Post by asami on Jul 30, 2017 2:50:10 GMT
THE EAST IS RED
A History of the People's Republic of China And The World
(Otherwise known as Qilai, Qilai Redux)
By Asami
Mao Tse-tung (Communist Party)
(1949 - 1953)
"The Helmsman"
A History of the People's Republic of China And The World
(Otherwise known as Qilai, Qilai Redux)
By Asami
Mao Tse-tung (Communist Party)
(1949 - 1953)
"The Helmsman"
October 1, 1949 inaugurated a new era in Chinese history. The Communist Party of China had finally achieved victory in the civil war against the Kuomintang Nationalists that had lasted for over twenty years. Though many had counted the Communists out of the running for dominating China before the Japanese invasion of 1937, after the fact, the Chinese Soviet Republic had held all the cards, as the Soviet Union had handed over their occupational zone in Manchuria to Mao Tse-tung and his armies of Communists.
Between 1945 and 1949, the Kuomintang's support on the mainland collapsed after a number of mismanagements by Chiang Kai-shek, and finally, the Communists were able to overwhelm and defeat the Kuomintang at their own game.
Mao Tse-tung became the first leader of modern China, proclaiming the establishment of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国 / Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó); and through this, began to pilot the future of China through his newly established Stalinist policies.
Relations between the newly established People's Republic of China and their former benefactors, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, faced some difficulty in 1949 after the establishment of new leadership under General Georgy Zhukov, after the sudden death of Joseph Stalin in September 1949.
Zhukov's leadership was unusual for Russia, which did not have a history of military-lead governments, but after accusations of treason circulated around Lavrentiy Beria, and the side-lining of men such as Molotov and Mikoyan, Zhukov's government stabilized, and his power remained unchallenged by the dawn of 1950.
Relations between China and the Soviet Union soon began to spoil as Zhukov piloted a process of “de-Stalinization” after a 'secret speech' to the Supreme Soviet given in late February 1950. Zhukov was not adverse to Stalin’s policies of purging, however. After conducting a purge of power-rival Beria and the “unruly NKVD” shortly after taking power, as well as purging the major Stalinist influences in the Soviet sphere of influence and reconciling with Josip Broz Tito; Zhukov turned his attentions to Asia.
In April 1950, Kim Il-sung, leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was ousted by the anti-Stalinist influence of the Soviet Union; and a much more “moderate” communist figure was placed into power under Soviet suzerainty. This had been done because of Kim’s fervent desire to get into a protracted war with the Capitalist West to reunite the Korean Peninsula. This new moderate Soviet-backed government eased off tensions and instead made overtures to reach to the South and establish a consistent, peaceful border. Kim Il-sung's execution was well-publicized in the North Korean press as an exposure of "high level treason against the revolution". Kim's son, Kim Jong-il, was placed into a state orphanage, where he would stay until he reached adulthood in the 1960s.
The coup in North Korea was followed in suit by a coup in South Korea in August 1951. Funded by the United States of America, and supported by military elite and the urbane moderates, President Syngman Rhee was deposed from his position as President of the Republic of Korea, in favor of General Park Chung-hee, a man whom had previously been accused of communist sympathies and anti-constitutional behaviour in 1948. With President Rhee's popularity at an all-time low due to his tyrannical grip-hold on power, and no war to unify the nation behind him, Rhee was quickly swept from power, and placed under house arrest. Park was sworn in as President shortly afterwards, a role he would hold the rest of his natural life.
This new Soviet satellite state in North Korea, as well as the loss of Chinese geopolitical power through the negotiations of a plan to invade South Korea significantly damaged Mao's standing internally, and externally; as he looked to find a means to expanding his power base against growing moderate influence in his own party and state. In mid-1950, Mao began to pilot a policy of collectivizing land under a government monopoly on agriculture in order to fund industrialization. This policy proved significantly unpopular with the many Chinese peasants who wanted to keep their land and continue their policies.
The presumed "Father of Modern China" soon faced mounting opposition within his own party as he had little victories to show after the one in 1949; the Nationalists had safely evacuated to Taiwan, the People's Republic remained the unrecognized shadow China, and China had no allies at all, as Soviet aid slowed to a trickle, and the prosperity dried up.
Mao, desperate to find an outlet for his own, began to increase the amount of aid going into Indochina to fund communist partisans there; however; after three years of unsuccessful actions in Indochina, poor payment of the People's Liberation Army, and the discontent peasantry, Mao had run out of time and out of support from the party cadres. An abortive attempt by him to coordinate a purge of those who opposed his policies was the final step over the line for the cadres, who quickly encircled Mao politically, and then attacked. The leader of the counter-purge, Deng Xiaoping, offered to Mao a rather poor set of choices; Mao opted for his offer of a "way out" out of respect, and to be remembered as China's greatest elder statesman in generations.
