In modern Chinese history; White Terror (B醝s?Kongb? describes a period of political suppression enacted by the Kuomintang party under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek.

It began in 1927 following the purge of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai. On April 12; 1927; Chiang initiated a purge of Communists from the Shanghai Kuomintang and began large-scale killings in the Shanghai massacre of 1927. Chiang's forces turned machine guns on 100;000 workers who had taken to the streets in labour union demonstrations; killing more than 5;000 people.

Throughout April 1927 in Shanghai; more than 12;000 people were killed or had disappeared. The Chinese Communist Party was virtually extinguished. At the beginning of 1927; the Chinese Communist Party had about 60;000 members.

By the end of the year; no more than 10;000 remained. Following the Shanghai massacres; Mao Zedong and the CCP adopted the road of agrarian revolution; based on the rural peasantry rather than the urban proletariat. Pictures From History