Context for Mao’s China
China developed a deep belief that it was a unique, self-sufficient culture that needed nothing from
the outside world. However, during the 19th century many foreign countries imposed a series of
unequal treaties on China which made many Chinese ports and cities under foreign control and
crippled its economy. In 1911, the ruling Qing dynasty faced mutiny choosing to abdicate a year later
Then came to rise two conflicting powers Communism and Nationalism. Initially the two revolutionary
parties were co-operative rather than hostile due to having a common ambition, defeat of China’s
external and internal enemies. The CCP and GMD formed a united front to crush the warlords by 1927
most warlords gone. Until, Chaing Kai-sheik (GMD leader) betrayed the CCP and tried to annihilate
them (White Terror) and tried to end CCP. Leading to civil war.
GMD Party CCP Aims
• They controlled most of China’s major cities and • Controlled much of China’s northern countryside.
factories Women liked CCP more because of GMD’s
• They had some support because people thought feminist issues they were also supported by
Chang Kai-Shek was the reason they won WW2. peasants because of land reform and students
They were loosing working class support. The because of GMD’s censorship. USSR gave money
USA gave them economic and military aid they and weapons. They had ½ GMD army and no air
had 2.5 million soldiers double PLA force.
Manchuria and the GMD
Many Manchurian people regarded the GMD as ‘southerners’ and therefore as foreign invaders.
In August 1945, Soviet troops invaded Manchuria to defeat the Japanese. This was a threat to the GMD because
Soviet troops might help the CCP across the border and Manchuria contained a great deal of modern industry, as
well as large stocks of Japanese weapons. Chiang concerned CCP gain access to this.
Chiang made a deal with the USSR that Soviet forces would control the region until Chiang’s forces took control. In
November 1945, the USA flew 110000 GMD troops into the region to take over but the Soviet troops has already
allowed the PLA to take 100,000 guns and pieces of artillery.
Temporary Ceasefire
In February 1946, the GMD and the CCP agreed a ceasefire. During the ceasefire, both sides strengthened their
positions. The CCP extended control of the northern countryside meanwhile Chiang persuaded the USA to provide
more economic and military support. But in early 1946, the GMD lost control over Manchuria’s rural areas due to
PLA guerilla units and Manchurians joining CCP. But also May 1947, the GMD controlled all the cities in Northern
China except Harbin.
Mao’s Strategy
Mao ordered the PLA to retreat leading to the CCP loosing control of the cities but surviving. Mao also ordered up
the speeding of land reform and peasants were able to take back control over the land they worked leading to
northern peasants joining the PLA in large numbers. By mid-1947 workers of the north had lost faith in GMD rule . In
June, Mao ordered the PLA’s first major attacks and was extremely successful. Around 400,000 PLA troops attacked
across the Sungrai River. The PLA also pushed further south as they attacked across the yellow river PLA’s counter
attacks lead to power shift. PLA began to star fighting like a regular army instead of guerilla army. GMD lost control
over Manchuria and PLA control of NE China. During 1948, PLA made important advancements and the GMD lost it’s
last cities in Manchuria due to Mao’s strategy of the PLA controlling the countryside and cutting of the GMD in the
cities and by storming cities. CCP control over Manchuria allowed them to recruit more soldiers and 22,800 pieces of
artillery versus GMD’s 21.000 (Mao strategy made them take GMD artillery).
What was the Huai-Hai Campaign?
The campaign lasted from 6 November 1948 to 10 January 1949. The PLA won. The Huai-Hai Campaign, spanning
from November 6, 1948, to January 10, 1949, marked a pivotal moment in the Chinese Civil War. With Chiang's army
comprising 800,000 troops and Mao's even larger force including soldiers, guerrilla fighters, and peasant support, the
conflict was intense. PLA spies infiltrated the GMD, tipping Mao off about Chiang's plans, while low morale among
GMD soldiers led to thousands defecting to the PLA. Named after the battleground between the Huai River and
Huang Hai, the campaign dealt a devastating blow to the GMD, resulting in the loss of 500,000 troops, with 200,000
killed or injured and the rest captured.
