Communist Communist China:China:

The Rise of MaoThe Rise of Mao

The Rise of Mao The Rise of Mao ZedongZedong• In the 1920s, the In the 1920s, the

People’s Liberation People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was Army (PLA) was formed: formed: – Wanted to end social Wanted to end social

& economic & economic inequality, inequality,

– Mao Zedong was the Mao Zedong was the Communist founder, Communist founder,

– ““whoever wins the whoever wins the peasants will win peasants will win China.” China.”

• 1920s-1930s, 1920s-1930s, millions of millions of peasants starved peasants starved due to unequal due to unequal land distribution. land distribution. – Communists Communists

won favor with won favor with the peasants the peasants by by redistributing redistributing land to poor land to poor peasants. peasants.

Civil War in Civil War in ChinaChina• 1927, 1927, GeneralGeneral

Chiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shek established himself established himself as president & virtual as president & virtual dictator of China. dictator of China. – He was the leader of He was the leader of

the Guomindang the Guomindang (Nationalist Party). (Nationalist Party).

– He fought for 20 He fought for 20 years against the years against the increasingly increasingly influential Communist influential Communist armies. armies.

• 1934, 1934, Chiang Kai-Chiang Kai-shek shek surrounded surrounded small Communist small Communist armies and armies and attempted to attempted to defeat them. defeat them. – Mao Zedong then Mao Zedong then

led 90,000 led 90,000 Communist Communist supporters over supporters over thousands of miles thousands of miles of in the mountains, of in the mountains, this would be called this would be called the Long March. the Long March.

– Only 6,000 of them Only 6,000 of them would survive. would survive.

The Victory of the The Victory of the Communist RevolutionCommunist Revolution• 1937-1945, Chiang 1937-1945, Chiang

Kai-shek & Mao united Kai-shek & Mao united their armies their armies in an in an uneasy alliance uneasy alliance to fight to fight against the Japanese against the Japanese during World War II. during World War II.

• After WWII, they After WWII, they Guomindang and the Guomindang and the People’s Liberation People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Army (PLA) continued continued their civil war for the their civil war for the control of China. control of China.

• Though heavily Though heavily outnumbered, outnumbered, the the PLA used peasant PLA used peasant support and guerilla support and guerilla tactics to win. tactics to win. – As the PLA took over, As the PLA took over,

they confiscated land they confiscated land from rich landlords from rich landlords and redistributed it to and redistributed it to poor peasants. poor peasants.

– Meanwhile, the Meanwhile, the Guomindang Guomindang controlled the major controlled the major cities but faced cities but faced inflation and inflation and widespread widespread corruption. corruption.

• By 1949, the PLA By 1949, the PLA controlled most of the controlled most of the countryside and many countryside and many of Jiang Jieshi’s troops of Jiang Jieshi’s troops defected to the PLA. defected to the PLA. – Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek

fled to Taiwan (with fled to Taiwan (with U.S. support). U.S. support).

– On October 1949, On October 1949, Mao Zedong Mao Zedong proclaims that the proclaims that the People’s Republic People’s Republic of China is of China is established established (“liberation”). (“liberation”).

The Influence of Soviet SocialismThe Influence of Soviet Socialism• Mao turns to the USSR Mao turns to the USSR

for help. for help. – He faced establishing He faced establishing

a socialist nation and a socialist nation and the need to modernize the need to modernize China’s China’s underdeveloped underdeveloped economy. economy.

– Also, in 1950, he felt Also, in 1950, he felt compelled to send compelled to send troops to aid troops to aid Communist North Communist North Korea to fight the Korea to fight the United States in the United States in the Korean War. Korean War.

• Mao adopted the Mao adopted the Soviet Five Year Plan Soviet Five Year Plan & Collectivization & Collectivization (1952-1957):(1952-1957):– Five Year Plan: Five Year Plan:

objective is to objective is to modernize key aspects modernize key aspects of the economy within of the economy within 5 years (technology & 5 years (technology & science to develop science to develop heavy industry). heavy industry).

– Collectivization: Mao Collectivization: Mao reversed original land reversed original land reform and peasants reform and peasants were organized into were organized into government owned government owned collectives (rather than collectives (rather than having their own land).having their own land).

– By 1955, China, By 1955, China, with the help of with the help of Soviet aid, Soviet aid, had achieved had achieved considerable success in considerable success in •Developing heavy industry Developing heavy industry •Increased agricultural production. Increased agricultural production.

– Communist leaders even spoke Communist leaders even spoke of China as a model for less-of China as a model for less-industrialized nations in Africa industrialized nations in Africa & Asia to copy. & Asia to copy.

• Breaking from Soviet Socialism: Breaking from Soviet Socialism: – By 1956, Chairman Mao By 1956, Chairman Mao

disagreed with Soviet disagreed with Soviet leaders. leaders.

– He believed they relied too He believed they relied too much on machine & much on machine & technological experts, and technological experts, and not enough on human spirit not enough on human spirit & the socialist value of & the socialist value of equality. equality. • Consequently, the Soviets Consequently, the Soviets

decreased financial aid & decreased financial aid & withdrew technical withdrew technical advisors.advisors.

