Welcome!

Welcome to my online resource guide on Mao Zedong!

This site is designed to help you find information on Mao faster and more efficiently. 

All the sites that I have found and reviewed are under 'Web Sites' , or at the top of the page.  There you can either go straight to the pages I have found or see my review on each page. 

Most pages have a brief summarization of what is on the website on the review.  On each review there is a rating that is based on a rubric that can be found HERE or at the left of this page. 

There are also several pictures and a video on the right of this page.  These do not have a review along with them. 

There is also a 'Works Cited' page for all the pictures, videos or websites that are linked to this page. 


Good luck!


 

Information Please

Mao Zedong

Critic
Rating
(A) 4
(B) 0
(C) 0
R*

This is a very good resource.  It has conscise, easy to understand information.  It does not have all of Mao's life, and not a whole lot of information, or any documents or pictures.  But it does contain links to other sites that are related to Mao.  This site is a great place to start your research.


Information Please. Mao Zedong Biography. December 5 2010.  <http://www.infoplease.com/biography/var/maozedong.html>

Pitaria - Kids Network

Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong is a theorist Marxian Communist, along with V.I. Lennin and Karl Marx.  Mao's greatest achievment was the unification of China.  He created the People's Republic of China and destroyed the Nationalist Powers.

Critic
Rating
(A) 4
(B) 0
(C) 0

This site is well put together.  It is put together for a younger audiance so it is very easy to understand.  This page has Mao's achievements and does not really describe his faults.  It has quite a bit of information regarding his life, and what he did.  It is a pretty good site however there is no citations or documents on this page.


Pitaria.  Mao Zedong.  December 5 2010.  <http://www.pitara.com/magazine/people/online.asp?story=21>

The Huffington Post

Mao Zedong

"October 1st, [2009] marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China" (Marg).
This site has information regarding Mao's programes, and how he came to power.  But it also has a personal view from the authers perspective on Mao's regime in China. 

Critic
Review
(A) 2
(B) 0
(C) 0

This is an artical, and most [newspaper] articals never do cite their sources.  Also, most articles never have other documents relating to them.  In this instance, this artical is fairly lengthly providing enough information for the reader to gain a beginning knowledge on Mao's life and regime.  It is a fairly good document to get a beginners knowledge on Mao. 


Eric Margolis, Remembering China's Great Helmsman, September 29 2009, December 5 2010,
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-margolis/remembering-chinas-great_b_303107.html>

Communist Party of China

Mao Zedong

This site shows a strong bias towards Mao Zedong.  It says that, "Mao Zedong (1893-1976) was a great Marxist, proletarian revolutionary, strategist and theorist, and the main founder and leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Republic of China"  (CPC).  The party believes strongly in Mao's programs.  It tells little about how many people died, however it does state that there were, "...a number of specific mistakes" (CPC). 
The site goes on to tell more about Mao's leadership within the country of China and as the leader of the People's Republic of China.

Critic
Rating
(A) 4
(B) 0
(C) 0

This site has a fair amount of information regarding to Mao's rule of China and the Party.  It is a fairly good source considering that it has been translated into English.  This may be the result that there is no other documents and or citations within the page [language barrier].  This page does have a sense of a slight bias, towards Mao due to the fact that he was this parties leader.


Communist Party of China, Mao's Life, June 13 2006, December 5 2010,
<http://english.cpc.people.com.cn/66095/4468893.html>

CNN

Mao Tse-tung


CNN says that Mao Tse-tung deserves the credit for deciding the fate of an entire nation.  He influenced over 40 years, over many events such as the Long March, and the Red Army's Victory.  He died in 1976. 

The rest of the CNN special discusses his early life, how he turns into a communist, and how he turned into a politician. 

Critic
Rating
(A) 3
(B) 2
(C) 2

This site does have quite a bit of information.  However most of it is not dates, or specific information that is good clear data and could be miss-interpreted or could be taken as bias information.  This site does not have any other pages linked to it in respects to Mao-Tse-tung, besides a 'Mao Tse-tung Quote Generator'.   
CNN's special on Mao Tse-Tung has several pictures on the page.  All of them are cited.  However the page it's self does not state where the information is coming from. 


CNN.com, Flawed Icon of China's resurgence: Mao Tse-tung, December 5 2010,
<http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/inside.china/profiles/mao.tsetung/>

Biography.com Documentry on Mao Zedong

This is a very brief, 1 minute documentry from Biography.com.

