Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong

Words to KnowCultural RevolutionLong MarchGreat Leap ForwardChiang Kai-ShekRepublic of China (ROC)Peoples Republic of China (PRC)Communist Party of China (CPC)Graphic OrganizerMao Zedong December 26, 1893 September 9, 1976) was a Chinese military and political leader, who led the Communist Party of China (CPC) to victory in the Chinese Civil War, and was the leader of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976.Regarded as one of the most important figures in modern world history, Mao is still a controversial figure today, over thirty years after his death. He is held in high regard in China where he is often portrayed as a great revolutionary and strategist who eventually defeated Chiang Kai-shek in the Chinese Civil War, and transformed the country into a major power through his policies. However, many of Mao's socio-political programs such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution are blamed by critics from both within and outside China for causing severe damage to the culture, society, economy and foreign relations of China, as well as enormous and unnecessary loss of lives, a peacetime death toll in the tens of millions.

Mao was born to a peasant family in Shaoshan, a village in Hunan Province. He was still a student when the revolution of 1911-1912 overthrew the Manchu government and made China a republic. While he was employed as a library worker at the National University in Beijing (Peking) in 1918, Mao became attracted to the ideas of Communism. In 1921, Mao and 11 other people founded the Chinese Communist Party in Shanghai.

Karl MarxKarl Marx (1818-1883), German political philosopher and revolutionary, the creator of a system of thought called Marxism. With political economist Friedrich Engels, he founded scientific socialism (now known as communism).

Vladimir LeninVladimir Lenin (1870-1924), Russian revolutionary leader and theorist. Lenin was the leader of the radical socialist Bolshevik Party (later renamed the Communist Party), which seized power in the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Interactive Notebook Question (Left Side)Think-Pair-ShareWhy do you think Mao chose communism over other forms of government?Graphic OrganizerMao ZedongPeasant FamilyUniversity StudentIn 1920, Mao also developed his theory of violent revolution. Throughout the 1920s, Mao led several labor struggles and began to depend on Chinese peasants who later became staunch supporters of his theory of violent revolution. Mao himself was from a peasant family, and thus he cultivated his reputation among the farmers and peasants and introduced them to Marxism.

Nationalist China leader Chiang Kai-shek In 1928, became head of the Nationalist GovernmentDemocratic Leader, US supported.

Graphic OrganizerMao ZedongPeasant FamilyUniversity StudentViolent Revolution TheoryThe Long March

In 1934, Mao led the Communistsin what is called The Long March. The 6,000-mile (9,700-kilometer) march lasted over a year and welded the survivors into a tightly-knit group under Mao's leadership.The Long MarchThe Long March saved Mao Zedong and the Communist Party from the attacks by the Guomingdang. The Long March came about when the Chinese Communists had to flee a concerted Guomingdang attack that had been ordered by Chaing Kai-shek.

Interactive Notebook Question (Left Side)Think-Pair-Share (Pick one to answer)Which side did the U.S. support and why?

How did the Long March solidify Maos reputation in China?In the middle of the Chinese Civil War, Japan invaded China causing the start of WWII. Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong were forced to work together, along with the U.S., against the Japanese.

Graphic OrganizerMao ZedongPeasant FamilyUniversity StudentViolent Revolution TheoryThe Long MarchFought against Nationalist ChineseAfter the end of World War II, the U.S. continued to support Chiang Kai-shek, openly against the Communist Red Army (led by Mao Zedong) in the civil war for control of China. The U.S. support was part of its view to contain and defeat world communism. Likewise, the Soviet Union gave quasi-support to Mao and gave large supplies of arms to the Communist Party of China.On December 10, 1949, Chiang Kai-sheks forces suffered massive losses against Mao's Red Army and evacuated from the mainland to Taiwan (Formosa).

Establishment of Communist ChinaMaos first political goals after founding the Peoples Republic were land reform and the suppression of counter-revolutionaries, which centered on mass executions, often before organized crowds. These campaigns of mass repression targeted former KMT officials, businessmen, former employees of Western companies, and intellectuals whose loyalty was suspect. The U.S. State department in 1976 estimated that there may have been a million killed in the land reform, and another 800,000 killed in the counterrevolutionary campaign. Mao himself claimed a total of 700,000 killed during these early years (194953).

Graphic OrganizerMao ZedongLand ReformMass ExecutionsFollowing the consolidation of power, Mao launched the First Five-Year Plan (1953-8). The plan aimed to end Chinese dependence upon agriculture in order to become a world power. With the USSR's assistance, new industrial plants were built and agricultural production eventually fell to a point where industry was beginning to produce enough capital that China no longer needed the USSR's support.

Graphic OrganizerMao ZedongLand ReformMass Executions1st Five Year PlanAll Citizens forced to work on farmsGreat Leap ForwardIn January 1958, Mao launched the second Five-Year Plan known as the Great Leap Forward. Under this economic program, the relatively small agricultural collectives were rapidly merged into far larger people's communes, and many of the peasants ordered to work on massive infrastructure projects and production of iron and steel. All private food production was banned; livestock and farm equipment was confiscated and made public property.

Under the Great Leap Forward, Mao ordered the implementation of a variety of unproven and unscientific new agricultural techniques by the new communes. Due to the past emphasis on rapid industrialization, the country was not prepared to grow enough food for itself. Unfortunately many in the government didnt want to chance getting on Maos bad side and therefore didnt tell the truth about how bad the situation had become. The resulting famine was a direct cause of the death of tens of millions of Chinese peasants between 1959 and 1962.

Graphic OrganizerMao ZedongLand ReformMass ExecutionsGreat Leap Forward1st Five Year PlanAll Citizens forced to work on farmsWidespread FamineCultural RevolutionFacing the prospect of losing his place on the political stage, Mao launched the Cultural Revolution in 1966. During the Cultural Revolution, Mao closed schools in China and young intellectuals living in cities were ordered to the countryside and forced to manufacture weapons for the Red Army. The Revolution led to the destruction of much of China's cultural heritage and the imprisonment of a huge number of Chinese citizens, as well as creating general economic and social chaos in the country. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, perished in the violence of the Cultural Revolution. When Mao was informed of such losses, particularly that people had been driven to suicide, he blithely commented: "People who try to commit suicide don't attempt to save them! . . . China is such a populous nation, it is not as if we cannot do without a few people."

Graphic OrganizerMao ZedongLand ReformMass ExecutionsGreat Leap Forward1st Five Year PlanAll Citizens forced to work on farmsWidespread FamineCultural RevolutionMass ExecutionsInteractive Notebook Question (Left Side)Essay (1st-4th periods)Write a 3 paragraph essay describing the leadership of Mao and his affect on China.Culmination Project (5th & 6th period)On your own paper; chose only one!Write a 5 paragraph essay describing the leadership of Mao and his affect on China.Write a 5 paragraph letter to Mao as the President of the United States detailing his mistakes in leading China and how to fix them.Write a 5 paragraph letter as Mao to the United Nations explaining your decisions as the leader of Communist China.Write a 5 paragraph letter as a Chinese Peasant to the United Nations explaining your life under the rule of Mao Zedong.

BibliographyChaing Kai Shek. EHistory.http://ehistory.osu.edu/index.cfm. December 3, 2007.A Consice History of China. http://xenohistorian.faithweb.com/china/ch07.html#Top. December 3, 2007.World War 2 History. http://www.libraries.psu.edu/maps. December 3, 2007Mao Zedong. http://www.lcsd.k12.wa.us/~kbounds/class.global/4.china/4.PuYi.to.Mao/bio.mao.htm. Janurary 20, 2008.