The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution
What Happened? :
As the result of the Great Leap Forward, China ‘s economy went in to a major crisis. However, Mao increasingly concerned that he was being push in the background. He had a plan to regain the power. Mao believed that China was still a prisoner of her past. He targeted young people and hoped to push China forward. In 1962 Mao came out of a semi-retirement to launch “ Socialist Education Movement” The ten years of chaotic mass struggle began in 1966. This was the campaign to get the Chinese people back on the right path of communism. The “ Little Red Book” which contained Mao’s thought and ideas was studied and recited by Red Guards. This warship is known as the Cult of personality. It has spread throughout China during the Cultural Revolution. In June 1966, schools and universities were all closed down .In May 1966 students in Beijing began to organize themselves as Red Guards to root out what they called “ bourgeois attitudes” in university. They also attacked the Four Olds”, old ideas, old cultures, old customs and old habits including anything influenced by the Soviet Union and the West. At first the attacks were aimed at unnamed enemies of socialism. Later the attacks were centered at the communist party of the enemies of Mao’s policies. Between August and November 1966. Millions of Chinese students were brought to Peking by the army of a series of mass series. Opponent were interrogated, humiliated, tortured, or executed in both public and private. The Red Guards were issued an order “ bombard the headquarters” They were urged to attack the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Part who were accused of bourgeois attitudes. This included President Liu Shaoqi and General Secretary Den Xiaoping. Mao’s order turned Liu Zhongnanhai (where the government leaders lived) in to a torture park. Liu eventually died of brutal treatment in prison cell. Red Guards from universities and schools were urged to travel freely throughout China. “ Capitalist roaders”, people accused for not being pure communists were parated, interrogated and sometimes killed .In February.1967 the Red Guards were finally ordered to return home because they were fighting with workers and peasants, and industrial production was dropping. TO cope with the chaos the government disbanded the Red Guards. Schools were reopened and millions of youths were sent to countryside to work among the peasants. But fighting did not really die down until 1968, when a battle among Red Guards in Beijing left 15 dead. The Little Bred Book was the official source of inspiration for all activity during the Cultural Revolution. Everyone had to serve the revolution and care nothing about their own welfare.
