1) The Great Leap Forward failed in the late 1950s, resulting in a massive famine that killed over 20 million people.
2) In the early 1960s, Mao lost some power and moderates implemented more realistic economic policies to address the famine.
3) In the mid-1960s, Mao launched the Cultural Revolution to remove capitalist and traditional influences and consolidate his power, forming the Red Guards student militia who spread violence and chaos.
4) By the late 1960s, order was restored but the Cultural Revolution continued political turmoil and cost many young people their education. Mao remained in power until his death in 1976.
2. 1958 – 59 Great Leap Forward fails Only months after the Great Leap Forward started, Machines fell apart Factory workers fell asleep at work The ‘backyard steel’ campaign failed People were taken away from fields, food shortage Not enough railway trains Major famine More than 20 million Chinese died of starvation and other diseases
3. 1959 – 61 : Three Bitter Years Famine years of 1959 -1961 Party leaders blamed Mao for the failure and told him to resign Lost post of Head of State, now only Party Chairman The moderates, controlling the government, had more realistic economic policies Propaganda poster – misleading info about famine
4. Late 1960s – Abandonment of Great Leap Forward Communes were reduced in size to make more manageable Peasants were sent back to fields Peasants were given their private plots Wages were increased Moderates ran the economy but Mao still was regarded as a revolutionary hero
5. 1965 : Little Red Book People’s Liberation Army ranks were all equal Every soldier was given a book of ‘Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong’ All ordered to study it Mao had the support of 4 million PLA soldiers
6. 1966 – Cultural Revolution Mao used his great influence to, Start the cultural revolution Formed the Red Guards Made of schoolchildren Used violence to abolish Capitalist Bourgeois Old ideas Old culture Old customs Old habits
7. 1967 – Red Guards go Wild 1967 - Red Guards ran wild Country was in a state of virtual civil war Red Guards fought against ‘reactionaries’ and among themselves More than 400,000 people were killed and many more were tortured, humiliated, imprisoned
8. 1967 : Restoring Order Mao attempted to restore order Schools and colleges reopened Red Guards sent to country side to be re-educated Many young people lost out on their education and were illiterate 1969 – Mao announces cultural revolution is over.
9. 1969 : Project 571 Mao’s second-in-command, Lin Biao was beginning to doubt Mao The two men mistrusted each other Lin thought Mao was power-mad and called him ‘the greatest dictator and tyrant in China’s history…” Plotted to assassinate Mao and to take power as chairman Plot discovered and Lin and his fellow plotters fled. Escaped by air but were shot down in Mongolia
10. 1973: Right and Left Zhou Enlai Elections to the Politburo Right-wing moderates – Prime minister, Zhou Enlai Deputy prime minister, Deng Xiaoping Wanted to build a strong and wealthy China Left-wing radicals – Gang of Four Mao’s wife- Jiang Qing Three radical politicians from Shanghai Wanted to continue class struggle
11. 1974 – 1976: HuaGuofeng 9 September 1976: Mao dies Gang of Four prepared to take power Politburo gave power to HuaGuofeng, new prime minister Gang of Four arrested Hua believed in following Mao’s footsteps Hua and his followers were called the ‘Whateverists’ Public opinion began to favour Moderates