A brief summerization can be found under the video.
It uses real footage from Mao Zedongs time, and has a couple interviews with people that have opinions about Mao.



http://www.biography.com/video.do?bcpid=1740037444&bclid=1612732219&bctid=1731352871&baseURL=%2Fbcconfig%2FPlayer%2F3Tier%2Fpoliticalfigures%2Fconfig-xml%2F&baseDIR=%2Fbcplayers%2FPlayer%2F3Tier_ws%2FbaseDIR%2F

Wikipedia

Mao Zedong

This site is very useful, it has information such as his Early Life , his Leadership In China , his Writings , and also some External Links .  The validity of this site is questionable because it is only "Semi-Protected" [please click here for more information].  However, this site does have a lot of infromation within it, also it does have a lot of other resources attached to it. 

Here is a brief summary of some of the information on the site,

Mao Zedong was born on December 26, 1893 and died September 9, 1976.  He was a political theorist and a communist in the Republic of China.  He was the leader of the People's Republic of China.  Two of Mao's program's, called the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution lead to severe famines, causing millions of deaths.  

Critic
Rating
(A) 4
(B) 4
(C) 4

This site does meet the criteria on all subjects.  However wikipedia does state that, "Semi-protection prevents edits from anonymous users (IP addresses), as well as edits from any account that is not autoconfirmed (is at least four days old and has ten or more edits to Wikipedia) or confirmed" (Wiki).
Therefore, this site does have a chance that some users may alter the information within the site.  As a note check the sources that are listed under the references section to confirm the validity.  This page is well written however, it does include a number of pictures, links to other pages, and cites all of its pages.



Wikipedia, Mao Zedong, December 5 2010, December 5 2010,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_Zedong>

Wikipedia, Rough guide to semi-protection, January 30 2010, December 5 2010,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Rough_guide_to_semi-protection>

eNotes.com

Mao Zedong

He was the communist leader of the People’s Republic of China

He was born in the Shaoshan, Hunan.  He was the son of a moderately wealthy peasant.  He got his education through a school at the Huan Teacher’s College.  He created the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after gathering like-minded anarchists in his bookstore in Changsha.  It was forced from its largest base in Jiangxi in 1934, which lead to the yearlong Long March to Yan’an (Shannxi).  During the march, Mao rose to preeminent leadership.  Mao became officially chairman of the CCP in 1945 and held it until he died in 1976.  

The Republic of China lasted from 1911-1949, in that time period the country saw many brutal conflicts with the Japanese occupation, which took place from 1931-1945.  One of Mao’s sayings was that “revolution is not a dinner party” (Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan, 1927).  Even in the later years though, Mao did not have a strong regard for human lives.  In the mid-1950s, Mao began to confirm that he was willing to sacrifice up to one third of all the Chinese, to stop world capitalism, in a nuclear war. 

Within the early 1940s, Mao began a party purge.  This involved driving a small number of dissidents to commit suicide, or killing them.  His goal was to install his own version of communism.  This act installed future campaigns against dissidents, even after he publicly apologized for the act.

From 1950-1953, the Korean War was a war against the United States “imperialism”.  Mao stated in “On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People” February 27, 1957 that 800,000 counterrevolutionaries were killed.  In 1952, China’s population was at 575 million.

In 1957, Mao took precautions to prevent uprisings, much like the ones occurring in Russia.  However party members and intellectuals wanted more freedoms.  This led to critics, and leaders of national minorities to be persecuted and lose their positions, and sent to reeducation camps.  Many died, or suffered significantly.

Mao caused the most loss of life when he organized the Great Leap Forward.  This famine in 1959 resulted from misguided economic policies.  Mao refused to change the idea because he feared he would lose his job.  In 1959 Mao learnt that some of his party members were trying to dispose of him, this led to Mao disposing of his enemies and re launching the Great Leap Forward.  It is estimated that at least 20 million, with the highest at 65 million deaths, were caused by the Great Leap Forward.

The Cultural Revolution was from 1966-1976.  It was Mao’s attempts of ridding China of his opponents.  Mao never did have complete control over the China Communist Party. The Revolution was full of purges and warfare.  Due to demographics, and poor record keepings, the exact numbers of deaths are not known. 

Critic
Rating
(A) 3  
(B) 0
(C) 4          

This resource has a fair amount of information.  It is an essay style that compares Mao to Stalin.  It has a lot of information about how many people died because of Mao’s ideas and the plans that he brought into China.  It has information such as the population of China at certain times.  It is an overall good source.

