extermination Campaigns
2. Triumph of Mao, 1934–49	Long March, war with Japan, Civil War, Huai-Hai, reasons for success
3. Change under Mao, 1949–63	Five-year Plan, landlords, Agrarian Reform Law, collectives, women, campaigns, Hundred Flowers, Great Leap, Soviet influence
4. Cultural Revolution, 1965–76	Motives, Red Guards, education, cult of Mao, impact, Sino-Soviet split
5. China, 1976–89	Gang of Four, Deng’s reforms, opposition to political reform, Democracy Wall, Wei Jingsheng, students, Tiananmen

Timeline

Date	Event
1899–1901	Boxer Uprising
1905	Civil service examinations abolished
Oct 1911	Wuchang uprising; 1911 Revolution
1912	Puyi abdicates; Republic; GMD founded
1916–28	Warlord era
4 May 1919	May Fourth protests
1921	CCP founded
1923–24	First United Front
1926–28	Northern Expedition
Apr 1927	Shanghai Massacre
1930–34	Extermination Campaigns
1934–35	Long March; Zunyi Conference (1935)
1936	Xi’an Incident
1937–45	War with Japan
1946–49	Civil War; Huai-Hai (1948–49)
1 Oct 1949	People’s Republic proclaimed
1950	Agrarian Reform Law; Marriage Law
1951–52	Three-anti and Five-anti Campaigns
1953–57	First Five-year Plan
1956–57	Hundred Flowers; Anti-Rightist campaign
1958–62	Great Leap Forward; famine
1960	Soviet advisers withdrawn
1966	Cultural Revolution launched
1969	Sino-Soviet border clashes
Sept 1976	Death of Mao; Gang of Four arrested (Oct)
1978	Deng dominant; Democracy Wall
1979	Wei Jingsheng imprisoned; one-child policy begins
1986	Student protests
4 June 1989	Tiananmen Square crackdown

The five themes traced

Theme	1900–49	1949–76	1976–89
Civil conflict	Revolution, warlords, GMD v CCP	Mass campaigns; Red Guards	Tiananmen
External influence	Boxers, Japan, Versailles, Soviet advice	Soviet aid, then split	Western investment and ideas
Economy	Weak, divided, inflation	Plans, collectives, Great Leap	Household responsibility, SEZs
Society	May Fourth; landlords dominate	Land reform; Marriage Law; Cultural Revolution	One-child policy; exams restored
Leadership	Sun, Yuan, Chiang	Mao	Deng

Leaders compared

Leader	Aims	Methods	Outcome
Sun Yat-sen	Three Principles: nationalism, democracy, people’s livelihood	Revolution, GMD, Soviet alliance	Republic, but unity not achieved
Chiang Kai-shek	Unite China under GMD	Northern Expedition, purge of CCP	Lost the Civil War
Mao Zedong	Communist revolution	Peasant mobilisation, mass campaigns	Unity, but famine and chaos
Deng Xiaoping	Economic modernisation	Market reforms, one-party rule	Growth; 1989 repression

Key terms

Term	Meaning
GMD	Guomindang, the Nationalist Party
CCP	Chinese Communist Party
United Front	Alliance between GMD and CCP
Commune	Huge unit of collective farming and industry in the Great Leap
Red Guards	Young radicals mobilised in the Cultural Revolution
Four Olds	Old customs, culture, habits and ideas
Gang of Four	Radical leaders arrested in 1976
SEZ	Special Economic Zone open to foreign investment

Worked example: explain two ways different

Explain two ways in which Chinese agriculture in 1952 was different from Chinese agriculture in 1958. (6 marks)

1. Ownership: in 1952, after the Agrarian Reform Law, most peasants farmed their own small plots; by 1958 land was owned collectively in huge communes.
2. Organisation and targets: in 1952 families decided what to grow; in 1958 communes followed state targets and peasants were diverted to backyard furnaces.

Essay plan in outline

“Mao’s leadership was the main reason for change in China in the years 1934–76.” How far do you agree?

• For: Long March and Yan’an; victory in 1949; land reform, collectives, the Great Leap and the Cultural Revolution were Mao’s initiatives.
• Against: Japan’s invasion weakened the GMD; GMD corruption; Soviet aid and then the split; other leaders such as Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi and Deng.
• Judgement: Mao drove most change, but often with results he did not intend.

Common mistakes and exam traps

• Confusing the Great Leap (1958–62) with the Cultural Revolution (1966–76).
• Calling the 1911 Revolution a communist revolution.
• Treating the GMD as always weak. It won the Northern Expedition and nearly destroyed the CCP in 1934.
• Inventing exact death tolls. Use “tens of millions” for the famine.
• Answering (c) from one topic.

Frequently asked questions

Why was the Long March significant? It saved the CCP, made Mao leader and became a propaganda legend.

Why did the Great Leap fail? Unrealistic targets, false reporting, poor-quality steel and neglect of harvests.

What did Deng change? The economy, through markets and foreign investment; not one-party rule.

Source

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History (4HI1) specification, Issue 5, February 2026, Paper 2, Breadth Study B4.