Who Was Chairman Mao Zedong

Who Was Chairman Mao Zedong
Who Was Chairman Mao Zedong

Cover photo credit: Bangkokhappiness / Shutterstock.com

10 Facts You Should Know About Chairman Mao’s Genocidal Rule

Soldier, activist and a crucial player in the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, Mao Zedong had and has quite the reputation in China, as well as around the world. However, in the past 25 years, this reputation has been undermined due to the extreme number of deaths he is thought to be responsible for. During his life, Mao Zedong was widely respected for the way his policies improved the well-being and welfare of the Chinese people. In fact, he was instrumental in slashing

the level of hunger and poverty in China, increasing peasant’s average lifespan, and he even developed a plan for free health care and education.

The majority of attempts made to undermine the reputation Mao had earned center around the time of the Great Leap Forward, which began in 1958. During this period, Mao is blamed for a great famine that killed thousands. According to official Chinese records, it is estimated that 16.5 million people (or more) died during the period of the Great Leap Forward. This fact alone has led many to believe that the policies and practices of Mao were doomed from the beginning.

The impact of the changes made by Mao were not what he expected in many ways. Here you can learn about Mao’s history, bizarre facts about the time he spent as the dictator, the impact he had, and other bits of fascinating information that may better explain the mass fatalities that occurred during his time as the dictator of China.

10Mao Comes from Humble Beginnings

Mao had humble beginnings

9Mao was an Accomplished Poet and Writer

Mao knew his way around a quill and ink.

8Reforms from Mao were Liberal in the Beginning

Mao was into constructive criticism. Hard to believe.

7Mao’s Family Life was Wrought with Tragedy

Mao’s son was killed in the Korean War

6Mao’s Private Physician Recorded his Sexual Discrepancies

If the ballroom’s a rockin don’t come a knockin.’

5He Started the “Rounding Up Enemies” Practices

Mao put his enemies in dunce caps and much, much worse.

4Mangoes were Idolized Because of Mao

Mao and I agree: Mangoes are the bomb!

3The Innovation of the Typewriter

Mao fostered innovation?

2Rat Tails

During Mao’s reign: No year of the rat.

1The Real Atom Bomb and Tunic Suits

Mao’s little red book. Chock full of crazy.
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Jennie is a writer and aspiring journalist with a degree in English and a chip on her shoulder. When not writing she enjoys HITs (high intensity training), a nice Rose, and her guilty pleasure the RHA (real housewives of Hot-Lanta). List Land gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post. List Land also generates revenue through sponsored or paid posts. Thanks for reading, please support our sponsors.