Preceden

Untitled timeline

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March 1957 - Mao announces the “Great Leap Forward”.

1957

More than 20 million people died.
More practical leaders e.g. Vice-Chairman Liu Shaoqi and Premier Zhou Enlai introduced economic reforms based on individual incentives (such as allowing families to farm their own plots of land) in an effort to revive the battered economy.
-These policies were detested by Mao, as they went AGAINST THE PRINCIPLES OF PURE COMMUNISM WHICH HE STRONGLY BELIEVED IN.
-Chinese economy grew strongly from 1962-1965 with the more conservative economic policies in place.

August 22,1966-Notice that anyone who Interferes with..

1966

...the “Red Guard” will be labeled a “Counter Revolutionary.”

(police included)
Notice by Mao.
- Mao had begun to fear that the CCP was becoming too bereaucratic and that Party officials and planners were abandoning their commitment to the values of communism and revolution. (thought he was losing influence)
-Was supposed to be a new revolutionary movement.

August 8, 1966 - Central Committee of the CCP Passes its “16 Points”

1966

defining the Cultural Revolution.

- Was an effort to define the revolution's goals.

August 8, 1966 - Millions of “Red Guard” gather in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

1966

Cultural Revolution

1966 - 1976

May 16, 1966 - The Cultural Revolution begins

1966

Actually called the "Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution", and was a "complex social upheaval that began as a struggle between Mao Zedong and other top party leaders for dominance of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and went on to affect all of China with its call for "continuing revolution". Lasted from 1966 to 1976.

July 22, 1967-The ”Red Guard” replaces the People’s Liberation Army.

1967

(China’s regular army.)

December 1968 - Mao starts the “Down to the Countryside”

1968

Movement to Send “intellectuals” and students to the country to work with the peasants.

September 1971 - Assassination attempts on Mao end in failure.

1971

February 1972 - Mao’s wife, Jiang Qing formed a group Called the “Gang of Four”

1972

(and her supporters)

April 1976 - Protest against the “Gang of Four”...

1976

... (The Tiananmen Incident) in Beijing, and Deng Xioping arrested.

January 8, 1976 - Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai dies

1976

October 1976 - “Gang of Four” arrested.

1976

September 9, 1976 - Mao dies.

1976

The entire country entered an extended period of grief over him but didn't protest as they had after Zhou Enlai's death.

July 1977 - The Cultural Revolution ends.

1977

(Under the guidance of Premier Hua Guofeng and Deng Xiaoping.)