How did the anarchy get so out of control?

Question 1

1. Who began to fight eachother?
2. In what 2 places did people join the fighting out of political self-interest?
3. Why did Mao find it difficult to control the anarchy? (2)
4. What did he close down?

Answer 1

1. Rival groups of Red Guards e.g. from different backgrounds.
2. Manchuria and Shanxi.
3. He had done so much to encourage it.
   Stopping it would undermine the movement.
4. The commune in Shanghai.

Question 2

1. What were the 2 main events of anarchy in early 1967?

JANUARY STORM:

2. What did the Radical Rebel R.Gs do in Shanghai?
3. What happened on the 30th December 1966?
4. How did Mao react to the Rebel RGs?
   - What did the 16 points state?

Answer 2

1. January Storm & February Adverse Current.
2. Destroyed party establishment & created own form of control based on 1871 Paris Commune.
3. 100k Rebel Red Guards defeated 200k Scarlet Guards deployed by PLA.
4. He applauded their ‘seizure of power from below.’
   - It was necessary to institue system of general elections, like that of Paris commune.

Question 3

FEBRUARY ADVERSE CURRENT:

1. What did Mao believe his rivals were doing?
2. What happened in February 1967?
3. How did Mao respond?
   - What does ‘Feb. Adverse Current’ mean?

Answer 3

1. Preventing him from implementing the correct policies.
2. Leaders of the establishment e.g. Zhu De protested against Mao’s policy of encouraging chaos.
3. Dismissed their complaints as the ‘February Adverse Current.’
   - They were going against the correct ‘tide’ of revolutionary upheaval.

Question 4

FURTHER VIOLENCE:

1. What did Mao tell the Red Guards in April 1967?
2. Where and when did the biggest example of further violence take place?
   - How many RG leaders were arrested by the PLA in the Spring?
   - How many protesters were killed?
3. What did the rebels do in August 1967? (3)

Answer 4

1. To have no fear of chaos.
2. Wuhan, Summer 1967.
   - 500.
   - 1000.
3. Seized power over Beijing Foreign Ministry for 2 weeks.
   Declared creation of ‘Proletarian Internationalism.’
   Deployed radical diplomats to represent China around the world.