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Mao's China A-Level History > Mao's China > Flashcards

Mao's China Flashcards

1
Q

Who was Mao Zedong?

A

Mao Zedong was a Chinese leader who aimed to improve China economically and make it a superpower, but his methods caused immense suffering for the people.

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2
Q

What was the Great Leap Forward?

A

A major campaign led by Mao to transform China into a modern, industrialized communist society through rapid industrialization and agricultural collectivization.

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3
Q

List three problems faced by the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) in the early days.

A
  • No clear political system
  • Lack of reliable civil servants
  • Hyperinflation at 1000%
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4
Q

What was the state of factory output in China in 1949?

A

Factory output was 44% below the level of 1937.

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5
Q

How did the CPC gain control over China?

A
  • Creating a new political system
  • Role of the PLA in dealing with breakaway regions
  • The role of terror in the Great Terror, 1950-51
  • The Laogai System
  • Mass denunciation campaigns: Three Antis, Five Antis
  • The Hundred Flowers Campaign
  • The Korean War
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6
Q

What was the Common Program for China (1949-51)?

A

A temporary constitution that gave enormous power to the CCP and named Mao as the head of state.

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7
Q

What did the 1954 Constitution establish?

A

It established China as a communist nation and created the National People’s Congress as the new legislature.

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8
Q

Fill in the blank: The number of state officials grew from ______ to 8 million in a decade.

A

720,000

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9
Q

What was Operation August Storm?

A

The military operation to impose Communist control over breakaway regions.

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10
Q

Why did the CPC regain power in Guangdong, Xinjiang, and Tibet?

A

They could destroy culture and expand their sphere of influence after regions attempted to resist communism.

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11
Q

How did the Korean War impact the Chinese Communist regime?

A
  • Proved the PLA was a disciplined army
  • Increased national unity through anti-American propaganda
  • Led to significant manpower loss
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12
Q

What was one major economic consequence of the Korean War for China?

A

The war reshaped the economy, with over half of government spending in 1950 allocated to the military.

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13
Q

What was the purpose of the ‘rectification’ campaign launched in 1950-51?

A

To crack down on class enemies, counter-revolutionaries, and spies, resulting in an estimated 28,000 deaths in Guangdong.

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14
Q

True or False: Neighbors were encouraged to inform on one another during the early 1950s.

A

True

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15
Q

What was the role of the Public Security Bureau in urban areas in 1951?

A

Required all city dwellers to register, leading to restrictions on free movement.

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16
Q

What was the impact of the mass denunciation campaigns?

A

They fostered an environment of fear where accusations were enough for punishment.

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17
Q

Fill in the blank: Mao believed that the bureaucratisation of revolution caused it to fail in the ______.

A

USSR

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18
Q

Who held key posts in both the state and army during Mao’s regime?

A

Leading figures like Zhou Enlai and Peng Dehuai.

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19
Q

What was the significance of the Youth League and Women’s Federation in Mao’s China?

A

Encouraged mass participation in Party groups and helped ordinary people identify with the Party’s causes.

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20
Q

What was the Danwei system?

A

A work unit led by a party cadre that issued permits for travel, marriage, and job changes.

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21
Q

What percentage of businessmen in Shanghai were held guilty of at least one of the ‘five poisons’?

A

99 percent

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22
Q

What action did former KMT members take to save themselves under the new regime?

A

Recanting and writing memoirs denouncing Nationalist rule

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23
Q

What did the Regulations governing the Urban Population require in July 1951?

A

All city dwellers register with branches of the Public Security Bureau

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24
Q

What happened to the property of those found guilty after struggle meetings?

