The Cultural Revolution: Mao's War on the Nation and a Generation
Paperback
Series: Blood and Power, Book 4
Chinese HistoryGeneral World HistorySocial Movements
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Jul 22 2026
Pages: 234
Weight: 0.63
Height: 0.59 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
HE CULTURAL REVOLUTION is a gripping account of Mao Zedong's last great campaign, the decade of ideological terror that turned China against its own people, institutions, memory, culture, and families.
Launched in 1966, the Cultural Revolution was presented as a struggle to save socialism from corruption, revisionism, bourgeois influence, and enemies hidden inside the Communist Party. In reality, it unleashed fear, denunciation, public humiliation, factional violence, broken education, damaged families, ruined careers, and political obedience performed before the image of one man.
Mao's China had already survived revolution, civil war, land reform, campaigns against enemies, and the catastrophe of the Great Leap Forward. After that disaster, Mao feared the party was becoming bureaucratic, cautious, and revisionist. To restore his authority and revive revolutionary struggle, he called on the young to rebel.
The Red Guards attacked teachers, officials, intellectuals, writers, parents, temples, books, customs, and anything branded as part of the old world. Struggle sessions turned crowds into weapons. Children denounced parents. Neighbours denounced neighbours. Party leaders such as Liu Shaoqi were destroyed. Millions of young people were later sent down to the countryside, their education and futures disrupted by the movement that had first told them they were history's chosen rebels.
Part of the Blood and Power Series, this book examines how political purity, personality cult, fear, and ideology wounded a nation, and how a revolution that claimed to defend the people taught people to fear one another.
Also from
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
SS Morro Castle: The Fire That Turned a Luxury Liner into a Death Trap
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
100 Greatest Medal of Honor Stories: Extraordinary Acts of Courage from America's Highest Military Award
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
USS Indianapolis: The Sinking, the Sharks, and the Scandal That Haunted the U.S. Navy
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
António de Oliveira Salazar: The Quiet Dictatorship That Held Portugal Still
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Florence Nightingale: The Lady with the Lamp and the Making of Modern Nursing
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
George Villiers: Court Favourite, War Minister, and the Making of a Constitutional Crisis
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
100 Medal of Honor Stories from World War II: Courage, Sacrifice, and Heroism from Pearl Harbor to Okinawa
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
100 Medal of Honor Stories from Vietnam: Courage, Sacrifice, and Survival in America's Most Controversial War
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Stalin's Great Purge: Terror, Betrayal, and the Destruction of a Revolution
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Red Terror: Lenin's War on His Enemies and the Birth of Soviet Repression
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Black Death: Plague, Social Upheaval and the Transformation of England
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Peasant's Revolt: Wat Tyler, John Ball and the Rebellion That Shook England
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Mary Rose: England's Tudor Warship Lost in the Battle of the Solent (1545)
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Henrietta Maria: The Queen Who Defied Parliament and Fought for the Crown
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
John Pym: The Parliamentarian Who Took on the King and Helped Ignite the Civil War
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
20 Fast Bowlers Who Changed Cricket: The Fast Bowlers Who Redefined the Game
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
100 Medal of Honor Stories from World War I: Courage, Sacrifice, and Survival in the War to End All Wars
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Catherine Howard: Henry VIII's Doomed Queen: Youth, Desire and Death at the Tudor Court
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Wars for Scotland: Edward I, William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and England's Northern Catastrophe
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Purge of the Templars: Faith, Power, and the Destruction of an Order
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Harrying of the North: William the Conqueror's War of Rebellion, Famine and Destruction
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Why People Follow Dictators: The Psychology of Obedience, Fear, Propaganda and Power
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Prisoner's Dilemma: Why Cooperation Fails (Even When It Should Work)
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Lorenzo de' Medici: The Magnificent Ruler Behind Florence's Golden Age
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
