How and Why Was the Cultural Revolution Wound Down After 1968? (2a.3) Flashcards
1
Q
When did Mao finally allow the PLA to clamp down on the Red Guards?
A
1967
2
Q
Why did Mao authorise the clampdown of the Red Guard?
A
Undermining the army’s role and inflicting unsustainable damage on China’s economic and educational systems
3
Q
What took military action to end?
A
- Full scale civil war in Shanxi and looting of weapons bound for Vietnam in Guangxi
- Both provinces pacified by 1968
4
Q
Qinghua University
A
- Schools closed for 2 years
- Red Guards refused to law down arms
- Ten died in the fighting that ensued
5
Q
‘Up to the mountains and down to the villages’ campaign
A
- Rustication campaign
- Compulsory movement of 5 million young people from cities to countryside between 1968-1970
- Eased urban unemployment
- Dispersed former Red Guards
- Introduced to realties of manual labour
- Many hated it and became disillusioned with Mao
6
Q
Why was Zhou so valuable to Mao?
A
- Uncovered alleged assassination plot
- Foiled Lin’s escape by closing airports
- Was to Zhou that Lin’s daughter leaves the news
7
Q
What was Zhou’s call for the Four Modernisations?
A
- Establish closer links with West to aquire more technological expertise
- Zhou facilitated Nixon’s visit in 1972
- Common enmity with Russia convinced USA to treat China as equal
8
Q
What were the Four Modernisations?
A
- Agriculture
- Industry
- Defence
- Education
9
Q
How did Mao decide to present Lin’s treachery?
A
- Condemned as traitor on far left (conduct as PLA commander appeared to indicate)?
- Or far right (where his plotting seemed to put him)?
- Mao decided he had been a rightist pretending to be on the far left
10
Q
Deng Xiaoping’s return to power
A
- Zhou managed to get Deng back in 1973
- Was a pragmatist and someone who could get things done so Zhou persuaded Mao to bring him back to gov
- Deng led China’s delegation to UN, admitted to in 1971
- 1973 appointed vice premier then 1974 regained old post as Party Secretary
- Purged again in 1976
11
Q
Wang Hongwen
A
- Initially Mao wanted Deng to train his new successor Wang Hongwen (member of GO4)
- Work together for a few years, then Wang would be able to go it alone after Mao’s death
- Chose him to succeed at Tenth Party Congress 1973
- Background as worker, peasant and soldier ticked all boxes
12
Q
GO4’s influence
A
- Radical extremists continued to exert influence on direction of events through domination of CCRG
- 1973 anti Confucius campaign to discredit Lin, Zhou and Deng
- Called for boycott of Western technology and renewal of people’s communes
- Initially got Mao’s backing, but they were more concerned with jockeying for position in succession struggle
13
Q
What marginalised GO4?
A
- Army’s dominance
- Fall out from Lin Biao affair (Zhou and Deng restored more moderate policies)
- Mao withdrew backing and expressed support for Zhou instead
14
Q
Zhou’s death
A
- Died from lung cancer 1976
- Memorial service turned into huge demonstration in Tiananmen Square in favour of his moderate policies and attacking GO4
- Politburo blamed Deng and dismissed him (exile)
15
Q
When and how did Mao die?
A
- Sep 1976
- Lung infections made worse by years of smoking affected his heart
- May have had Parkinson’s disease
- From Jan 1976 to his death he was unable to give decisive guidance