Impacts of Huai-Hai
Morale among GMD troops was low – thousands deserted to join the PLA. By January 1949, the GMD had lost
500000 troops. Now it had no way to stop the PLA’s advance into southern China. Chiang resigned after the PLA won.
,Reasons for CCP victory:
Reason: Details
Peasants wanted land, which CCP provided, while the GMD blocked land reform. Peasants supported the PLA,
aiding in supply transportation and fighting alongside it. Mao Zedong accelerated land reform and ensured fair
Peasant
treatment of peasants by the PLA. He took land from lords and divided between the peasants in exchange for one
Support
son. During the Huai-Hui campaign these 1 million peasants provided support to the army which was crucial in
versus no enabling the CCP’s victory. Wheras, the GMD quickly lost public support due to inflation and heavy taxation which
support
discredited the GMD government and led to urban unrest eg Telecommunication workers went strike meaning that
the GMD struggle to communicate so they struggled to supply their army and lost a lot of support
Leadership played an important role in the victory of the CCP. Mao ensured that the PLA remained disciplined, and
that soldiers treated peasants with respect. Chiang, on the other hand, failed to deal with corruption in the GMD;
therefore, people in GMD territories lost faith in the government. Mao also understood the significance of politics.
Leadership He supported radical land reform and in doing so, won over peasants. Chiang, however did little to address poverty
and Mao’s unemployment or the continued abuse of women’s rights. Mao collaborated effectively with his top generals, Liu
Opportunis and Lin Bao whereas Chiang's disagreements with some generals led to military confusion within the GMD. CCP's
m use of guerrilla tactics helped preserve PLA forces and exploit weaknesses in GMD forces. Mao’s opportunism
played a great role in the victory aswell due to his ruthlessness in supressing opposition within his own party and
strategic retreat and speeding up of land reform allowed the CCP to have a substantially larger army than the GMD
by the Huai-Hui campaign.
A policy that proved especially damaging to the Nationalists in terms of public relations was their practice of
conscription. Increasingly desperate for manpower as the war continued, but unable to raise enough volunteers,
Chiang's government authorised the rounding up of peasants by armed recruitment squads. Once enlisted, the
troops were treated with contempt by their officers. The president of the Chinese Red Cross described the
GMD’s
barbarity suffered by the Nationalist conscripts. They were tied to one another to prevent their escaping, were
Political
savagely beaten. Another one of the GMD’s major political errors was their failure to gain the support of localities,
Failings
he gave too little though to local power structures and simply tried to impose GMD rule by dismissing the officials
already there and replacing them with Nationalist appointees. Also, there was significant internal divisions within
the GMD, there were many rival factions to oppose Chiang which made it difficult to sustain war efforts, Chiang
himself admitted that Nationalist moral had been ’cripplingly low’ towards the end of the civil war
How did Mao Zedong structure the new central government of the PRC?
Mao was Marxist but influenced by Chinese nationalism his ideology is often referred to as Maoism, he believed in the strength
and will of the Chinese people and was also influenced by Chinese feminism. He believed that men and women should play a
political role. He was inspired by the Russian Revolution, but most Marxists believed that China wasn’t ready for Marxism as it
wasn’t industrialised
Mao designed the central government in a way that would keep power focused in his hands. He organised it in the following 8 ways:
• Mao became the head of state.
•Mao's close ally, Zhou Enlai, became Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
•Other close allies, such as Lin Bao, commanded the military.
•Mao was the head of the Politburo, which was made up of 25 leading communists and decided all important matters.
•A parliament was formed called the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (PCC). It acted like a parliament, but
directives from the Politburo were handed down for it to put into effect across the PRC.
•The Red Army was renamed the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and would be used to maintain order and reconstruct the country.
•There were only 750,000 communist cadres to work in government positions. Over 2 million former GMD officials kept their jobs so
their expertise could be used to administer the country.
•In 1954 a permanent constitution was created along with a new, national parliament; the National People's Congress (NPC).
The government of China Role of CCP
Mao described his new government as ‘People’s democratic In reality, Mao had no intention of working democratically. CCP
dictatorship’ dominated the government and was much bigger than the NPC.
