ABSTRACT
In 1950, one year after their own Communist revolution, the Mainland Chinese sent their army into Tibet, reconquering the Himalayan kingdom. Ten years later, the Tibetans, following their spiritual and political leader, the Dalai Lama, rose in rebellion against Chinese rule. The struggle cost the lives of nearly 90,000 people and sent some 80,000 refugees out of the country. The vast majority settled in Bhutan, Nepal, and the Himalayan region of India. All together, it is estimated that Chinese Communist rule in Tibet is responsible for more than 1 million Tibetan deaths, mostly from disease, hunger, and other indirect consequences of the occupation.
