Ahmed Amr Helmy
Ch. 3 Pg. 57-69 Summary
China’s Great Famine (greatest famine in Chinese history)
 Result of collectivization programme in 1956
 Mao believed China had agronomists who would revolutionize food produce.
Lysenkoism
 Russian scientists theory that “super crops” could be grown, which was proven a lie, but the Chinese believed it was
true.
 Mao later bases Chinese agricultural “constitution” on Lysenko’s teachings.
“Sparrowcide” – Chinese populations mass killing of birds under Mao’s order, which lead to harsh consequences on plantation
cycle.
Starvation (50 million dead throughout China)
 Peasants asked no questions about absurd orders leading to their starvation, those who did were sent to camps where
possibly millions starved to death.
 Areas such as Hebei and Xinjiang suffered greatly, peasants selling children and wives for food as well as prostitution.
Eventually, in some cases, cannibalism was reached but was faced with sever punishment.
Conspiracy of silence
 Higher officials knew of the crisis and said nothing, instead reported great figures and charts of increased production.
Grain and produce needed was sent over to support numbers stated earlier, produce which was needed to prevent
starvation.
Lushan Conference 1959
 Party gathering where Peng Dehuai, Chinese Defense Minister, told of death in his province and a great famine, but no
party members came forth to solve the problem in respect to Mao and not questioning his wisdom.
 Mao attended the conference with his wife, and made a speech denouncing Peng Dehuai and threatened anyone who
would create a revolt amongst the people.
 The recognition of a famine within the government was not made thus the famine intensified.
Martial Law imposed
 Demonstrations arose and threats of a civil war were heard.
Famine in Tibet (Tibet saw the most suffering from the famine)
 An intended act of genocide by the Chinese government.
 Once PLA had defeated Tibetan resistance fighters, culture, social and religious identity was slowly destroyed.
 Teaching of Tibetan culture and traditions was prohibited; Chinese aim was to “eradicate Tibet as a nation and as a
culture”.
 Government forced migrants into Tibet to overshadow the Tibetan culture and Mandarin imposed as official language
of Tibet, Tibetans had to know the language to work.
 Tibetan uprising in 1959 lead to PLA interference, protestors arrested, ringleaders executed, and humiliation of
religious figures, monasteries were made barracks and administrative offices.
Flight of the Dalai Lama
 Left due to his belief that better he be in exile then face the inevitable removal by the Chinese and voice the plight of
the Tibetan people to the outside world. He informed media of PLA’s occupation and treatment.
 Setup a base in Sikkim, northern India.
Tibet’s destruction
 Chinese purposely prolonged famine in Tibet and destroyed farming by imposing Mao’s farming laws which were
inapplicable in Tibet even more than they were in China.
The Panchen Lama’s report 1962
 Panchen Lama was second in spiritual authority to Dalai lama, he went on a secret tour of Tibet between 1959 and
1962 to discover the truth about the famine. Through his travels he documented deaths, prisoners, executions, etc.
 Panchen Lama sent the report to Mao accusing him of genocide so Mao imprisoned Panchen Lama and told
accompanying parties to rebut the accusations. Then it was said that “Tibet had experienced the same abundant harvest
as had all the other provinces of China that had embraced collectivization.
Mao’s responsibility for the famine
 Mao came to accept the famine but refused that it was a result of his policies. Mao listed 3 reasons to the famine:
1.Hoarding of grain by the peasants, which had prevented food getting to the people.
2. Mistakes by local officials who had either misunderstood their instructions or been incompetent in carrying them out
3. Exceptionally bad weather in the years 1958-61, which had produced both droughts and floods that had destroyed the
harvests.