Mao: The Unknown Story

Gruesome dictator

My first impression of this book was it was just another book on a forgotten Chinese leader. It was not long before I became absorbed in the 56 chapters of this book. Using newly declassified Soviet source I became more aware what really was behind early Nationalist government and its dependence on Lenin¡¦s aid for controlling China. Chiang Kai-Shek (abbre. CKS thereafter) along with revolutionaries at the time who were invited by Lenin to master communism techniques. Those who favored a social class struggle and effectively applied a brutal social reform became communists those who favored a gradual transformation became nationalists. Inspite of numerous Chinese, and non-Chinese language references cited, the authors did not carefully research and sometimes drew premature conclusions based on their grasp of the content. Some of the examples include but not limited here. During the Northern Campaign to unify China, Sun Yet-Sen probably had his agenda than Moscow¡¦s envoys. Officially his motto was ¡§United with Soviets and Communists support the labor and farmers¡¨. The alliance became problematic quickly after the alliance as book suggests. Sun died and CKS who rose to replace Sun still had to rely Lenin for support. CKS¡¦s 1923 tour of Soviet Union showed disappointment (pp 19-25 in Reference 1 and pp 44-45 not substantiated in the book). It failed to mention that anti-imperialism was high on CKS agenda. Rather, the book merely suggested ¡§CKS was being liquidated by Borodin with secret order¡¨ from Lenin. However, it was not confirmed in any documents. The split (i.e., purge of the communists) initiated by CKS was more an expression of disappointment of Nationalist faction over the socialists after the Second Congress in 1926 (pp 43). It was not a decision made by CKS. Confidential documents seized by Peking government showed Chinese communists were linked to Soviet subversion. Furthermore, bad news from Changsha violence instigated by Mao affected Nationalist army officers and soldiers alike. The order to purify communists in Shanghai was a matter of time to gain stronghold by KMT by riding trouble makers (pp 45). The book states Mao was on Nationalist payroll to be a member of a standing committee around 1922. In those days the difference between Nationalist and Communists is the ideology employed. Sun¡¦s Huang-Po Military Academy started with 500 rifles donated by Lenin. Socialism and capitalism were openly debated by cadets, instructors and civilians. It was perfectly acceptable to switch from communism to nationalism or vice versa. It is somewhat similar to a Republican in America switches to become a Democrat. Even as late as 1949 the defected generals allowed their subordinates to choose side going to Peking or Taiwan (pp 308-9). The explanation about Chiang made a deal with Mao let the Reds go in exchange of his son¡¦s release makes a nice story (pp137). However, it is not substantiated with any credible citations. The situation is much more complex as the truth really lies in the diary of CKS and his son CCK at Hoover¡¦s Institute¡¦s vault. A lot of long march occurred in the uncharted territory of the Celestica Kingdom. My 2001 trip to NE Sichuan-Kansu following the footsteps of terrain and long march suggested it was and is exceedingly difficult today to pursue people in these steep hills. It would take millions soldiers to encircle and trap the red army. It was a lot easier for the regional nationalists chase reds out of their turf giving them to other regional commanders. The description of Dadu bridge crossing (pp153-155) is an interesting one as it would certainly rewrite the modern history of PRC and ruins its credibility. Edgar Snow wrote a different version story dramatize the event. Every Chinese citizen today was taught early about the courageous walk across the planks on the bridge under ¡§heavy enemy gun fire¡¨. If nationalist soldiers defending the same bridge by Li were actually 50 k

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Mao Bad, Book Good

Well worth the hours I put into it! The depth of research and the excellent writing create the framework for a fascinating read. The content provides endless topics for current conversation and reflection. So many facets to the story. Considering all this book offers, I can easily see how it may take generations to recover from the horrors and destruction of Mao.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Mao by Jung Chang, Jon Halliday

A must read for all adults, particularly in light of the lack of knowledge of 20th century history prevalent in the US. One cannot evaluate current events without an understanding of the past. This book contradicts years of Chinese propaganda and sets the record straight on the origins of Mao and Communist China. The myths of the Long March and the heartless trade of foodstuffs (and consequently millions of Chinese lives) for Russian industrial, military, and nuclear plans, equipment, and hardware is shocking. This record underscores both the value of a free press as well as the human proclivity to strive to be successful in the system of government at hand. Shocking and disgusting. The Chinese have come along way from Mao. Their achievements should be welcomed and further progress encouraged.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Lots of concrete details, but just as much commentaries

