This course will explore the causal forces and events which have shaped the tumultuous history of China during the last century and through to today. It begins with the Revolution of 1911, which ended the failed imperial rule and established a Chinese republic, and which was followed by the rise of the Chinese Communist Party. The course will cover the decades-long civil war that ensued between the Communist and Nationalist parties and which ultimately led in 1949 to the establishment of the Communist Peoples Republic of China on the Chinese mainland and the Republic of China on Taiwan. The impact of World War II and the invasion by Japan during that period will be explored. The course will include a comprehensive discussion of major Chinese leaders and their impact on the country through and including Xi Jinping.
A History of Modern China
Group Leader: Lawrence Clifford
Venue: King's Chapel Parish House
Meets on: Tuesday 1 to 3 PM
Starting: 10/8/2024
Sessions: 6
Class Size: 24
Teaching Style: Lecture with questions
Weekly Preparation: 1 hour
Lawrence Clifford is a former United States Air Force officer. His service during his 22-year career in the Air Force includes five years in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, three years in the Mideast, and similar periods of time in Africa and Central America. He holds doctorates in clinical and educational psychology from Indiana University and in Soviet military history from Boston College. Dr. Clifford has taught courses on military history and the Vietnam War for over a decade. He is fluent in French, Russian, Spanish, and Arabic.