THE AFTERMATH OF THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION WHAT WAS MAO’S MOTIVATION FOR STARTING THE GPCR? During its course, Mao seldom spoke in public; shortly before his death he said he had achieved two great victories. The first was defeating the Japanese and Jiang Jieshi and the second was the introduction of the Cultural Revolution, which according to Mao was unfinished. Opinions naturally differ, but one is Mao wanted to re-establish his position as leader of China after the disastrous GLF. Lin Biao started to believe that Mao was becoming disenchanted with him and that was because of the influence that Lin acquired during the Cultural Revolution. Lin and some members of the army hatched a plot to assassinate Mao and take over the government.

Mao was alerted of the coup d’etat, Lin fled for his life, apparentely to the Soviet Union, his plane crashed in September 1971, killing everyone on board. Lin was now identified as a traitor and people started to lose faith in the CPC. Lin’s downfall caused the rehabilitation of Deng Xiaoping, who was sent to work at Jiangxi Province, but he was never treated as harshly as Peng Dehuai or Liu Shaoqi. In 1973, Mao recalled Deng, which caused a split between Mao and Jiang Qing. Mao wrote a letter to Jiang in 1974: “it would be better for us not to see each other. For years I have advised you about many things, but you have ignored most of it. So what use is for us to see each other?” (see page 179 interesting facts)

THE DEATH OF MAO ZEDONG The Chinese believe that, historically, natural disasters signify the end of a dynasty and 1976 proved to be a significant date for the PRC. Zhou Enlai (one of China’s most respected leaders) died in January, Zhu De (the builder of the Red Army) died in July. On July, 28th one of the worst earthquakes in China wiped off the city of Tangshan. Mao died on September, 9th after a lengthy illness.

MAO ZEDONG AND FOREIGN POLICIES SINO-SOVIET RELATIONS One goal was very clear, and that was to make the PRC a powerful independent state throughout the world. He insisted that the PRC would be capable of standing on its feet economically. The natural ally was the Soviet Union, despite of the frosty relation between Stalin and Mao there were times of cooperation. The USSR supported China with a loan of $300 million which allowed the country to start economically. This debt was entirely paid and Mao kept the country free of foreign debts. After Stalin’s death, relationships improved as Khrushchev was more willing to supply aid and technicians, but this rapidly changed after Khrushchev’s speech of destalinization in 1956 and his policy of “peaceful coexistence” with the West.

Externally there were differences with Tibet, Laos, India and Indonesia, with Khrushchev supporting the latter two countries diplomatically and financially. Disagreement between these two leaders over policies over Albania and Yugoslavia led to the withdrawal of all Soviet experts and advisors from the PRC in mid 1960. The relationship finally reached its lowest point in 1969, when there was a fighting along the Sino-Soviet border. When both countries realized this might escalate into a nuclear conflict, negotiations started. One of the consequences of this dispute was the easing of tensions between the PRC and the USA. Mao gradually started to embrace the USA in the early 1970s.

SINO-AMERICAN RELATIONS The whole world was amazed when Mao decided to invite Nixon to visit him in 1972.

Part of the reason of Nixon’s visit was China’s determination to create a Sino-American relationship that would undermine the Soviet Union’s position as a world power. Another key factor was the USA’s decision to allow the PRC to replace Taiwan in the UN Security Council, this change had been long in coming, as the PRC had great support from the non-aligned nations. The majority had already voted for the transfer of the Security Council seat to the PRC. The recognition of the PRC was the intention of isolating the Soviet Union. Now, that Mao had veto power meant the PRC could block soviet-initiated resolutions. It also relaxed tensions with Japan, which ended with the signing of a friendship and trading treatment in 1978.

The PRC began to be recognized as an important member of the global marketplace. THE PRC AND OTHER NATIONS India recognized the PRC in 1950. They had an agreement over Tibet, starting the 5 Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Border disputes led to a short war in 1962 and the relationship gradually worsened as the PRC supported Pakistan in the 1965 war. In 1976 India and China stabilized relationships. China’s relation with Taiwan have always been controversial, neither of them have wanted to recognize the other as a legitimate government. Mao made continual efforts to regain Taiwan for the Chinese mainland, but he eventually recognized not to have the military strength.

- One fact is certain: the PRC was never consistent in its relationships with other powers, but its policies maintained China’s independence as a nation.