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 19th 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 9th, 1976.
Critic
Rating
(A) 4
(B) 2
(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>.
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