Initially Mao seemed committed to work with the people of Role of PLA
China he set up the CPPCC to create a new constitution which China divided into 6 regions eac controlled by the PLA . They
included freedom of religion, multiparty elections and equality. began campaigns to hunt ppl down killing over 100,00 (1950-53)
Mao dominated all aspects of government: president of the also built roads and railways and constructed irrigation and
PRC, CCP chairman and head of the PLA taught in schools.
Reasons for Mao’s dominant position:
• Success as a leader in the Civil War and his policy of guerrilla warfare allowed the PLA to survive in the early part of the Civil
War
• He proved himself as an intellectual by adapting Marxism to China and his ideas were so influential that they became the
official basis of the CCP in 1945; ‘Marxism with Chinese characteristics’
• Mao’s role in the government: He was president of the PRC, chairman of the CCP and head of PLA, he chose the Politburo and
senior generals and was highly respected in the party due to his previous role in organising the Long March
• Democratic Centralism- All party members could participate in debates about the future of China and could all vote but once
a policy was agreed discussions stopped. It played a key role in managing members as loyal members who implemented
policy immediately were promoted. In practice, not very centralised and most decisions left to the PLA as CCP lacked
expertise
, CCP control through terror. After the Civil War ended, the CCP gave everyone in China a ‘class label’. ‘Red’ categories
were ‘friends of the revolution’ and ‘black’ categories were ‘enemies of the revolution’
Red categories included:
Black categories included:
o Poorer peasants
Source 1
o Richer peasants
Counter- Workers My mother’s two comrades insisted that she had behaved in a ‘bourgeois’
revolutionaries Soldiers of the PLA [antirevolutionary] manner. They said she had not wanted to go to the country to help
‘Bad-influencers’ (for Families of PLA collect food. When she pointed out that she had gone, in line with the Party’s wishes, they
example, criminals) soldiers retorted: ‘Ah but you didn’t really want to go!’ Then they accused her of enjoying
o Rightists’ (supporters of o Revolutionary
privileged food – cooked moreover by her mother at home – and of becoming ill more
capitalism) activists
than most pregnant women. Mrs Mi also criticised her because her mother had made
clothes for the baby. ‘Such a bourgeois waste,’ she said. ‘Why can’t she just wrap her up in
Rural Terror old clothes like everyone else?’ The fact she had shown her sadness that my grandmother
• Terror was used primarily against had to leave was singled out as definitive proof that she put family first. A serious offence
landlords who refused to surrender … At the end of all this my mother’s two comrades voted against full Party membership
their land for her. From Wild Swans by Jung Chang. The writer is describing the experiences
of her mother in 1950 in the early days after the Communist revolution.
• PLA teams encouraged whole villages
to turn against their landlords so they
Urban Terror and Campaign to suppress ‘counter revolutionaries’
were evicted beaten, expelled and
killed • In the cities terror focused on intellectuals, property owners and
• Mass meetings were held in government officials who had worked with the GMD
which peasants ‘spoke bitterness’ • Many different activities were counted as ‘counter-
against landlords. revolutionary crimes’, including any collaboration with the old
GMD government it was very public with large meetings held
• At least 1 million landlords were killed,
possibly many more, and 40 per cent of • The CCP encouraged urban workers to hunt down former GMD
China’s farmland was seized by members and bring them to mass meetings
peasants. • Many were sentenced to hard labor in prison camps or Laogai. It
is estimated that anywhere from 40 to 50 million Chinese have
Role of the Chinese people suffered in the Laogai since the founding of the People's Republic
Mao’s view was that, as long as terror of China. The victims of this inhumane system have endured long
campaigns targeted unpopular hours of forced labor, beatings, starvation, physical torture and
individuals, the Chinese people would mental torment. Many of them did not survive. Conditions were
support the campaigns. harsh: in one prison mine, 300 people died per day.
