The Base Area under Economic Blockade and Unification with the Fifth Red Army (End of 1928)

Mao moves to eliminate opposition to land reform among Jiangxi Communists. Further reading and listening: Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Mao Zedong nianpu, 1893-1937 (毛泽东年谱) Li Qingzhao, “Like a Dream” Philip Huang, et al., Chinese Communists and Rural Society, 1927-1934 Joseph Fewsmith, Forging Leninism in...

This interview with Dr. Fabio Lanza of the University of Arizona touches on topics related to his new book, Urban Revolution: People’s Communes in Beijing. Topics include the transformation of cities under socialism, women’s liberation, the political economy of socialist society, the Great Leap Forward, and the role of barbers and hairdressers under socialism. Further reading: Fabio Lanza, Urban Revolution: People’s Communes in Beijing Fabio Lanza, The End of Concern: Maoist China, Activism...

When the enemy advances, Mao and Zhu retreat from Fujian into Jiangxi province, drawing the Guomindang’s joint suppression force deep in after them, only to later circle back around and defeat it. In this episode we discuss how Mao conducted propaganda directed at enemy troops in order to win them over to join the Red Army. Further reading: Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Pang Xianzhi a...

We conclude our close reading of Mao’s January 5, 1930 letter to Lin Biao. In this episode, Mao discusses his method for understanding the possibilities for revolution in China, as well as the particular tactics to be employed by the Red Army. He also conducts a minor self-criticism. Further reading: Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, ...

We begin our close reading of Mao’s January 5, 1930 letter to Lin Biao. Further reading: Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 David Apter and Tony Saich, Revolutionary Discourse in Mao’s Republic Mao Zedong, “A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire” Some names from this episode: Lin Biao, commander of the first column o...