"Mao Zedong." Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. Ed. Dinah L. Shelton. Gale Cengage, 2005. eNotes.com. 2006. 1 Dec, 2010 <http://www.enotes.com/genocide-encyclopedia/mao-zedong>

http://www.enotes.com/genocide-encyclopedia/mao-zedong 

Mao Tse-Tung Killer File

Mao Zedong (or Tse-Tung)

Translates to ‘To shine on the East’

The Great Leap Forward caused up to 45 million people to die of starvation

During the Cultural Revolution tens of thousands were killed.

The increased influence of Western powers during the 19^th century during expansionary incursions by the Russians and Japanese weakened the imperial system in China that had been developing since 221 BC.

Discontent army units begin the republican revolution.  It begins in Wuchang in the Hubei Province on October 10, 1911.  24 provinces declare independence by November 15.  The last Manchu emperor, the child Puyi, abdicates on February 12, 1912.  Yuan Shikai, commander-in-chief of the imperial army, becomes the provisional president.

Mao is born December 26 1893 in the village of Shaoshan, Shunan Province

He has 2 brothers, and 1 sister

Mao enters an arranged marriage with a 18-year old cousin, named Luo, when he is 14.  He never lives with her and she dies in 1910.  He enters a higher primary school at age 16, and his political consciousness begins to develop.

      

 Mao becomes a Marxist-Leninist when he is working as a library assistant and the ‘May Fourth Movement’, a movement against a clause in the ‘Treaty of Versailles’, inspires him.

In 1928, the Japanese sent troops to China to stop attempts by the Guomindang to unify the country.

In 1931, Mao is elected chairman of the republic, and he introduces land reforms to help spread the communist’s influence.  Later that year, Mao is stripped of his post. 

In 1934, when the Red Army and CCP are forced to retreat, this is the ‘Long March’.  After the 7,000 km march through 11 provinces, 18 mountain ranges and 24 rivers, Mao emerges as a hero and is now has un- challenged command of the CCP. 

In 1949 Mao’s communists take Beijing, and will control the country by the end of the year.  On October 1, 1949 Mao declares a People’s Republic of China. 

 

In 1950, Mao agrees to a plan with the leader of North Korea.  This starts the Korean War on June 25.  It lasts for 3 years, and costs approx.  3 million lives. 

In 1958, Mao launches the Great Leap Forward.  Everyone must work in factories and mines and on public works projects in order to gain firsthand experience of manual labour.

It soon becomes noticed that the Great Leap Forward is a failure, and brings shortages of food and raw materials.    

After the fallout of the Great Leap Forward, Mao resigns in 1959.  State President Liu Shaoqi and Party General Secretary Deng Xiaoping take over and begin to restore the economy.

In 1965, Mao purges the party.  It is called the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.  One of the people stripped is Deng Xiaoping.

Students becomes organised into the ‘Red Guards’ to publicly criticise those in the party who are considered by Mao as “ ‘Left’ in form but ‘Right’ in essence”. 

In 1968, the militant phase of the Cultural Revolution stats to end in the middle of the year.  Many of the leaders of the Red Guard are arrested. 

In 1971, The CCP government receives international recognition when it takes the China seat at the UN.

Mao died of a heart attack on September 9^th, 1976. 

Critic

Rating

(A) 4
(B) 2

(C) 0

This site has a lot of information.  It is in chronological order, and is very easy to understand. Some of it is not about Mao, however it is relevant to Mao's time period.  The site has information about after Mao's death, and what had been happening in China up to present day with the events relevant to Mao. This site contains one picture of Mao, but it does contain links to other websites.  However this site does not have where the author gathered the information from.  At some points there also appears to be a bias.  The author already places Mao Tse-Tung under 'The Killer File', indicating how the author feels.   

Moreorless: Heroes & Killers of the 20th Century. Mao Tse-Tung. 13 September 2010. 28 November 2010 <http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/mao.html>.

PeaceMakers and Breakers

Mao Zedong

China was falling apart when Mao Zedong was born.

Mao was born during the Qin dynasty, and it was about to collapse due to social and economical unrest.

This allowed Mao to become its leader, and some called him a leader, others called him a dictator and murderer.

Mao unified China.  He created the Republic of China, and was the leader of the greatest social revolution in history.  He took land and property, destroyed the landlord class, weakened the middle class and raised the peasants and industrial workers.

Mao’s belief was that peasants and workers could organize and rule.  Civil war between the Communists and Nationalists lasted for over 20 years.  Communists won finally in 1949.  Mao forced millions to work on government farms and factories, and if they didn’t he sent them to jail. 

