Red Guard chant used during the Cultural Revolution: “Fish cannot live without water and without Mao Zedong’s thought how can people make a revolution?” Thesis: The Cultural Revolution of Mao and Madame Mao destroyed aspects of the rich culture and history of China because it led to the closing of schools, destruction of historical sites and works, and the complete brain-washing of the younger generations. A 16 year old girl's view on the Cultural Revolution: “In the cultural revolution they [Communists] locked her [a teahcer] up for a year and a half because her father was a well-known scholar whom they said was a ‘capitalist’. Some red guards in her school made her kneel on broken glass in front of all the students.”

Thesis Rationale Thesis: The Cultural Revolution of Mao and Madame Mao destroyed aspects of the rich culture and history of China because it led to the closing of schools, destruction of historical sites and works, and the complete brain-washing of the younger generations. During the Cultural Revolution, millions of uneducated youths were sent to rural areas to work in the countryside and learn from the peasants. The Red Guards were shocked at how poor the peasants were and how hard their lives were. Even though the Communist thought they were doing a lot for the peasants, they weren't and Mao knew their was a lot left to do. Starting in 1966, the Red Guard destroyed historical buildings, temples and churches because they were feudal, capitalist, and radical. They ransacked museums and destroyed old books, works of arts, many famous temples, and shrines and heritages (4,922 out of 6,843). Streets signs and buildings were named and renamed to pro-communist titles. Also, people in realms of education, academic, media, literature and punishment were abused and their houses were robbed because they were "capitalist roaders" or "anti-revolutionaries." Brenna Ruhnke, Charlotte Briskin, Ximena Gonzalez, Joey Oldt, Nate Graeff

Thesis Rational Mao and Madam Mao brain-washed people to purge the Chinese Communist party of anyone who did not fully support him. Red guards were also brain-washed into acting enthusiastically toward the Cultural Revolution. Madam Mao brain-washed the communist community by only allowing them to watch movies that she starred in and they had to wear clothes that were made in China and not western countries. Madam Mao created the “Gang of Four,” a radical political alliance. Mao told young people to rebel because he wanted to be reinstated as president. The young Chinese listened and proceeded to burn down schools and schools had to be closed because articles were being written attacking teachers and principals. This all did great damage to the party, nation and people themselves. The young people killed thousands of people who did not agree with Mao's teachings. In August of 1966, at a meeting of the Plenum of the Central Committee Mao shut down the nation’s schools calling for a massive youth mobilization. The Red Guard units were authorized to set out to destroy the Four Olds. These Four Olds are known as the old ideas, old customs, old culture, and old habits. Brenna Ruhnke, Charlotte Briskin, Ximena Gonzalez, Joey Oldt, Nate Graeff

Key The quote by a 16 year old Chinese girl addresses the threats against teachers that lead to the closing of schools and the destruction of an entire generation’s education. The quote by the 16 year old represents how brutal the Red Guards were. The Red Guards were made up of Chinese students and they traveled throughout China such as going through schools, Universities and institutions spreading teachings of Mao and torturing or killing those who were against communism. Mao thought this could be a way he could be reinstated, so young students went on a rampage against those against communism and targeted teachers and principals in schools. The following picture of a Chinese college student standing in front of a closed college shows how the Red Guard is a huge threat. The college student isn't happy that the college is closed but is being brainwashed into thinking communist thoughts and that is right to join Mao and the Red Army. In 1957-1958 students at the university of Beijing produced half a million wall posters attacking west and intolerance in Chinese society and ran out of wall space to put more posters to use as propaganda. After the Cultural Revolution ended it was known as China's lost generation of youth because they could not teach the cultural revolution to students because the country didn't make good choices and killed millions of their own citizens. Brenna Ruhnke, Charlotte Briskin, Ximena Gonzalez, Joey Oldt, Nate Graeff

Key The propaganda poster of a red guard member holding a hammer represents the destruction of aspects in the Chinese culture. This propaganda poster shows how the Red Guard destroyed many things that had to do with the old Chinese views like the music and ideas, he did this with his giant sledgehammer metaphorically meaning his support of millions. This is known as the destruction of the Four Olds. The Four Olds include old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas. The Red Guard would be the ones destroying many things that had anything to do with the Four Olds because those ideas did not go with what Mao wanted for China. The Red Guard also attempted to wipe out Confucian thought because it was part of the old culture of China. The picture in the right corner and the picture on the bottom of the slide both represent the destruction of historical sites and art that was done by the Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution. The pictures on the right hand side of the slide show how the destruction of historical statues took place and the Red Guard did not care if it was public or private property. Since these historical works of art did not portray what the Red Guard and Mao wanted them to portray, the art pieces would be destroyed so no one could see them. Mao took over the minds of young people and told them that many aspects of the old Chinese culture would weaken society. The Red Guard was in charge of all of the destruction that was needed by Mao. Brenna Ruhnke, Charlotte Briskin, Ximena Gonzalez, Joey Oldt, Nate Graeff

Key The following Red Guard chant addresses the Brainwashing that destroyed Chinas’ rich culture and history. This chant, yelled over and over again by the Chinese people brainwashed them into thinking that without Mao Zedong, the revolution, along with themselves would die. The chant equates the Chinese people and their revolution to fish and Mao Zedong to water. The fish need water or else they will die. Mao brainwashed the Chinese citizens by enforcing himself as a lifeblood in which they could not survive without. This thought imposed on the Chinese people forced them to feel as though they needed Mao. The following Time magazine cover shows the brainwashing that occurred during the Cultural Revolution and hurt China's culture and long history. The Time magazine cover shows a sea of Red Guard members. Mao used the propaganda technique of bandwagoning to influence the youths to join the Red Guard. The bandwagon technique worked in the Cultural Revolution because it made those who didn’t feel strongly about communism think that they were wrong because it appeared as everyone else did. This fear that they would be ganged up on brainwashed the youth to join the sea of red. Mao targeted youths to revolt and destroy the adults who revolted and destroyed him. Mao brainwashed the youth into join the Red Guard, take his little red book and help him destroy the rich culture and deep history of China. Brenna Ruhnke, Charlotte Briskin, Ximena Gonzalez, Joey Oldt, Nate Graeff