The Cultural Revolution - Attacks on Mao’s Political and Class Enemies

Question 1

Overview

Answer 1

• start of cultural revolution identities of Mao’s targets unclear
• as cultural revolution continued it became obvious Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping were main targets
• both advocated reliance on intellectuals and experts and a belief in practical solution

Question 2

Liu Shaoqi

Answer 2

• Liu’s pragmatic policies helped rebuild China after failure of the GLF
• Liu subjected to struggle meetings
• Liu’s wife forced to wear western clothing as evidence of her capitalist sympathy
• his children sent to work as peasants in the countryside
• Liu stripped of all his posts

Question 3

Deng Xiaoping

Answer 3

• Deng helped Liu introduce economic reforms without Mao’s advice
• Mao complained Deng never consulted him on anything
• Mao accused Deng of ‘taking the capitalist road’
• Deng sent to work in a tractor factory
• Deng’s family also suffered

Question 4

Lin Bao and the role of the PLA

Answer 4

• whilst Mao had lost faith in Liu and Deng others saw this as a chance to benefit - Lin Bao
• Lin published the little red book - made it compulsory for soldiers
• red book distributed to millions - assured loyalty of the army to Mao

Question 5

The purging of the party membership

Answer 5

• only 9/23 politburo members survived
• 2/3 central committee disposed
• many sent to May seventh cadre schools
• in total 3 million bureaucrats and cadres exiled to the countryside
• estimated 1/2 million Chinese killed
• everyone apart from Mao was vulnerable

Question 6

The purging of capitalist roaders and foreigners living in China

Answer 6

• Red guards attacked 3 embassy’s in Beijing
• Crowds trapped ambassadors in their cars for hours
• staff at the British embassy were beaten - British embassy set on fire