The Great Leap Forward was to rapidly grow the industry and agriculture sectors.  Mao wanted to get rid of the last privately held property.  The programme failed, causing famine and food shortages.  Millions died because of this.  There was bad weather, and natural disasters, but it was overall Mao’s and the Communist’s Party fault.  He lost a lot of power.  There was the Cultural Revolution in 1966, Mao influenced the army and students to revolt and unseat his enemies.  He needed the chaos to gain control, and many people suffered and died.  Mao received a visit from the U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1972, to separate ties to the USSR. 

Mao Zedong died in 1976, and his revolutionary potential of the peasantry are still an influence today.     

Critic

Ratings

(A) 3

(B) 1

(C) 3

This site displays information well with one picture of Mao.  This site has all of its sources cited, except tbe date it was published.

Michael. Peace Makers and Brakers: Mao Zedong. 28 February 2010 <http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312702/maozedong.htm>.

Spartacus Educational

Mao Zedong

Son of a peasant farmer.

Born in Chaochan, China in 1893

He became a Marxist when he was working as a library assistant in Peking University.

He served in the revolutionary army during the 1911 Chinese Revolution.

Mao was an early member of the Chinese Communist Party, along with Zhou ENlai, Zhu De, and Lin Bia

Mao, Zhu De, and Zhou Enlai adapted Lenin’s ideas.  Lenin was a revolutionary in Russia.

Mao worked as a political organizer for the Kuomintang.  The Kuomintang leader died in 1925, March 12.  Chiang Kai-Shek became the leader and started to eliminate the communists in the party.

When nationalist imposed a blockade, on October 1934, Mao Lin Biao, Zhu De and 100, 000 men marched west.

They covered 50 miles a day, and reached Shensi on October 20, 1935.  Approx. 30, 000 survived.  It was a 8,000 mile march.

In 1937, the Japanese invaded China and Chiang Kai-Shek collaborated with Mao Zedong and the communist army.

Zhu De and Lin Biao led Mao’s guerrilla forces in the Second World War.  After the Japanese surrendered, the communists overtook the Nationalist.  They gained control on October 1, 1949.   This became the People’s Republic of China.

The Great Leap Forward, in 1958 was Mao’s way to increase agricultural and industrial production.  It included collective farms and factories.  But the 3 year floods and bad harvest damaged the levels of production.  Mao disbanded the programme in 1962, and went back to a more traditional form of economic production.

The failure caused Mao to retire from chairman, Liu Shaoqi took over.  Mao still remained important in determining overall policy.  Mao was critical of the Soviet Union’s policies in early 1960s. 

  

Lin Biao initiated Cultural Revolution.  In 1966, he told students to criticize party officials who had been influenced by Nikita Khruschev.  Mao became concerned and ordered his Red Guards to attack revisionists in the party. 

Mao Zedong died in Beijing on 9^th September, 1976.

Critic

Rating

(A) 4

(B) 3

(C) 3

This website contains a lot of dates, and places and is a good source for historical information on Mao Zedong.  It also contains multiple paragraphs taken from books, diaries, or other documents that are said to be written during his time or even by Mao himself.  However it does not include pictures of Mao or citations of its information, making it difficult to use as a resource.

 

Simkin, John. Spartacus Educational. 28 November 2010 <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/COLDmao.htm>.

 

Marxist Internet Archive

Mao Zeodong

Born 1893

Died 1976

He was the son of a peasant farmer.

 Born in the village of Shao Shan, Huan province

When he was 27, he attended the First Congress of the Chinese Communist Party

Two years later, he was elected to the Central Committee.

1931-1934, he helped establish the Chinese Soviet Republic in SE China.

In 1934, the Japanese attacked the Chinese; the Chinese Communist Party joined with the national forces, and defeated the Japanese.  After they started a civil war and took over, establishing the People’s Republic of China.  (October 1949)

Mao initiated the Cultural Revolution, and he served as chairmen until he died in 1976.

Critic

Ratings

(A)  1

(B)  4

(C)  1

This site has a very brief bibliography, and mainly contains documents.  The documents are Mao’s works, quotations from Mao and there are also pictures.  However, there are no citations on any of the documents,  pictures, or for the bibliography.  The documents have been translated into English already, and the originals are not on the website.  The website it’s self also has very little information to be cited.

 

Marxist Internet Archive. Mao Zedong. 28 November 2010 
<  http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/ >

History 20 Critic Rubric