So, after a brief four years as the leader of China, Mao was unceremoniously "retired" by the Politburo, and thanked for his "years of service to China", and that his "victories in the Long March, the Revolution, and the victories of the Civil War would never be forgotten." Mao's political career had ended quickly, and China moved on to a new leader.
Modern China recognizes Mao Tse-tung's victories as key to the growth of the state, but very few, if any Chinese, talk about his time as an actual administrator of China.
Between 1945 and 1949, the Kuomintang's support on the mainland collapsed after a number of mismanagements by Chiang Kai-shek, and finally, the Communists were able to overwhelm and defeat the Kuomintang at their own game.
Mao Tse-tung became the first leader of modern China, proclaiming the establishment of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国 / Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó); and through this, began to pilot the future of China through his newly established Stalinist policies.
Relations between the newly established People's Republic of China and their former benefactors, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, faced some difficulty in 1949 after the establishment of new leadership under General Georgy Zhukov, after the sudden death of Joseph Stalin in September 1949.
Zhukov's leadership was unusual for Russia, which did not have a history of military-lead governments, but after accusations of treason circulated around Lavrentiy Beria, and the side-lining of men such as Molotov and Mikoyan, Zhukov's government stabilized, and his power remained unchallenged by the dawn of 1950.
Relations between China and the Soviet Union soon began to spoil as Zhukov piloted a process of “de-Stalinization” after a 'secret speech' to the Supreme Soviet given in late February 1950. Zhukov was not adverse to Stalin’s policies of purging, however. After conducting a purge of power-rival Beria and the “unruly NKVD” shortly after taking power, as well as purging the major Stalinist influences in the Soviet sphere of influence and reconciling with Josip Broz Tito; Zhukov turned his attentions to Asia.
In April 1950, Kim Il-sung, leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was ousted by the anti-Stalinist influence of the Soviet Union; and a much more “moderate” communist figure was placed into power under Soviet suzerainty. This had been done because of Kim’s fervent desire to get into a protracted war with the Capitalist West to reunite the Korean Peninsula. This new moderate Soviet-backed government eased off tensions and instead made overtures to reach to the South and establish a consistent, peaceful border. Kim Il-sung's execution was well-publicized in the North Korean press as an exposure of "high level treason against the revolution". Kim's son, Kim Jong-il, was placed into a state orphanage, where he would stay until he reached adulthood in the 1960s.
The coup in North Korea was followed in suit by a coup in South Korea in August 1951. Funded by the United States of America, and supported by military elite and the urbane moderates, President Syngman Rhee was deposed from his position as President of the Republic of Korea, in favor of General Park Chung-hee, a man whom had previously been accused of communist sympathies and anti-constitutional behaviour in 1948. With President Rhee's popularity at an all-time low due to his tyrannical grip-hold on power, and no war to unify the nation behind him, Rhee was quickly swept from power, and placed under house arrest. Park was sworn in as President shortly afterwards, a role he would hold the rest of his natural life.
This new Soviet satellite state in North Korea, as well as the loss of Chinese geopolitical power through the negotiations of a plan to invade South Korea significantly damaged Mao's standing internally, and externally; as he looked to find a means to expanding his power base against growing moderate influence in his own party and state. In mid-1950, Mao began to pilot a policy of collectivizing land under a government monopoly on agriculture in order to fund industrialization. This policy proved significantly unpopular with the many Chinese peasants who wanted to keep their land and continue their policies.
The presumed "Father of Modern China" soon faced mounting opposition within his own party as he had little victories to show after the one in 1949; the Nationalists had safely evacuated to Taiwan, the People's Republic remained the unrecognized shadow China, and China had no allies at all, as Soviet aid slowed to a trickle, and the prosperity dried up.
Mao, desperate to find an outlet for his own, began to increase the amount of aid going into Indochina to fund communist partisans there; however; after three years of unsuccessful actions in Indochina, poor payment of the People's Liberation Army, and the discontent peasantry, Mao had run out of time and out of support from the party cadres. An abortive attempt by him to coordinate a purge of those who opposed his policies was the final step over the line for the cadres, who quickly encircled Mao politically, and then attacked. The leader of the counter-purge, Deng Xiaoping, offered to Mao a rather poor set of choices; Mao opted for his offer of a "way out" out of respect, and to be remembered as China's greatest elder statesman in generations.
So, after a brief four years as the leader of China, Mao was unceremoniously "retired" by the Politburo, and thanked for his "years of service to China", and that his "victories in the Long March, the Revolution, and the victories of the Civil War would never be forgotten." Mao's political career had ended quickly, and China moved on to a new leader.
Modern China recognizes Mao Tse-tung's victories as key to the growth of the state, but very few, if any Chinese, talk about his time as an actual administrator of China.