• Mao wanted his terror campaigns to • 2% of the urban population was targeted during 1951
be mass movements. The public trials
and executions were advertised Purges of Party members:
in newspapers and on the radio. There • Purges were also carried out within the CCP, members who were slow
were huge crowds for many of the to follow CCP policy were liable to be condemned as ‘rightists’
trials and public executions. • During 3antis 200,000 CCP party members were arrested
• Ordinary people played an important • CCP severity is evident in early 1950s Shanghai which was notorious
role in making accusations against for underworld gangs and triads so over half the city was executed
landlords and other ‘counter-
3-antis Urban workers were encouraged to Led to a wave of terror.
revolutionaries’. Sometimes people did
movement. take part. Officials were publicly People who were arrested
this to settle old scores. humiliated before being sacked from worked in gov admin. It
1951
• Although the public seemed to their government jobs. People who purged ppl Mao didn’t trust
support the terror, most people were refused to confess were tortured. 1 giving the CCP greater
terrified. There were thousands of mil sent to laogi. Public ‘struggle control. The campaign
suicides by people who were worried meeting’ where ‘anti-revolutionaries’ caused huge disruption in
they might be accused. admit crimes. the government so Mao
was forced to end it after
In 1951, Mao announced the beginning of the ‘three aniti- one month
movements’ the targets being:
• waste
•
•
corruption
inefficiency
Interpretation 1
5 antis
The] Three Antis Campaign against corrupt cadres
Almost all of China’s major companies were investigated: 450 000
[officials], [and] the Five Antis drive against the hitherto
companies.
• Although only 1 per cent of those put on trial went to prison, many were fi respected national bourgeoisie were extremely intense and
ned. The fines were so large that many companies went bankrupt and were generated considerable tension and apprehension in
taken over by the government. society. official violence was used on a substantial scale In
• As a result, the government received a lot of money in fines, and had a addition, intense psychological pressure was brought to
stronger hold on the economy from owning the companies. bear by various measures, including forced confessions and
• Business leaders were very frightened by the campaign. This made them mass trials ... This not only fostered a climate of distrust ... it
much more likely to do what the government told them.
also resulted in large numbers of suicides - possibly ...
• Workers supported the campaigns, which meant more support for the CCP.
The CCP increased its control over China’s government and its economy. several hundred thousand.
China developed a deep belief that it was a unique, self-sufficient culture that needed nothing from
the outside world. However, during the 19th century many foreign countries imposed a series of
unequal treaties on China which made many Chinese ports and cities under foreign control and
crippled its economy. In 1911, the ruling Qing dynasty faced mutiny choosing to abdicate a year later
Then came to rise two conflicting powers Communism and Nationalism. Initially the two revolutionary
parties were co-operative rather than hostile due to having a common ambition, defeat of China’s
external and internal enemies. The CCP and GMD formed a united front to crush the warlords by 1927
most warlords gone. Until, Chaing Kai-sheik (GMD leader) betrayed the CCP and tried to annihilate
them (White Terror) and tried to end CCP. Leading to civil war.
GMD Party CCP Aims
• They controlled most of China’s major cities and • Controlled much of China’s northern countryside.
factories Women liked CCP more because of GMD’s
• They had some support because people thought feminist issues they were also supported by
Chang Kai-Shek was the reason they won WW2. peasants because of land reform and students
They were loosing working class support. The because of GMD’s censorship. USSR gave money
USA gave them economic and military aid they and weapons. They had ½ GMD army and no air
had 2.5 million soldiers double PLA force.
Manchuria and the GMD
Many Manchurian people regarded the GMD as ‘southerners’ and therefore as foreign invaders.
In August 1945, Soviet troops invaded Manchuria to defeat the Japanese. This was a threat to the GMD because
Soviet troops might help the CCP across the border and Manchuria contained a great deal of modern industry, as
well as large stocks of Japanese weapons. Chiang concerned CCP gain access to this.
Chiang made a deal with the USSR that Soviet forces would control the region until Chiang’s forces took control. In
November 1945, the USA flew 110000 GMD troops into the region to take over but the Soviet troops has already
allowed the PLA to take 100,000 guns and pieces of artillery.
