Josh Sagoo is a keen historian who is currently attending secondary school in the United Kingdom. He has a profound interest in history and writes articles on key figures of history and key events that have occurred since the early modern historical period. He specifically has an interest in the history of the Renaissance in Italy during the rule of the House of Medici which saw a rebirth of art, architecture and science along with the presence of some of history's most famous names such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Coupled with this, he also has a fascination for the Cold War and how the heated rivalry between the US and the USSR led the world to the closest it has ever been to Mutually Assured Destruction. This blog is primarily focused on the Renaissance period and 20th century history though it will also include posts on other periods of history that are of interest to Josh. It is also important to note he has no intention at all of infringing upon any author's/blogger's copyright claims and that this blog is simply a site for expressing Josh's interest in the subject of history as well as educating those who read his blog. He purely wishes to share his historical interests with others.
Ronald Wilson Reagan, born February 6th 1911 had a difficult childhood in Illinois being brought up in a family that struggled to secure financial stability. He graduated from Eureka College in 1932 and went on to become a sports commentator. His career kicked off as an actor starring in films such as Brother Rat and Dark Victory. Twice was he elected as President of the Screen Actors Guild where he worked to extinguish communist influences. His political career kicked off in the 60s with him becoming Governor of California in 1966. A Republican, he gained national attention through his “A Time for Choosing” speech and after two unsuccessful runs for the the presidency he became the 40th US President January 20th 1981. He heightened tensions during the Cold War with his reversal of the policy of détente, ordering for an expansion of the U.S. Armed Forces after the Soviet War in Afghanistan. His presidency saw the production of the MX missile and backed by Margaret Thatcher he denounced the Soviet Union in ideological terms. His Reagan Doctrine provided aid to anti-communist resistance movements to suppress communists governments in Africa and the Americas. He had a warm relationship with Gorbachev and together they signed the INF Treaty to kick off the decision of nuclear disarmament. 10 months after Reagan left office the Berlin Wall was destroyed and the Cold War was officially declared over. At the end of his life he contracted pneumonia and having battled with Alzheimer’s for 10 years he died at the age of 93 June 5th, 2004. He now rests in Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.
Shown here is Hungarian leader Matyas Rakosi. Born 9th March 1892 in the village Ada, which was at that time part of the Kingdom of Hungary. The fourth child in a Jewish household in which 7 more would soon proceed him. In his adolescence he disavowed Judaism along with his repudiation of all other religions. In the early years of his adulthood he fought with the Austro-Hungarian Army during the Great War, only to be captured whilst fighting on the Eastern Front. When he returned to Hungary he became a member of the communist party Bela Kun which was a rigid and broke apart leading to his decision to flee to the Soviet Union where he joined the Comintern. He soon rose up the ranks and became leader of this organisation and would then return to Hungary in 1945 to focus his interests of developing the Hungarian Communist Party. After the 1947 elections the Hungarian Communist Party took complete control of Hungary and established it as a one party state with Matyas Rakosi as its leader. Rakosi would go on to create a communist dictatorship fuelled by the ideologies of Joseph Stalin. So there was no surprise when Hungary joined Cominform (established in September 1947). Cominform’s purpose was to co-ordinate the activities of communist parties in the world, not only in Soviet dominated countries. Though Hungary’s economy was sorely crippled under Rakosi’s rule with it not being able to receive Marshall Aid as it was a Soviet satellite state as well as the unpopularity of forced collectivisation. Politically, Ralosi murdered 2,000 opponents as well as imprisoning a further 200,000. As would be expected by a man who repudiates religion, religious education was abolished and Cardinal Mindszsenty, leader of the Hungarian Catholic Church was imprisoned for life in 1949. Rakosi’s government was failing and upon the death of Stalin in 1953, he was replaced by Imre Nagy who would go on to propose his controversial “New Course” ideologies. Matyas Rakosi spent the final years of his life in the Soviet Union and died in Gorky in 1971. His ashes were returned to Hungary for burial in a cemetery in Budapest…only his initials are visible on his gravestone to avoid vandalism.
From the years 1949-1989 problems aroused economically in Mao’s Great Leap Forward, and significantly increased politically in the Cultural Revolution of 1966. Problems were also apparent economically and socially by Deng’s reforms but there was relative stasis in this period in comparison to the former events. Though the Democracy Movement saw a dramatic heightening in political and social problems but a lessening in problems affecting the economy.
To begin with, Mao’s Great Leap Forward created a number of economic problems. The Great Leap Forward was a way of establishing China into an industrial superpower by using the massive man power of the country and saw the introduction of the Backyard Steel Furnace Campaign which was in itself a failure because the steel produced was often of poor quality and as a result of people spending time making steel, crops were neglected which significantly had an impact on the famine which took the lives of 30 million people. Thus this is enough to prove that Mao’s Great Leap Forward which aimed to boost China’s social standing in the world caused significant economic problems because of the lack of planning, coupled with the onset of famine.