A

Confiscated and distributed to the poor

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25
What was the fate of nearly all foreigners in China during this period?
Told to leave or detained as US agents before deportation
26
What is the estimated range of people who died in the countryside?
800,000 to 5 million
27
What was the 'Great Terror' and when did it calm down?
A period of bloodthirsty oppression that calmed down in October 1951
28
What was the focus of the 'Three Antis' movement launched at the end of 1951?
Targeting corruption, waste, and delay in the government and party
29
What was the Laogai system presented as?
Places of re-education rather than punishment
30
By 1953, how many prisoners were in the Laogai system?
Two million
31
What significant economic contributions did the Laogai camps make by 1955?
700 million Yuan in industrial products and 350,000 tonnes of grain
32
What was the focus of the Three-Antis campaign in 1951?
Waste, corruption, and inefficiency within the Party
33
What was Mao's intention behind the Hundred Flowers Campaign?
To encourage non-communists to speak out and criticize the regime
34
What was the main reason Mao set a trap during the Hundred Flowers Campaign?
To have an excuse to purge his enemies
35
How did historians interpret Mao's change in speech regarding the Hundred Flowers Campaign?
As a realization of a mistake rather than a clever plan
36
What was a genuine aspect of the Hundred Flowers Campaign?
Mao wanted to open a discussion about the way forward for China
37
What was the result of the Anti-Rightist campaign?
400,000-700,000 people sent to re-education through labour camps
38
What was the annual growth rate of the Chinese economy during the 1st Five-Year Plan?
9%
39
What was the focus of the 1st Five-Year Plan?
Valuing experts and technical knowledge
40
What characterized the 2nd Five-Year Plan?
40% fall in industrial production
41
What was the initial phase of agricultural policy in 1950?
Redistribution of land from landlords to peasants
42
What did the Mutual Aid Teams (MAT) allow peasants to do?
Pool labour, animals, and equipment while keeping ownership
43
What was the purpose of Agricultural Producers Co-operatives (APCs) formed in 1952?
Encouraged pooling of larger-scale collective farms
44
What was the situation by 1956 regarding APCs?
97% of farms collectivised
45
What was the People's Communes' role starting in 1958?
Merging of collectives into larger units for agriculture
46
What was the ideological success of collectivisation for Mao?
State ownership of the means of production
47
What was the turning point in the famine marked by the emergency directive in 1960?
Restoration of private farming and local markets
48
What did the first People's Commune, known as the Sputnik, establish?
Merged 27 collectives and controlled over 9,000 households
49
How did communes affect individual lifestyle and responsibilities?
Promoted communal living and regimented lifestyles
50
What was the impact of the Great Leap Forward on the agricultural structure?
Merging of 750,000 collectives into 26,000 communes
51
What did Mao liken the forced movement of the population to the countryside to?
Deporting the population of a country the size of Belgium
52
What projects were commune managers able to deploy people in after freeing them from domestic responsibilities?
Civil engineering projects, usually water conservancy and irrigation schemes, or building new roads and bridges
53
In December 1958, what did Mao announce regarding the commune system?
The commune system was successfully in place and the countryside had been collectivised into about 26,000 communes
54
What was the revised official grain harvest figure announced by the Party in 1958?
375 million tonnes
55
What is now known to be the real grain harvest figure for 1958?
Closer to 200 million tonnes
56
By what year did the yield of the Chinese grain harvest return to its level of 1957?
1965
57
What was a major economic failure during the Great Leap Forward?
Many rushed to create APCs without proper planning, leading to debt
58
What was the annual increase in food production during the First Five-Year Plan?
3.8 percent per annum
59
What basic problem did China face regarding cultivated land?
The amount of cultivated land per head of the population was very low
60
What was a consequence of the lack of state investment in agriculture?
Demotivation among peasants due to lack of land ownership
61
What ecological problem arose from the pest control measures during the Great Leap Forward?
Insects and small creatures multiplied uncontrollably, destroying plants
62
What was the main reason for the famine during the Great Leap Forward?
Mao was expecting too much from the peasants in multiple sectors
63
What did many communes lack that affected food distribution?
Well-developed transport and communication systems
64
What was the estimated death toll from the famine caused by the Great Leap Forward?
Between 30 million and 50 million
65
Which region was the worst hit by the famine in terms of population percentage lost?
Tibet
66
What percentage of Tibet's population was wiped out due to the famine?
25 percent
67
What social issues arose as a result of the famine?
Prostitution, banditry, and reports of cannibalism
68
What was a common living condition for families during this period?
Families often had to sleep in the same bed
69
What was the rationed monthly allocation of food for families?
Very small quantities of meat, seafood, eggs, oil, soy sauce, sugar, salt, wheat, cornflour, and rice
70