Temporary Ceasefire
In February 1946, the GMD and the CCP agreed a ceasefire. During the ceasefire, both sides strengthened their
positions. The CCP extended control of the northern countryside meanwhile Chiang persuaded the USA to provide
more economic and military support. But in early 1946, the GMD lost control over Manchuria’s rural areas due to
PLA guerilla units and Manchurians joining CCP. But also May 1947, the GMD controlled all the cities in Northern
China except Harbin.
Mao’s Strategy
Mao ordered the PLA to retreat leading to the CCP loosing control of the cities but surviving. Mao also ordered up
the speeding of land reform and peasants were able to take back control over the land they worked leading to
northern peasants joining the PLA in large numbers. By mid-1947 workers of the north had lost faith in GMD rule . In
June, Mao ordered the PLA’s first major attacks and was extremely successful. Around 400,000 PLA troops attacked
across the Sungrai River. The PLA also pushed further south as they attacked across the yellow river PLA’s counter
attacks lead to power shift. PLA began to star fighting like a regular army instead of guerilla army. GMD lost control
over Manchuria and PLA control of NE China. During 1948, PLA made important advancements and the GMD lost it’s
last cities in Manchuria due to Mao’s strategy of the PLA controlling the countryside and cutting of the GMD in the
cities and by storming cities. CCP control over Manchuria allowed them to recruit more soldiers and 22,800 pieces of
artillery versus GMD’s 21.000 (Mao strategy made them take GMD artillery).
What was the Huai-Hai Campaign?
The campaign lasted from 6 November 1948 to 10 January 1949. The PLA won. The Huai-Hai Campaign, spanning
from November 6, 1948, to January 10, 1949, marked a pivotal moment in the Chinese Civil War. With Chiang's army
comprising 800,000 troops and Mao's even larger force including soldiers, guerrilla fighters, and peasant support, the
conflict was intense. PLA spies infiltrated the GMD, tipping Mao off about Chiang's plans, while low morale among
GMD soldiers led to thousands defecting to the PLA. Named after the battleground between the Huai River and
Huang Hai, the campaign dealt a devastating blow to the GMD, resulting in the loss of 500,000 troops, with 200,000
killed or injured and the rest captured.
Impacts of Huai-Hai
Morale among GMD troops was low – thousands deserted to join the PLA. By January 1949, the GMD had lost
500000 troops. Now it had no way to stop the PLA’s advance into southern China. Chiang resigned after the PLA won.
,Reasons for CCP victory:
Reason: Details
Peasants wanted land, which CCP provided, while the GMD blocked land reform. Peasants supported the PLA,
aiding in supply transportation and fighting alongside it. Mao Zedong accelerated land reform and ensured fair
Peasant
treatment of peasants by the PLA. He took land from lords and divided between the peasants in exchange for one
Support
son. During the Huai-Hui campaign these 1 million peasants provided support to the army which was crucial in
versus no enabling the CCP’s victory. Wheras, the GMD quickly lost public support due to inflation and heavy taxation which
support
discredited the GMD government and led to urban unrest eg Telecommunication workers went strike meaning that
the GMD struggle to communicate so they struggled to supply their army and lost a lot of support
Leadership played an important role in the victory of the CCP. Mao ensured that the PLA remained disciplined, and
that soldiers treated peasants with respect. Chiang, on the other hand, failed to deal with corruption in the GMD;
therefore, people in GMD territories lost faith in the government. Mao also understood the significance of politics.
Leadership He supported radical land reform and in doing so, won over peasants. Chiang, however did little to address poverty
and Mao’s unemployment or the continued abuse of women’s rights. Mao collaborated effectively with his top generals, Liu
Opportunis and Lin Bao whereas Chiang's disagreements with some generals led to military confusion within the GMD. CCP's
m use of guerrilla tactics helped preserve PLA forces and exploit weaknesses in GMD forces. Mao’s opportunism
played a great role in the victory aswell due to his ruthlessness in supressing opposition within his own party and
strategic retreat and speeding up of land reform allowed the CCP to have a substantially larger army than the GMD
by the Huai-Hui campaign.
