Examines the historical background of, and controversies surrounding, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, featuring personal narratives from Chinese civilians and an Austrian journalist.
Historical background on the Chinese cultural revolution: The Chinese cultural revolution, an overview / Junhao Hong ; China's leaders proclaim the goals and tactics of the cultural revolution / Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party ; The main purpose of the cultural revolution is to sweep away old ideas / Jiefangjun Bao ; Chinese high school students begin a new era / Beijing No. 26 Middle School Red Guards ; China declassifies documents from the cultural revolution era / Xiyun Yang and Michael Wines Controversies surrounding the Chinese cultural revolution: Reverence for Mao Zedong lay at the heart of the cultural revolution / Liu Xiaoqing ; The cult of Mao Zedong persists / Ian Buruma ; China's leaders worry about the cult of Mao / George Wehrfritz ; The cultural revolution helped to expand educational opportunities / Arthur W. Galston with Jean S. Savage ; Political conflict led to the removal of Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping / Joshua Kurlantzick ; Deng Xiaoping's unique skills led to his reentrance into Chinese politics / Uli Franz ; The US President's visit improved relations with China / China Daily ; China's turn toward the United States was the result of its rejection of the Soviet Union / Stanley Karnow ; Suffering for being too revolutionary or not revolutionary enough / Howard W. French Personal narratives: A gifted student struggles to raise his young family and find work / Sheldon Lou ; A young woman asserts that happiness comes from political involvement / Louis Barcata ; A former red guard rejects Mao and the cultural revolution / Zhai Zhenhua ; An educated, urban family adjusts to life on the farm / Liang Heng ; Life during the cultural revolution and beyond / Chou Linlin, as told to Yarong Jiang and David Ashley
