How Was The Cultural Revolution Used To Attack Mao's Political And Class Enemies? Flashcards
Who was attacked/ purged?
Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping
Lin Biao
CCP Membership
‘Capitalist roaders’ and foreigners living in China
Why did Mao want to remove Liu and Deng from post and why couldn’t he do it directly?
They continued to advocate pragmatic policies. Both popular in Politburo and when he entrusted Liu and Deng to oversee ending of rural crisis, ceded some of his grip of power onto them.
How come Mao was able to instigate the attack on Wu Han to see if Liu and Deng’s power could be shaken?
By the end of 1965, Mao had the support he needed (e.g. Chen Boda, Lin Biao, PLA, Jiang Qing and the Shanghai radicals)
What did Chen Boda have control of?
Propaganda
When were they both formally dismissed from their positions within govt and Party?
October 1966, following a Red Guard demonstration targeted specifically at them (wall posters appeared, naming and denouncing them for betraying revolution)
What happened to Liu and his wife?
They were dragged from their house and beaten by a jeering mob.
What happened to Liu?
Forced to undergo a series of struggle sessions, before being imprisoned in conditions deliberately intended to break his already fragile health (he had diabetes). When he contracted pneumonia, refused permission to go to hospital.
When did Liu die?
November 1969
What happened to Wang Guangmei, Liu’s wife?
Subjected to a humiliating interrogation before being paraded before a large crowd wearing a necklace of table tennis balls and a revealing skirt (which she was accused of having worn on a recent trip to Indonesia to seduce President).
Why didn’t Weng die when she was sentenced to death?
Mao intervened to save her
What happened to Deng?
Less harshly treated- subjected to public humiliation before being sent to perform corrective labour. Survived and rehabilitated into Party.
When was Deng rehabilitated into Party?
1973- due to links with Zhou
Why was Deng’s son permanently paralysed?
The Red Guards threw him from an upstairs window
When did Lin Biao fall?
1971
Why was Lin removed?
Became too popular
What did Mao worry about Lin?
That he would combine his military (commander-in-chief) and political support to become a Chinese Bonaparte
How did Mao begin his attack on Lin?
Indirectly, by undermining the position of some of his allies e.g. Chen Boda who had to make self-criticisms
How did Mao gradually continue his attack against Lin?
Packing the Military Affairs Commission with his supporters, and then reorganising the Beijing military region do that Lin’s allies were posted elsewhere.
What was the official version events of what happened to Lin and his son?
They were planning to assassinate Mao and then seize power in a military coup
What happened to Lin and son?
When they attempted to flee and take refuge in Russia, plain crashed in the desert in Mongolia, killing all on board