MAO ZEDONG
1893 - 1976

PRONOUNCE MAO ZEDONG

Mao Zedong, or some write it Mao Tse-Tung, was China's revolutionary leader, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, and chief of state.

A true revolutionary, Mao was a tough soldier as well.

He was also the inventor of Maoism, which is the name for Mao Zedong's interpretation of Marxism, Leninism, and life, universe, and revolution in general.

MAO ZEDONG'S FAMILY
In 1920, Mao married Yang Kaihui.

YANG KAIHUI AND KIDS

In 1939, Mao married Jiang Qing, who died in 1991.

MAO ZEDONG'S EARLY YEARS
Mao's folks were farmers and after getting the basics at village school Mao became a farm hand at age 13. Mao was ready for more than just farming and he went on to Changsha for more education.

MAO'S FIRST REVOLUTION
The first real revolution in Mao's life started in 1911. It became known as the Chinese Revolution, which overthrew the Ch'ing, or Manchu, dynasty in 1912 and created a republic.

The Chinese Revolution, or Republican Revolution, started on October 10, 1911.

For six months, Mao was a soldier in this revolution.

Here is the map of China in 1910

1910 China

ANOTHER REVOLUTION
Since 1898, Germany claimed Kiautschou, which was located in China, as a colony.

After World War I and by means of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, the allies took Kiautschou from the Germans and, instead of giving it back to China, they gave it to the Japanese. 

The Chinese were outraged, especially Chinese students. Their answer was revolt, which became known as the May Fourth Movement.

Mao was on the roll. Little by little he embraced Marxism and developed the skill of rallying the population. Furthermore, Mao discovered the revolutionary potential of the peasants.

MAO AND CHIANG KAI-SHEK
In 1923, Mao joined the Nationalist Party, also called Kuomintang. In 1925, the leader of the party, Sun Yat-sen, died and Chiang Kai-shek became the new head of the organization.

In 1927 the communists, including Mao, left the Nationalist Party and later organized the Red Army. When the Communists and the Nationalists didn't fight the Japanese during the Second Sino-Japanese War, they fought each other.

Mao's team won, Chiang Kai-shek was exiled to Taiwan, and Mao became China's first man in 1949. All went well until in 1959 Liu Shaoqi took Mao's place.

MAO ZEDONG BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
1893, December 26 - Birth in Shaoshan, Hunan, China
1911 - 1912 Chinese Revolution
1918 Graduates from school in Changsha
1919 Librarian assistant at Peking University in Beijing
1919 May Fourth Movement
1921 Foundation of the Chinese Communist Party
1931 Leader of the Chinese Communist Party
1937 - 1945 Second Sino-Japanese War
1949 - 1959 Chief of state of the People's Republic of China
1976, September 9 - Death in Beijing
 

Not many could resist this smile -
Mao Zedong bedazzling the crowds in 1965