The Purges of the CPC

Question 1

When did Mao begin first purges of leading CPC officials?

Answer 1

1953

Question 2

Who was Gao Gang?

Answer 2

• leading CPC official
• little formal education, practically illiterate
• effective organiser, in charge of planning and economic recovery in manchuria during the civil war
• awarded Manchuria in 1949 after the long march
• holding all four senior posts within government, communist party and the PLA
• large power pase- regarded as one of CPC’s rising stars
• became head of the central planning commission in 1952
• at the forefront of those urging a slavish copying of the soviet union path to growth ans development with an emphasis on heavy industry
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Question 3

Who was involved in the purge of Gao Gang?

Answer 3

gao gang

mao

rao shushi (CPC leader in Shanghai region)

Zhou Enlai

Liu Shaoqi

Deng Xiaoping

Question 4

What hapenned in the purge of Gao Gang

Answer 4

• mao increasingly talking of giving up poisiton as head of state which bored him
• liu Shaoqu was his known successor
• 1952 became head of central planning commission responsible for directing the first five year plan
• in the debate over the pace of economic change gao sided with mao against zhou enlai and liu shaoqi’s cautious approach
• thinking he had the backing of mao
• with the support of rao shushi
• gao attempted to usurp Zhou position and become vice-chairman of the CPC
• Deng Xiaoping and Chen Yun alerted Mao to Gao’s intrigues
• CHen Yun knew from his time in moscow the golden rule was only the boss could plot
• mao allowed things to develop
• then Mao used 1953 meeting of the politburo to accuse Gao and Rao of attempting to build independant kingdoms in their regions and ‘underground activities’
• 1954 Gao commited suicide to escape humiliation and disgrace
• Rao was arrested and died in prison 20 years later

Question 5

When was the purge of Gao Gang?

Answer 5

1954

Question 6

Why was Gao Gang Purged?

Answer 6

warning to others not to take the iniative and try to build too strong a regiona base

not to follow too slavihly the Soviet model

warning to liu shaoqi and zhou enlai of how much they needed mao, and while mao’s position had been further stregthened they had been reminded that they were in fact expendable

limits to the scope of debate within the CPC