A policy that proved especially damaging to the Nationalists in terms of public relations was their practice of
conscription. Increasingly desperate for manpower as the war continued, but unable to raise enough volunteers,
Chiang's government authorised the rounding up of peasants by armed recruitment squads. Once enlisted, the
troops were treated with contempt by their officers. The president of the Chinese Red Cross described the
GMD’s
barbarity suffered by the Nationalist conscripts. They were tied to one another to prevent their escaping, were
Political
savagely beaten. Another one of the GMD’s major political errors was their failure to gain the support of localities,
Failings
he gave too little though to local power structures and simply tried to impose GMD rule by dismissing the officials
already there and replacing them with Nationalist appointees. Also, there was significant internal divisions within
the GMD, there were many rival factions to oppose Chiang which made it difficult to sustain war efforts, Chiang
himself admitted that Nationalist moral had been ’cripplingly low’ towards the end of the civil war
How did Mao Zedong structure the new central government of the PRC?
Mao was Marxist but influenced by Chinese nationalism his ideology is often referred to as Maoism, he believed in the strength
and will of the Chinese people and was also influenced by Chinese feminism. He believed that men and women should play a
political role. He was inspired by the Russian Revolution, but most Marxists believed that China wasn’t ready for Marxism as it
wasn’t industrialised
Mao designed the central government in a way that would keep power focused in his hands. He organised it in the following 8 ways:
• Mao became the head of state.
•Mao's close ally, Zhou Enlai, became Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
•Other close allies, such as Lin Bao, commanded the military.
•Mao was the head of the Politburo, which was made up of 25 leading communists and decided all important matters.
•A parliament was formed called the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (PCC). It acted like a parliament, but
directives from the Politburo were handed down for it to put into effect across the PRC.
•The Red Army was renamed the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and would be used to maintain order and reconstruct the country.
•There were only 750,000 communist cadres to work in government positions. Over 2 million former GMD officials kept their jobs so
their expertise could be used to administer the country.
•In 1954 a permanent constitution was created along with a new, national parliament; the National People's Congress (NPC).
The government of China Role of CCP
Mao described his new government as ‘People’s democratic In reality, Mao had no intention of working democratically. CCP
dictatorship’ dominated the government and was much bigger than the NPC.
Initially Mao seemed committed to work with the people of Role of PLA
China he set up the CPPCC to create a new constitution which China divided into 6 regions eac controlled by the PLA . They
included freedom of religion, multiparty elections and equality. began campaigns to hunt ppl down killing over 100,00 (1950-53)
Mao dominated all aspects of government: president of the also built roads and railways and constructed irrigation and
PRC, CCP chairman and head of the PLA taught in schools.
Reasons for Mao’s dominant position:
• Success as a leader in the Civil War and his policy of guerrilla warfare allowed the PLA to survive in the early part of the Civil
War
• He proved himself as an intellectual by adapting Marxism to China and his ideas were so influential that they became the
official basis of the CCP in 1945; ‘Marxism with Chinese characteristics’
• Mao’s role in the government: He was president of the PRC, chairman of the CCP and head of PLA, he chose the Politburo and
senior generals and was highly respected in the party due to his previous role in organising the Long March
• Democratic Centralism- All party members could participate in debates about the future of China and could all vote but once
a policy was agreed discussions stopped. It played a key role in managing members as loyal members who implemented
policy immediately were promoted. In practice, not very centralised and most decisions left to the PLA as CCP lacked
expertise
, CCP control through terror. After the Civil War ended, the CCP gave everyone in China a ‘class label’. ‘Red’ categories
were ‘friends of the revolution’ and ‘black’ categories were ‘enemies of the revolution’
Red categories included:
Black categories included:
o Poorer peasants
Source 1
o Richer peasants
Counter- Workers My mother’s two comrades insisted that she had behaved in a ‘bourgeois’
revolutionaries Soldiers of the PLA [antirevolutionary] manner. They said she had not wanted to go to the country to help
‘Bad-influencers’ (for Families of PLA collect food. When she pointed out that she had gone, in line with the Party’s wishes, they
example, criminals) soldiers retorted: ‘Ah but you didn’t really want to go!’ Then they accused her of enjoying
o Rightists’ (supporters of o Revolutionary
privileged food – cooked moreover by her mother at home – and of becoming ill more
capitalism) activists
than most pregnant women. Mrs Mi also criticised her because her mother had made
clothes for the baby. ‘Such a bourgeois waste,’ she said. ‘Why can’t she just wrap her up in
Rural Terror old clothes like everyone else?’ The fact she had shown her sadness that my grandmother
• Terror was used primarily against had to leave was singled out as definitive proof that she put family first. A serious offence
landlords who refused to surrender … At the end of all this my mother’s two comrades voted against full Party membership
their land for her. From Wild Swans by Jung Chang. The writer is describing the experiences
of her mother in 1950 in the early days after the Communist revolution.
