The Red Terror

Question 1

What were the Four Olds? Give some examples of attacks the Red Guards made on them.

Answer 1

• Old culture, ideas, customs and habits.
• Destruction of cultural landmarks such as Confucius’ Temple
• Deface Hai Rui’s burial site.
• Destroying Qing archway

Question 2

What types of people did the Red Guards attack?

Answer 2

• Intellectuals associated with liberal thoughts
• Party members
• Former business men
• Landlords

Question 3

What types of torture and humiliation was used by the Red Guards?

Answer 3

• Struggle meetings
• ‘Airplane’ position was a type of torture used
• Prison camps for ‘re-education’
• Kidnapping
• Some Red Guards would also kill opponents

Question 4

What happened to the Confucius Temple in Shandong, Hai Rui’s burial site and a Qing era archway?

Answer 4

• The resting place of Confucius was attacked by 200 teachers and students.
• The ancient burial site of Hai Rui, subject of the play by Wu Han, was defaced
• The Qing archway was destroyed.

Question 5

Give some examples of attacks on Buddhism in Tibet.

Answer 5

Red Guards of the working class & non-working / middle class. Red guards of a non-working class background argued the original red guards were abusing their position, becoming exactly what Mao did not want: a new privileged class
Mao found it difficult to control the anarchy. But ultimately felt no strong reasons to end the feud of the different red guards.

Question 6

Why did fights break out between the different factions of Red Guards in the autumn of 1966? How did Mao respond to this first wave of anarchy?

Answer 6

In early 1967, red guard groups, made up of unprivileged workers, set up their own community in Shanghai, destroyed the party establishment and created their own form of control modelled on the Paris Commune of 1871 when the city’s labourers had seized control and created a new social order with democratic elections
Mao demanded the closure of the communes in order to keep power as there needs to be a party

Question 7

What was the January Storm (1967)? Why did Mao demand that the commune in Shanghai be closed down?

Answer 7

Means “flowing” against the correct “tide” of revolutionary upheaval that Mao wanted to encourage. Feb 1967 Zhu De & Chen Yi protested against Mao’s policy of encouraging chaos. He criticised them and dismissed their complaints. Radicals & his own party were confused about Mao’s true motives focusing on his personal rivals (Liu & Deng)

Question 8

What was the February Adverse Current (1967)? Why do you think Mao changed his mind again?

Answer 8

Means “flowing” against the correct “tide” of revolutionary upheaval that Mao wanted to encourage. Feb 1967 Zhu De & Chen Yi protested against Mao’s policy of encouraging chaos. He criticised them and dismissed their complaints. Radicals & his own party were confused about Mao’s true motives focusing on his personal rivals (Liu & Deng)

Question 9

What happened in Wuhan in the summer of 1967?

Answer 9

The PLA sided with the local party organisation, defending it from local Red Guards. In the spring the PLA had arrested 500 leaders of radical Red Guards and worker groups for attacking the Party. This led to 1000 dead public protesters and hunger strikes

Question 10

Why were Revolutionary Committees created in September 1967? What was their role?

Answer 10

Based on a “three-way alliance”, these merged the role of the Party, state and army. Party remained dominant. Run by smaller “standing committees” and radicals only had token representation on these. Mao introduced them because he was concerned not to let the anarchy lead to a challenge to the legitimacy of the Party itself.