25 Decisions That Won Formula 1 World Championships: The Moments That Decided F1 Titles
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Bushrangers: Outlaws, Police and the Making of the Australian Legend
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier: Dynasty, Decay, and the Fall of Duvalierism
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
100 Fun Facts About Football: Strange, Surprising and Unbelievable Stories from the World's Game
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
100 Olympic Records: The Greatest Feats, Fastest Times, and Unbreakable Achievements in Olympic History
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Louis XV: The Failure of Bourbon Power: The King Who Inherited Glory and Left a Crisis
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
HMS Hood: The Pride of the Royal Navy and the Battle That Shocked an Empire
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Convict Nation: Crime, Punishment, Survival, and the Making of Australian Character
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Isambard Kingdom Brunel: The Engineer of Iron, Steam, and Victorian Ambition
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The St Bartholomew's Day Massacre: A Night of Slaughter That Shook a Kingdom
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
100 Medal of Honor Stories from Korea: Courage, Sacrifice, and Survival in the Forgotten War
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Nero: Rome's Last Julio-Claudian and the Emperor Who Burned His Own Legacy
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Prime Minister's Burden: Winston Churchill and the Hard Road from Dunkirk to Defeat at the Polls
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Road to Civil War: Margaret of Anjou, Richard of York and the Battle for the Crown
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Reign of Terror: Robespierre and the French Revolution Turned Inward
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Massacre of the Janissaries: The Sultan's Bloody Solution to Power and Betrayal
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Murder in the Cathedral: Henry II, Thomas Becket and the Struggle Between Crown and Church
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Absent King: Richard the Lionheart, Crusade, Captivity and the England He Barely Ruled
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Fall of King John: Military Disaster, Baronial Revolt and the Road to Magna Carta
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The King Who Lost His Crown: Richard II, Royal Tyranny and the Lancastrian Revolution
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Usurper King: Henry IV, Rebellion and the Violent Birth of Lancaster
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
1066: The Conquest of England: The Battle for the Crown and the Destruction of Anglo-Saxon Rule
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Anarchy: Stephen, Empress Matilda and the Civil War That Broke England
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Barons' War: Simon de Montfort and England's First Political Revolution
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Lost Kingdom: Henry VI, Joan of Arc and the Collapse of English France
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
The Kingmaker: Warwick, Edward IV and the Crown That Changed Hands Twice
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Stephen Gardiner: The Bishop Who Survived Henry VIII: Faith, Power and Persecution in Tudor England
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
John Hindmarsh: Powder Monkey, Governor, Forgotten Man of South Australia
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Margaret Pole: The Last Plantagenet Princess: Royal Blood, Rebellion and Revenge under Henry VIII
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Herald of Free Enterprise: The Ferry That Sailed With Its Bow Door Open
MacKenzie, Gordon J.
Paperback
Also in
Chinese History
Hostage on the Yangtze: Britain, China, and the Amethyst Crisis of 1949
Murfett, Malcolm H.
Hardcover
China Wakes: The Struggle for the Soul of a Rising Power
Wudunn, Sheryl
Kristof, Nicholas D.
Paperback
The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth
Niarchos, Nicolas
Hardcover
The Next China Is Still China: An Insider's Playbook for Winning in the New Era
Ngai, Joe
Leung, Nick
Hardcover
The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet
Liu, Yi-Ling
Hardcover
China Whisperers: The Voices That Have Shaped America's Views of Its Chief Geopolitical Rival
Kaplan, Robert D.
Hardcover
When America First Met China: An Exotic History of Tea, Drugs, and Money in the Age of Sail
Dolin, Eric Jay
Paperback
The Shortest History of China: From the Ancient Dynasties to a Modern Superpower - A Retelling for Our Times
Jaivin, Linda
Paperback
The Last Kings of Shanghai: The Rival Jewish Dynasties That Helped Create Modern China
Kaufman, Jonathan
Paperback
A Brief History of China: Dynasty, Revolution and Transformation: From the Middle Kingdom to the People's Republic
Clements, Jonathan
Paperback
Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future
Bell, Daniel a.
Hardcover
Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War
Platt, Stephen R.
