Mao Zedong"s Troubles at Home and Abroad
As he moved into his later years, Mao Zedong faced increasing political turmoil and pressure both within the People's Republic of China and from without. Relations with two large neighbors - the Soviet Union and India - devolved into shooting wars, while internal dissent increased as the death toll from the Great Leap Forward became apparent.
Despite this friendly beginning, the two did not get along well. Mao may have assumed that he would lead world Communism, since he was the most senior Communist leader after Stalin's death. However, Khrushchev had no interest in relinquishing the USSR's primary position among the world's Communist nations.
During the Cultural Revolution, China was "modernized" by cadres of young Red Guards (often teenagers) who smashed and burned their way through China's ancient material culture. Mao charged that liberal bourgeoisie elements had infiltrated the Chinese Communist Party, and had to be removed through class struggle. An unknown total, probably in the hundreds of thousands, were murdered, executed, killed by torture, and in extreme cases even cannibalized by the Red Guards during this period of cultural convulsion.
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July 31-Aug. 3, 1958 - Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev Visits Mao
Despite this friendly beginning, the two did not get along well. Mao may have assumed that he would lead world Communism, since he was the most senior Communist leader after Stalin's death. However, Khrushchev had no interest in relinquishing the USSR's primary position among the world's Communist nations.
Dec. 1958 - Mao Reliquishes Presidency, succeeded by Liu Shaoqi
Mao still remained in power as the Chairman of the Communist Party, but his critic Liu took a more active role as president. (Incidentally, Liu would be labeled a traitor and "capitalist-roader" in 1968, and die from mistreatment while under arrest in 1969.)1959 - Relations with the USSR Collapse; Sino-Soviet Split
One point of contention leading to this rupture of relations was the Soviets' refusal to give the Chinese a working nuclear bomb for them to copy. Just five years later, however, the Chinese figured it out on their own.Jan. 1962 - Communist Party "Conference of the 7,000" in Beijing
President Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaopeng publicly denounce the Great Leap Forward.June-Nov., 1962 - Sino-Indian War
The USSR secretly supported India in the conflict, but China won control of the Aksai Chin border region.April 1964 - Mao Publishes His "Little Red Book"
The book included sections from Mao's early works, "On Contradiction" and "On Practice."Oct. 16, 1964 - China Tests First Nuclear Weapon at Lop Nur
May 16, 1966-76 - Cultural Revolution, Social and Political Upheaval
During the Cultural Revolution, China was "modernized" by cadres of young Red Guards (often teenagers) who smashed and burned their way through China's ancient material culture. Mao charged that liberal bourgeoisie elements had infiltrated the Chinese Communist Party, and had to be removed through class struggle. An unknown total, probably in the hundreds of thousands, were murdered, executed, killed by torture, and in extreme cases even cannibalized by the Red Guards during this period of cultural convulsion.
Jan. 1967 - Red Guards Besiege Soviet Embassy in Beijing
This incident heightened tensions between the two Communist powers.June 14, 1967 - China Tests First Hydrogen Bomb
China's progress on nuclear armaments was incredibly quick, considering the Soviet Union's non-cooperation.To "Mao's Decline and Death" >
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