But the defining moment probably came one hot afternoon in July...Mao was resting by the side of his swimming pool in Beijing in a bad mood. Liu Shaoqi had asked him to return to the capital for important business. The Chairman demanded an explanation...Chen Yun and Tian Jiaying...wished to present their views on returning land to the farmers. Mao became angry. Hastily, Liu said: "So many people have died of hunger!" Then he blurted out, "History will judge you and me, even cannibalism will go into the books!" Mao now fell into a rage. "The Three Red banners have been shot down, now the land is being divided up again," he shouted. "What have you done to resist this?"...The two men soon calmed down...
Wow. That poolside meeting in 1962 is well known but Dr. Dikotter adds a wealth of detail from the archives not seen before. That is a vivid description that really brings it to life. That probably was the defining moment in the Mao-Liu relationship. Imagine Liu calling Mao back! Hoo-doggie. "History will judge you and me...!" Wow.
Liu is the tragic figure in the Cultural Revolution.
In 1961 he visited his home province to see first-hand the effects of the Great Leap Forward.
The peasants confided in their hometown boy made president of the country. Liu was shocked. He returned to Beijing determined to undo the GLF and spoke out against it and against Mao at the Seven Thousand Cadres Conference in February, 1962. Mao was taken aback and withdrew. Took one of his train rides. Never a good sign when Maoie went for a train ride. He thought, observed from distance, plotted. It was this train ride that Liu summoned Mao from when they had the rumble by the pool. Hoo doggie. Mao made Liu the principal target of the Cultural Revolution. The Red Guards got him.
Mao kept Liu alive in order to expel him from the CPC. Had his lips stitched shut so he couldn't "spout propaganda" to his guards. Let him die November 12, 1969.
Wow. That poolside meeting in 1962 is well known but Dr. Dikotter adds a wealth of detail from the archives not seen before. That is a vivid description that really brings it to life. That probably was the defining moment in the Mao-Liu relationship. Imagine Liu calling Mao back! Hoo-doggie. "History will judge you and me...!" Wow.
Liu is the tragic figure in the Cultural Revolution.
Never seen that picture before. Oh, this is so fucking painful.
That's his grandson.
In 1961 he visited his home province to see first-hand the effects of the Great Leap Forward.
Mao kept Liu alive in order to expel him from the CPC. Had his lips stitched shut so he couldn't "spout propaganda" to his guards. Let him die November 12, 1969.