Father of Chinese Communism: Chairman Mao Zedong {Part 4: Power is Unleashed}

I present to you a continuation on the biography series of the Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong in this post. To read the previous post click here.

The Japanese occupation in China lasted for many years. By 1945, the siege on china had lasted for eight years and left many Chinese homeless. The bulk of the Chinese Peasants had to live in abject poverty conditions. These conditions provided the right atmosphere for a revolution as China was at its knees that particular time. Mao seized the opportunity as the right time to make his well calculated move for power. He unleashed his loyalists from the mountains of Yan’an in their millions with weapons provided by communist ally Stalin to fight against his enemies.

Mao's Loyalist on the Frontline

Nationalist Party Leader: General Chiang Kai-shek

In 1949, the Nationalists had lost the will to fight on, and majority of the populace had turned their backs on them. The Nationalist Leader Chiang Kai-shek resigned and a few days later in Beijing, on October 1st 1949 Mao announced that he was to be the Supreme Leader of China which had an estimated population of about 600 million citizens at that time. His new nation was birthed on 27 years of culminated terror, manipulation and torture. Momentarily, the people praised and hailed him as a hero. He had overcome the Japanese, landowners and the Nationalists by taking charge of a peasant revolution. Little did the Chinese know that their darkest days under his reign were only lurking in the shadows, soon to reveal horrors you can’t happen to fathom.

Chairman Mao on October 1st 1949

People March in Celebration of Mao's Ascension to Power

The Chinese people dance in honor of Mao's Ascension to position of Supreme Leader

After a year under Mao’s Communist Regime in the year 1950, China was still very poor. They were trying to recover from 30 years of civil war and a revolution. Mao had plans to massively industrialize the nation and transform China into one of the world’s economic super powers. At the same time, Mao wanted this process effected almost overnight with no regards for the human cost. The scheme was called “The Great Leap Forward”. It involved a grand plan which saw that China must have transformed and become a communist utopia in 15 years. He bought ready-made factories from his Russian allies and paid in grain cultivated by the Peasants of China. Mao believed his plan would take the country into vast wealth and global domination but then, everyone had to fully comply with his instructions to make his plan work out.

China embraces Industrialization on a large scale

Mao’s first move economically was to outlaw private enterprise in the country side and ensure that every scrap of grain cultivated belonged to the government. Landlords existed no more and each grain was moved straight from the field right into the state granary. All land was claimed and seized while everyone was made to live on big Farming estates. Almost everything in the country was to be collectivized. He eventually went ahead to set high and unachievable production targets for these farms. It was made clear to the peasants that if they didn’t meet up with a set target, they wouldn’t get food rations. This made those who could not work such as the elderly, pregnant women and children to starve to death in their millions, by literarily cutting them off the chain of food supply.

Chinese peasants at work on a state owned farm

State owned houses given out to the Chinese Peasants

Hungry Chinese Children cut from the chain of Food supply

Soon enough the situation of things began to spiral out of control. A starved nation meant a weak nation with a population that could not achieve much with empty bellies. It was a total disaster for the nation as more and more people in millions starved to death across China. The food production cycle had collapsed.

A weak looking Chinese community

The biography series will be continued in the next post. Kindly drop your comments and suggestions as we continue to hope and pray for the healing of our dear planet Earth. Thanks

AS COMPOSED BY QUE