The role of the PLA

Question 1

Military before communism

Tradtionally what kind of status did the military have?
How did this image change under Mao?

Answer 1

Traditionally the military had a low social status aside from folklore and legends.

This image changed under Mao and communism, young people aspired to join the PLA. In particular oppressed people including the poor and women

Question 2

Growth of the PLA

Answer 2

• By 1950 the PLA had grown to 5 million acounting for 41% of state budget
• By 1953 it was cut to 3.5 million, howvere still recieved 800,000 voulonteers each year all of whom served for 3 years
• This meant a constant stream of people trained in wafare and indoctrinated in the CP ideology.

Question 3

To be role models

Answer 3

• Learn from the PLA campaign (instructed people to learn from their attributes)
• Exemplified discpline, bravery resourcefullness, incorruptibility and dedication to communist cuase
• The PLA’s loyalty to Mao was so important they recieved legal exemptions. E.g it was difficult for wives to divorce PLA husbands

Question 4

To rebuild China

Answer 4

• An economic role, helping to rebuild infrastructure
• Officers dependants were compelled to work in co-op farms
• work teams of PLA soldiers contributed up to one weeks free labour on irrigatin projects
• eveyr 50 men were commanded to jointly raise a pig
• During the great leap forward the PLA were forced to hunt down the 4 pests (rats, sparrows, flies, mosquitoes) with peasents

Question 5

To be soldiers

Answer 5

• Losses in Korean war convinced Mao and his most succesfull general Peng Denhuia that the PLA had to abandon guerilla warfare and necome a modern fighitng force
• Academies in Bejing and Nanjing trained ideologically committed soldiers schooled in modern combat
• Many were sent for advanced training in the USSR which provided Mig fighter jets