– He wanted to achieve full He wanted to achieve full communism much more communism much more quickly through a uniquely quickly through a uniquely Chinese socialist experiment Chinese socialist experiment must achieve “equality” must achieve “equality” through great effort & through great effort & sacrifice from the masses. sacrifice from the masses.

The Great Leap The Great Leap ForwardForward• 1956, Mao asked 1956, Mao asked

intellectuals to intellectuals to comment on his first comment on his first 5 years of leadership. 5 years of leadership. – He severely punished He severely punished

those who criticized those who criticized him & consequently him & consequently re-evaluated the re-evaluated the revolutionary spirit of revolutionary spirit of the Chinese people. the Chinese people.

• Mao started large Mao started large scale industrial scale industrial projects (dams, projects (dams, reservoirs, railroads, reservoirs, railroads, etc.)etc.)

• Mao organized peasants into Mao organized peasants into People’s Communes People’s Communes (regimented (regimented into semi-military lines into semi-military lines peasants peasants ate & worked together). ate & worked together).

• All people had to work shift after All people had to work shift after shift with little rest, and rid shift with little rest, and rid themselves of all anti-communist themselves of all anti-communist thoughts. thoughts.

• Results:Results:– Failed due to poor management. Failed due to poor management. – Food shortages (hundreds of Food shortages (hundreds of

thousands died from 1958-1961 thousands died from 1958-1961 during one of the largest famines during one of the largest famines in history). in history).

– Without acknowledging any Without acknowledging any failure, the CCP ended these failure, the CCP ended these policies. policies.

– Officially ended in 1961. Many Officially ended in 1961. Many people still refer to this period as people still refer to this period as the “three hard years.” the “three hard years.”

The “Great Leap Forward”…The “Great Leap Forward”…

The Cultural The Cultural RevolutionRevolution• After the failure of the Great Leap Forward, After the failure of the Great Leap Forward,

communist leaders focused on rebuilding the communist leaders focused on rebuilding the ruined economy. ruined economy.

• With the successes of the economic recovery in With the successes of the economic recovery in the early 1960s, the early 1960s, Mao feared that society would Mao feared that society would be concerned most with making money & be concerned most with making money & destroy the spirit of revolutiondestroy the spirit of revolution, thus he must get , thus he must get rid of The Four Olds: rid of The Four Olds: – Old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits Old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits

(anything rooted in pre-revolutionary or Western (anything rooted in pre-revolutionary or Western culture). culture).

• Many leaders in the Communist Party opposed Many leaders in the Communist Party opposed Mao’s plan to reverse the successful economic Mao’s plan to reverse the successful economic recoveryrecovery

• So, Mao turned to young people So, Mao turned to young people (high school and college (high school and college students). students). – They became the “Red They became the “Red

Guards”; they harassed, Guards”; they harassed, humiliated, and imprisoned humiliated, and imprisoned “enemies” of the state “enemies” of the state (usually the educated (usually the educated Chinese, city dwellers, & Chinese, city dwellers, & corrupt officials). corrupt officials).

– Mao published theMao published the Little Red Little Red BookBook containing his containing his quotations and was required quotations and was required reading in schools and the reading in schools and the workplace.workplace.

– The Red Guards went The Red Guards went through and destroyed through and destroyed anything associated with the anything associated with the “Four Olds” or Western “Four Olds” or Western Culture. Culture.

• Communist leaders lost control Communist leaders lost control of the Red Guardsof the Red Guards, and China , and China was brought to the brink of was brought to the brink of anarchy. anarchy. – At first, even after Red At first, even after Red

Guards beat people to Guards beat people to death, the police & military death, the police & military were under Mao’s orders not were under Mao’s orders not to interfere.to interfere.

– By 1967, organized marches By 1967, organized marches had become angry mobs had become angry mobs that attacked teachers, civil that attacked teachers, civil leaders, & foreign leaders, & foreign diplomats. diplomats.

– Thousands died and Thousands died and hundreds of thousands had hundreds of thousands had been imprisoned.been imprisoned.

• In 1969 Mao finally ordered the In 1969 Mao finally ordered the Red Guards to disband Red Guards to disband and for and for the military to impose law & the military to impose law & order. order.

• Aftermath: Aftermath: – As Mao became old & As Mao became old &

ill in the early 1970s, ill in the early 1970s, his wife, Jiang Qing, his wife, Jiang Qing, gained powerful gained powerful influence in the CCP influence in the CCP and continued many and continued many radical policies of the radical policies of the Cultural Revolution.Cultural Revolution.

– When When Mao died in Mao died in 1976 1976 his wife & three his wife & three radical colleagues, radical colleagues, known as the Gang of known as the Gang of Four, were arrested for Four, were arrested for trying to overthrow the trying to overthrow the government & causing government & causing the deaths of 34,000 the deaths of 34,000 people during the people during the Cultural Revolution.Cultural Revolution.