-
Setting the Stage for the Cultural Revolution
Mao and his wife write revolutionary literature and replace people in key government positions with his own trusted friends and allies. -
Unofficial beginning of the cultural revolution
With the May 16 Circular, Mao calls out students to hunt down revisionists, leading to a national student movement. Short Term Effects: students take charge of revolutionary events, rich people have their wealth taken from them
Long Term Effect: Mao's party gains power and legitimacy among the younger generation. In the future, Mao can use this power to order the citizens to do whatever he wants. -
First dazibao
A young teacher at Beijing University writes the first Marxist dazibao which became very popular across the country. -
Red guards form at Beijing University
The first group of red guards formed at Beijing University with the intent of eliminating anti-revolutionary intellectuals and Mao's enemies. -
Mao writes a dazibao
Mao writes a dazibao stating "bombard the headquarters" to purge CCP leaders. -
Sixteen Points Directive
Through an official statement from the Chinese government supporting Mao, the Cultural Revolution officially starts. -
First Red Guard Rally In Beiijng
Mao greets the Red Guards at Tiananmen Square and encourages them to destroy the "Four Olds". -
Chaos Escalates
The Red Guards have vigorously accepted their new role as Mao's greatest weapon and ransacked anything related to the "Four Olds" or the "Seven Kinds of Black". Factions of students also began to struggle against each other, adding to the chaos. -
Campaign to promote Mao's cult of personality
Mao's pictures and ideologies are placed everywhere. People are required to carry Mao's Little Red Book with them everywhere they go to prove their loyalty. -
Red Guards Dismantled
The movement had become one of the most devastating to the country and to quell the descent into anarchy, Mao orders the Red Guards to be dismantled. -
"Down to the countryside" movement
Mao sends former Red Guards out to the countryside for them to be reeducated by peasants. Red Guards who are not sent to the countryside join the military, therefore foregoing much of their education and eliminating the threat of Chinese youth organizing against the CCP. Short Term Effects: Students are sent to the countryside to work so they cannot cause trouble in the cities.
Long Term Effects: These students have limited education so they cannot form revolutionary ideals against the CCP. -
Ninth Congress of the CCP
The Ninth Congress of the CCP declares the end of the Cultural Revolution with the new phase of the movement emphasizing the rebuilding of the party. -
The Lin Biao Affair
There are growing tensions between Lin Biao and Mao. Mao becomes suspicious of Lin's agenda. Mao destroys Lin's reputation and while Lin is on a plane flying to the Soviet Union, the plane mysteriously crashes. The public is only told of this a year later and they feel betrayed. Short Term Effects: Lin Biao is killed and Mao does not need to fear Lin's suspicious agenda.
Long Term Effects: The public feels betrayed and is more skeptical of the government which can lead to protests later on. -
Criticize Lin Biao, Criticize Confucius Campaign
A campaign to blame Lin for all the mistakes of the revolution started, however, since Chinese people have seen many similar campaigns, the campaign ultimately failed. -
Tiananmen Incident
A memorial for Zhou Enlai's death was held in Tiananmen Square which escalates into a criticism of Jiang Qing and her allies. When Jiang Qing and her allies attempt to remove the memorials, a riot ensues. -
Events leading to the end of the Cultural Revolution
With Mao's death and Jiang Qing's arrest by the new leader of the CCP, Hua Guofeng, the Cultural Revolution comes to an end. -
Thesis Statement
The Cultural Revolution placed the CCP and its leaders in indisputable power over the country and created a generation of adults who were unable to form revolutionary ideals against the regime, however, due to the harsh and questionable acts of the government, people have also begun to doubt whether the reforms of the Cultural Revolution were really beneficial.