The Cultural Revolution
by Charlotte durst
how it began
1. Mao Zedong came to feel that the current party leadership in china was moving to far in revisionist direction.
2. Mao believed that the current communist leaders were taking the party and china its self in the wrong direction.
3. Mao gathered a group of radicals including his wife and defense minister to help attack current party leadership and reassert his authority.
4. Mao feared that others in the party might be taking on a leading role that weekend his power within the party and the country.
5. it was an attempt by Mao to reimpose his authority on the party and the country.
who were the red guards ?
- they attacked and harassed members of the elderly.
- groups of youths who had banded them selves together.
- groups of red guards fought red guards as each unit believed that it knew best how china should proceed.
- in some areas the activities got out of hand.
- red guards fought against the democratic society.
how it affected the population
- 1.5 million people were killed during the cultural revolution.
- millions of others suffered torture or general humiliation.
- people were leaving because they thought a war was coming.
- four million high school and collage graduates and 16 million students were sent to the farm land.
- for those who sated in school until graduation were sent the country side.
how it could happen today
how it could happen today is when someone wants more power than others and gathers a group of people to attack the current party leadership and starts a revolution to reimpose their authority on the party.