The disaster that was the Backyard Steel Furnace campaign
Furthermore, the Cultural Revolution saw Mao create problems in China politically. The Cultural Revolution saw Mao’s Red Guards stirring up trouble in China through the promotion of violence to prevent the spread of Western ideologies and the sickening ideas of the moderates. This was seen when Red Guards would shave the heads of women who wore Western hairstyles and ransack shops selling Western merchandise. As well as this the Red Guards attacked the Communist Party, for instance Liu Shaoqi who was labelled as the number one enemy of communism was expelled from the party. Almost anyone in authority was targeted and it was Mao’s way of re-establishing his grip on China and moving away from the moderate ideologies. Thus there is significant regression in China’s political system because of Mao’s creation of the Red Guards to attack modernisation and to revert back to his own idea of communism which he believed to be pure.
Moreover, although Deng’s reforms did show progression in China’s economy, it did cause economic problems as well. A television set was worth two years worth wages of the average Chinese citizen as well as a bicycle being worth one month’s worth. Modernisation brought western problems such as rising crime rates and even football hooliganism. Unemployment stood at 12% and inequalities in wealth and wages increased the potential for social conflict as was seen in 1985 when bus drivers went on strike, angered by the fact that they were supplied wages that were half those of taxi drivers. Deng’s reforms caused social problems and economic problems due to westernisation but in the grand scheme of things there was stasis in this period in comparison to the heightening of problems caused by Mao.
Deng created problems during the Democracy Movement. The Democracy Movement was set up as a result of Deng’s lack of motive to make changes to the political system in China. The Democracy Wall allowed people to express their anti-party feelings and as well as this the death of Hu Yaobang led to mass sit-ins in Tiananmen Square. Deng was insistent on resisting these students as he felt that this opposition threatened his position in the CCP. Although Deng was an economic reformer, he was a communist hardliner and thus he decided to stir up trouble in Tiananmen Square by using martial law to force the “rebels” out as well as it being a deterrent to all those who intend to challenge the party. Deng thus increased social problems as well as political because of his refusal to modernise the political system which thus ended with the massacre at Tiananmen Square.
Photo detailing the horror of the Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989
In conclusion Mao seems to create economic problems with the Great Leap Forward which are then added to with the social conflict he causes with the creation of the Red Guards in the Cultural Revolution. Deng created problems with his reforms but these were less serious than the problems Mao caused: however Deng created serious problems in China by refusing to modernise the political system which ultimately led to the Democracy Movement and the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989.
From the years 1934-1957, Mao’s establishment of his personal control over the party and country developed from the Long March up until the Hundred Flowers Campaign. His personal control over the country then declined in the years following the Great Leap Forward but then increased upon the Cultural Revolution of 1976.
The Long March of 1934 increased Mao’s control over the CCP. This was significant as it allowed him along with 100,000 troops, to break out of Jiangxi which was now infested by the Guomindang and set up a base at Yanan. During the march, communist ideas were spread in new areas leading to an increase in support for the CCP. As well as this, it allowed Mao to emerge as the true leader of the CCP, dissolving the influence of Soviet Russia. Therefore the Long March showed a development in Mao establishing control in his party with him making it less international and more nationalistic, but showed little change in his control over the country as a whole.
The setting up of a communist base in Yanan from the success of the Long March, ultimately helped the CCP win the Civil War and contributed to a rapid development in his personal control of the country and also in the party leading up to the Hundred Flowers Campaign. The Hundred Flowers Campaign of 1957 initially decreased Mao’s personal control of both the party and the country with him facing heavy criticism from students, university lecturers, writers etc. However, he reasserted his control of the country with the anti-rightist movement by arresting the critics and sending bourgeois revolutionaries to labour camps to be re-educated. The Hundred Flowers Campaign further established Mao’s control of both the country and the party despite the criticism he initially faced.
However, he launched the Great Leap Forward that same year. Mao launched the campaign as a way of making China an industrial superpower. He did this through the setting up of communes, encouraging collectivisation and setting up the Backyard Blast Furnace Campaign. The Great Leap Forward was a failure for Mao as steel produced was of poor quality and as a result of forced collectivisation, crops were neglected which brought about famine and the deaths of 30 million Chinese. The Great Leap Forward of 1957 if anything, significantly weakened Mao’s control over the country with its complete failure but having said this, there was stasis in terms of his control over the party.
Consequently, Mao’s control over the country declined over the following years with him resigning as President in 1958. However his control over the party was very much the same with him still being Chairman of the CCP. The Cultural Revolution was Mao’s attempt of regaining his personal control not only over the party but in the country, with the years leading up to 1966 showing a regression in his authority in China. He gained the support of the 4 million strong PLA and set up the Red Guards who succeeded in attacking the four “olds”. The Cultural Revolution was a turning point in terms of Mao’s personal control as it brought him back into the light of the public and thus allowed him to reassert his control over China and get rid of the moderates Liu and Deng.
In conclusion, Mao’s personal control over the Party seems to progress throughout the years up to his resignation as President where it declines after; though he regains it upon the Cultural Revolution. However, his personal control on the country is not completely apparent until after the Civil War where it progresses up to 1957, faces regression in the years leading up to the Cultural Revolution, but again increases by 1966.
Mao during the Long March as he breaks out of Jiangxi
History is our Future 