Paperback
Kingdom of Characters (Pulitzer Prize Finalist): The Language Revolution That Made China Modern
Tsu, Jing
Paperback
Mao's Great Famine: The History of China's Most Devastating Catastrophe, 1958-62
Dikötter, Frank
Paperback
The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of XI Zhongxun, Father of XI Jinping
Torigian, Joseph
Hardcover
From Frontier Policy to Foreign Policy: The Question of India and the Transformation of Geopolitics in Qing China
Mosca, Matthew
Paperback
Beyond the Pass: Economy, Ethnicity, and Empire in Qing Central Asia, 1759-1864
Millward, James A.
Paperback
The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of XI Zhongxun, Father of XI Jinping
Torigian, Joseph
Paperback
The Story of China: The Epic History of a World Power from the Middle Kingdom to Mao and the China Dream
Wood, Michael
Paperback
Collected Writings of Chairman Mao: Volume 3 - On Policy, Practice and Contradiction
Tse-Tung, Mao
Zedong, Mao
Paperback
Breaking the Chains: Gender, Context, and the Politics of Writing in Modern China
Limin, Dong
Paperback
Red Star Over the Pacific, Third Edition: China's Rise and the Challenge to U.S. Maritime Strategy
Yoshihara, Toshi
Holmes, James R.
Paperback
21 Claves Para Entender China En El Siglo XXI / 21 Keys to Understanding China in the 21st Century
Díaz Marro, Adrián
Paperback
A Dragon's Head and a Serpent's Tail: Ming China and the First Great East Asian War, 1592-1598 Volume 20
Swope, Kenneth M.
Paperback
The Man Awakened from Dreams: One Man's Life in a North China Village, 1857-1942
Harrison, Henrietta
Paperback
Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution
Zia, Helen
Paperback
The Struggle for Taiwan: A History of America, China, and the Island Caught Between
Khan, Sulmaan Wasif
Hardcover
The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu: The Secrets of Kung Fu for Self-Defense, Health, and Enlightenment
Kit, Wong Kiew
Paperback
The Scythian Empire: Central Eurasia and the Birth of the Classical Age from Persia to China
Beckwith, Christopher I.
Paperback
This World in a Teacup: Credit, Taste, and Power in the U.S.-China Tea Trade, 1784-1911
Du, Dan
Hardcover
Why Taiwan Matters: A Short History of a Small Island That Will Dictate Our Future
Brown, Kerry
Hardcover
Everything Under the Heavens: How the Past Helps Shape China's Push for Global Power
French, Howard W.
Paperback
China's Military Modernization: Assessing China's Weapons and Strategic Reach in the Early 21st Century
Boufesis, Alexandros
Paperback
Foundations of Chinese Civilization: The Yellow Emperor to the Han Dynasty (2697 BCE - 220 CE)
Liu, Jing
Paperback
Storming the Heavens - Peasants and Revolution in China, 1925-1949 - Viewed through a Marxist Lens
Clegg, Jenny
Paperback
Silk Roads, Steppe Roads: History Unearthed from the Tombs of Medieval China
Skaff, Jonathan Karam
Hardcover
激流者: 陆海空抗战老兵口述历史合集
赖恩典
Paperback
For All the Tea in China: How England Stole the World's Favorite Drink and Changed History
Rose, Sarah
Paperback
The Art of War for Language Learners: A Bilingual Chinese-English Modern Edition of China's Greatest Classic: Sun Tzu's The Art of War (孙ड
Robson, Huw
Ling, Ling
Tzu, Sun
Paperback
Pinay Guerrilleras: The Unsung Heroics of Filipina Resistance Fighters During the Pacific War
Salinas, Stacey
Paperback
我所认识的顾准(吴敬琏作序)
徐方
Paperback
The Fox Spirit, the Stone Maiden, and Other Transgender Histories from Late Imperial China
Sommer, Matthew H.
Paperback
The History of China: A Concise Introduction to Chinese History, Culture, Dynasties, Mythology, Great Achievements & More of The Oldest Living Civiliz
Brought Alive, History
Paperback
A Geek in China: Discovering the Land of Bullet Trains, Alibaba and Dim Sum
Christensen, Matthew B.
Paperback