What was the role of Mao’s broadcasts during the Communist rule?
To disseminate revolutionary ideas and maintain control
71
What was the maximum number of points a man could earn in a single day?
Ten points
72
What significant event took place at the Lushan Conference in 1959?
Peng stood up to Mao regarding the Great Leap and the onset of the Great Famine
73
What was the outcome of the 1962 Conference of 7000 Cadres?
It revealed splits in the party regarding the economy and the retreat from the Great Leap Forward
74
Who were the revisionist leaders that emerged after the Great Leap Forward?
Deng Xiaoping, Liu Shaoqi, and Chen Yun
75
What was the focus of the Four Olds campaign during the Cultural Revolution?
To eradicate old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits
76
What was the significance of the Mass Rallies of 1966?
They fueled chaos and encouraged students to attack perceived enemies
77
What was the effect of the Cultural Revolution on Chinese culture?
It caused irreplaceable damage to cultural heritage
78
What did Mao's Little Red Book symbolize?
Devotion to Mao's ideology
79
What was the January Storm?
Intense factional conflicts in Shanghai that led to military intervention
80
What was a major consequence of the Red Guards' radicalization?
Widespread public humiliations, physical abuse, and mass killings
81
What did Mao target Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping for?
Their pragmatic approach to economic policy
82
Fill in the blank: The Little Red Book was a collection of Mao’s _______.
Quotes
83
What historic sites were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution?
An estimated two-thirds of China’s 7,000 historical places of cultural importance ## Footnote This destruction included relics, books, and artifacts.
84
Who were targeted as political enemies by Mao during the Cultural Revolution?
Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping ## Footnote Their pragmatic approach to economic policy clashed with Mao’s vision.
85
What happened to Liu Shaoqi during the Cultural Revolution?
He faced humiliation, brutal struggle sessions, and imprisonment until his death in 1969 ## Footnote Liu was once Mao’s designated successor.
86
What was the fate of Deng Xiaoping during the Cultural Revolution?
He was purged and sent to corrective labor but later survived and was rehabilitated ## Footnote His family faced violence, including his son being permanently paralyzed.
87
What was the extent of the purging of the CCP membership during the Cultural Revolution?
Most of the 23 Politburo members from 1966 were purged or demoted, and over three million Party officials were sent for ideological re-education ## Footnote This included public struggle sessions and brutal treatment.
88
What was the 'January Storm' of 1967?
A period in which radical workers and students overthrew Shanghai’s Party leadership ## Footnote This event escalated tensions within the Party.
89
How did the PLA restore order during the Cultural Revolution?
By cracking down on the Red Guards and establishing revolutionary committees ## Footnote The PLA acted after realizing that Red Guards were destabilizing China.
90
What was the 'Up the Mountains and Down to the Villages' campaign?
A campaign that forced around five million young people to relocate to rural areas ## Footnote Aimed to reduce urban unemployment and instill revolutionary ideals.
91
What were the conditions like for those sent to the countryside during the campaign?
Harsh, with food shortages and primitive living standards ## Footnote Many became disillusioned with Mao after realizing they were used as political tools.
92
What role did Zhou Enlai play during the Cultural Revolution?
He worked to restore stability and protected Deng Xiaoping during the Cultural Revolution ## Footnote Zhou’s loyalty to Mao helped him navigate the political landscape.
93
What were the Four Modernisations?
A vision to advance China’s economy and technology ## Footnote Implemented by Deng Xiaoping with Zhou Enlai's support.
94
What caused the power struggle between moderates and the Gang of Four?
Mao's declining health and public frustration with radicals ## Footnote This culminated in mass protests in Tiananmen Square.
95
What was the outcome of Mao's death in 1976?
The Gang of Four was arrested, ending radical extremism ## Footnote This allowed for a shift towards more moderate leadership.
96
What did the Cultural Revolution provide for women in society?
An opportunity to step forward and participate actively in the revolution ## Footnote Women were notably involved in the destruction of Confucius’s birthplace.
97
Fill in the blank: The Cultural Revolution was described as a feast of _______.
[criticism] ## Footnote It was the first time people could openly speak out against those they loathed.
98
How did Mao's ideology frame the attacks on capitalist roaders and foreigners?
Maoist ideology framed any connection to capitalism as a serious offense ## Footnote This made foreigners easy scapegoats during the Cultural Revolution.
99
True or False: The Cultural Revolution was solely an ideological movement.
False ## Footnote Many students joined for personal gain, not purely ideological reasons.
100
What was a major consequence of the Red Guards' actions during the Cultural Revolution?
Many teachers were killed in brutal ways, reflecting the extreme violence of the time ## Footnote This included horrific methods such as explosives.

Mao's China A-Level History (1 decks)

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