• PLA teams encouraged whole villages
to turn against their landlords so they
Urban Terror and Campaign to suppress ‘counter revolutionaries’
were evicted beaten, expelled and
killed • In the cities terror focused on intellectuals, property owners and
• Mass meetings were held in government officials who had worked with the GMD
which peasants ‘spoke bitterness’ • Many different activities were counted as ‘counter-
against landlords. revolutionary crimes’, including any collaboration with the old
GMD government it was very public with large meetings held
• At least 1 million landlords were killed,
possibly many more, and 40 per cent of • The CCP encouraged urban workers to hunt down former GMD
China’s farmland was seized by members and bring them to mass meetings
peasants. • Many were sentenced to hard labor in prison camps or Laogai. It
is estimated that anywhere from 40 to 50 million Chinese have
Role of the Chinese people suffered in the Laogai since the founding of the People's Republic
Mao’s view was that, as long as terror of China. The victims of this inhumane system have endured long
campaigns targeted unpopular hours of forced labor, beatings, starvation, physical torture and
individuals, the Chinese people would mental torment. Many of them did not survive. Conditions were
support the campaigns. harsh: in one prison mine, 300 people died per day.
• Mao wanted his terror campaigns to • 2% of the urban population was targeted during 1951
be mass movements. The public trials
and executions were advertised Purges of Party members:
in newspapers and on the radio. There • Purges were also carried out within the CCP, members who were slow
were huge crowds for many of the to follow CCP policy were liable to be condemned as ‘rightists’
trials and public executions. • During 3antis 200,000 CCP party members were arrested
• Ordinary people played an important • CCP severity is evident in early 1950s Shanghai which was notorious
role in making accusations against for underworld gangs and triads so over half the city was executed
landlords and other ‘counter-
3-antis Urban workers were encouraged to Led to a wave of terror.
revolutionaries’. Sometimes people did
movement. take part. Officials were publicly People who were arrested
this to settle old scores. humiliated before being sacked from worked in gov admin. It
1951
• Although the public seemed to their government jobs. People who purged ppl Mao didn’t trust
support the terror, most people were refused to confess were tortured. 1 giving the CCP greater
terrified. There were thousands of mil sent to laogi. Public ‘struggle control. The campaign
suicides by people who were worried meeting’ where ‘anti-revolutionaries’ caused huge disruption in
they might be accused. admit crimes. the government so Mao
was forced to end it after
In 1951, Mao announced the beginning of the ‘three aniti- one month
movements’ the targets being:
• waste
•
•
corruption
inefficiency
Interpretation 1
5 antis
The] Three Antis Campaign against corrupt cadres
Almost all of China’s major companies were investigated: 450 000
[officials], [and] the Five Antis drive against the hitherto
companies.
• Although only 1 per cent of those put on trial went to prison, many were fi respected national bourgeoisie were extremely intense and
ned. The fines were so large that many companies went bankrupt and were generated considerable tension and apprehension in
taken over by the government. society. official violence was used on a substantial scale In
• As a result, the government received a lot of money in fines, and had a addition, intense psychological pressure was brought to
stronger hold on the economy from owning the companies. bear by various measures, including forced confessions and
• Business leaders were very frightened by the campaign. This made them mass trials ... This not only fostered a climate of distrust ... it
much more likely to do what the government told them.
also resulted in large numbers of suicides - possibly ...
• Workers supported the campaigns, which meant more support for the CCP.
The CCP increased its control over China’s government and its economy. several hundred thousand.
