China 1949-1972

Cold War episode 16 - China 1949-1972 - Chinese communists win the longest civil war in 20th century history.  In the annals of 20th-century history, the Chinese Communist Party emerged victorious in the longest and most protracted civil war, profoundly shaping the nation's future. Mao Zedong's initial land reforms were met with widespread approval, but in 1958, he embarked on a sequence of disastrous policies that led to immense upheaval and catastrophe. As China's relationship with the Soviet Union grew increasingly tense, the Sino-Soviet split in 1960 would ultimately pave the way for President Nixon's groundbreaking visit to Beijing.