RED CHINA From Communism to the Cultural Revolution, and Beyond.

After decades of war and chaos, COMMUNISTS TOOK OVER CHINA OCTOBER 1, 1949 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAO ZEDONG

MAOISM –A FORM OF COMMUNISM DEVELOPED IN CHINA BY MAO ZEDONG THAT FOCUSES ON PEASANTS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, RATHER THAN FACTORY WORKERS IN THE CITIES.

GREAT LEAP FORWARD MAO’s ATTEMPT AT INDUSTRIALIZING CHINA Just like Lenin & Stalin, Mao began a series of 5-Year Plans. A key part of Mao’s 5 year plans, that differed from the Soviet, was forming Communes so “true Communism” would take place and no one would have any private ownership. In some places this meant that families could not have kitchens in their homes and everyone in the village ate at a canteen –or- communal kitchen. In addition, since China didn’t have enough resources to increase steel production on its own, people were compelled to have scrap metal drives and melt down any metal they had for these drives

Mao became paranoid of other Communist leaders and educated people, so he began the CULTURAL REVOLUTION IN 1966 MAO SAID THIS WAS PART OF THE CLASS STRUGGLE TO PERFECT COMMUNISM IN CHINA.

THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION PEOPLE WERE FORCED TO FIND ‘RIGHTISTS’ AND REPORT THEM OR THEY WOULD BE PUNISHED. Writer, Qin Mu, wrote -“It was truly an unprecedented calamity: [the CCP] imprisoned millions due to their association with a [targeted] family member, ended the lives of millions more, shattered families, turned children into hoodlums and villains, burned books, tore down ancient buildings, and destroyed ancient intellectuals’ gravesites, committing all kinds of crimes in the name of revolution”

MAO FORMED A GROUP OF YOUTH, KNOWN AS THE RED GUARD, TO ACT AS LOYALTY ENFORCERS THROUGHOUT CHINA

The Red Guard tried to destroy everything in China that was Western or anti-Communist, including some of Chinese History.

MAO’S LITTLE RED BOOK OF QUOTATIONS WAS READ BY EVERYONE as if it was holy.

Children were also a big part of the Cultural Revolution – many children told officials about their parents’ un-Communist activities, such as telling Mao jokes or hiding family heirlooms.

Anyone who was educated was suspected as being anti- communist. ANYONE WHO DISAGREED WITH MAO AND THE RED GUARD WERE PUBLICLY HARASSED, BEATEN, EXILED TO THE COUNTRYSIDE, IMPRISONED, AND SOMETIMES EXECUTED.

1972 PRESIDENT NIXON WENT TO CHINA for face to face talks with Mao, although the US and China had been enemies since the Communist take over of China in 1949 – THIS WAS A LANDMARK CHANGE THAT LED TO MANY OF THE AGREEMENTS WE HAVE TODAY WITH CHINA.

Mao died September 9, 1976 Mao’s death ended the Cultural Revolution, and slowly China became more open to trade with the West, but was still suspicious of democracy.

The TIANANMEN SQUARE PROTESTS OF 1989 culminating in the TIANANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE(also know in China as the June Fourth Incident) were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing beginning on April 14.LED MAINLY BY STUDENTS AND INTELLECTUALS WHO WANTED GREATER FREEDOMS, the protests occurred in a year that saw the collapse of a number of European Communist governments. Even after Mao’s death, China’s Communist government continued to control and brutalize its people.

TIBET IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF CHINA. Buddhist Monks protest China’s control over their people and the Han Chinese who have taken over much of Tibet

ALTHOUGH DEMOCRACY IS UNWELCOME IN CHINA SO FAR, CAPITALISM HAS FLOURISHED!