1949: Great Leap

Overview

Communism helps modernise China, but the decisions and personality cult of Mao Tse Tung has a traumatic affect on Chinese society. Mao's Chinese Communist Party defeats the Chinese nationalists after co-opting the support of China's peasantry. Driven by ideological furveor, the Chinese people are mobilised to develop the country, although many ill-considered initiatives like the Great sparrow campaign and the Great Leap Forward bring famine and chaos to China. Mao directs mass movements to attack what he perceived were disloyal or ideologically impure elements in China, in particular during the Cultural Revolution Order is only effectively restored to China following Mao's death in 1976, when Premier Deng Xiaopeng takes a more practical approach to ruling China. The introductory scene shows Mao proclaiming the People's Republic of China in Tienanmien Square in 1949.