Mao's Great Famine

Between 1958 and 1962, China experienced a catastrophic upheaval during the Great Leap Forward, an initiative by Mao Zedong aimed at rapidly advancing the nation to surpass Britain. This ambitious experiment resulted in the greatest disaster in Chinese history, claiming tens of millions of lives. Frank Dikötter's meticulously detailed chronicle reveals this era, drawing from newly accessible central and provincial documents that reshape our understanding of the Maoist period. Contrary to Mao's vision of elevating China to superpower status, the Great Leap Forward led to one of the deadliest mass killings in history, with at least 45 million people perishing from starvation, overwork, or violence. Additionally, the initiative caused unprecedented destruction of housing, with up to one-third reduced to rubble, and inflicted severe damage on the environment in the relentless quest for industrial progress. Dikötter's groundbreaking research connects the political machinations within the Communist Party—marked by betrayal and intimidation— to the lived experiences of ordinary citizens, giving a voice to the silenced victims. His compelling narrative fundamentally alters the historical narrative of the People's Republic of China.