In August 1966, Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution. He encouraged the creation of “Red Guards” to punish those who were harboring counter-revolutionary tendencies. In the decade that followed, China was turned upside down as millions of Chinese youth attacked traditional standard bearers of power and authority – among them party leaders, teachers, and family members. This lesson explores the motivations of Chinese youth in participating in the Cultural Revolution. Through a series of primary documents, students consider what it may have been like to experience this tumultuous period of Chinese history.
We thank Marieke Knoben of Bonhoeffercollege in Castricum for sharing her Dutch translation with us.
Image: 1968 Poster published by People's Fine Arts Publishing House in Shanghai. From the Library of Congress.