Very Well researched. Will make you see Mao and Chinese history in a totally different light.
Not presented in very subjective tone. Authors seem to have a personal vendetta against Mao and set to portray him as the Devil Incarnate. Let the concrete details speak for themselves, should have cut back on the commentaries and let readers draw their own conclusions.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Chang and Halliday¿s Mao, Unknown Story is good, but it is not good as The Private Life of Chairman Mao by Dr. Zhisui Li

Chang and Halliday¿s Mao, Unknown Story provided a brand new version and perspective of Chairman Mao. It is the first time to portray Chairman Mao as a bloody mass-murderer. In their book, Chairman Mao was a large-scale murderer during a Chinese peace era. Nearly 80 million people were dead by his Utopian idealism: that was an unbelievable number. It is four times the number of deaths of the Soviets in the war between the Soviet Union and Germany. He used drastic violence to suppress people who he believed stood in his way for industrializing China. He ignored the death of 30 million people during the starvation period of the Great Famine, which was caused by his foolish ¿Great Leap Forward¿ for overtaking the British and catching up to the Americans. After the Great Famine, his lunatic behavior reached new heights. He launched the culture revolution, which was completely insane. He became a maniac. Under his direction, the violence was propelled to its bloodiest high tide. The horror broke historic records. Elementary school students unbelievably beat their teachers to death. The death toll was continuing to pile up until the day he died. From Mao, Unknown Story, the figure of Chairman Mao was drawn as a vicious monster and mass-murderer. No wonder, horrible bloody killings described in Mao, Unknown Story truly happened in China from 1949, when Chairman Mao took over China, to 1976 when Chairman Mao died. Chairman Mao did everything so lunatic, and insane. From the catastrophe which he brought to China, he deserves to be considered a bloodthirsty monster and a bloody mass murderer. Overall, the book is good and correct. Even though the book is good and correct, it cannot compare with Dr. Zhisui Li¿s The Private Life of Chairman Mao in deeply and lively describing of Chairman Mao. No less than Dr. Andrew Nathan pointed out, all of biographic writers have a limitation in deeply and lively describing their objects. Because they have never served their objects, they have no chance to observe them closely. Also they have done a lot of research, but the inherent defect is that they don¿t really know their objects¿ personality and psychology. They don¿t know their objects¿ courtyard operations their objects¿ retainers, and the relationship between their objects, their objects¿ retainers and the government officials. Dr. Zhisui Li¿s The Private Life of Chairman Mao did not portray Chairman Mao as a bloodthirsty monster and a bloody mass murderer instead of that, it focused on details of Chairman Mao¿s personality, psychology and his courtyard operation. Owing to Dr. Zhisui Li¿s position, it made him as so called: inside man. He could know a lot of Chairman Mao¿s important information that an outsider could not know. Even Chairman Mao¿s former public health minister told Dr. Li to come see him anytime if Dr. Li wanted to tell him about any of Chairman Mao¿s activities. In the same way, Chairman Mao¿s former chief commanding officer of guards also was available to Dr. Li with no appointment. The deepest impression for me about Dr. Li¿s book is the Chairman Mao¿s courtyard and his retainers. Chairman Mao¿s medical doctor, chief commanding officer of guards and secretaries comprised his retainers. They were called ¿Group One¿. Chairman Mao¿s retainers formed a powerful and vicious retainer circle. Their power was even above party officials. The party officials were not servants of people. Instead they were servants of Chairman Mao. They cared for Chairman Mao¿s retainers a lot of more than they cared for people. The gossip of those retainers could cause party officials a serious trouble. People were powerless and ignored. The party officials entertained Chairman Mao¿s retainers with the best Chinese whiskey and the best Chinese cuisine while the Chinese commoners had a little of meat to eat. During the starvation period of the Great Famine, Chairman Mao even stopped eating meat. But his retainers flaunted the banner of

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Utterly Horrifying

It is difficult to review this book not because of the quality of its research or its writing style, both of which are of the highest caliber, but because of the substance. Chang and Halliday set out to place Mao with Hitler and Stalin and succeed all too well. The stories of scheming, torture, murder, disloyalty, sadism and brutality are almost too much to take. Yet the research is top-notch, the sources too good to deny, the brutality confirmed by far too many. Over the bodies of 70 million Chinese looms this evil specter, all too well detailed herein. May he rot in hell.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Anthony

Sits down and feels lonely.

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