Red August

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Red August
Part of the
Politicide
, politically motivated violence
Deaths10,275 (deaths)
85,196 (families displaced)
Victims
class enemies”
PerpetratorsChinese Communist Party, Cultural Revolution Group (Chen Boda, Jiang Qing, Kang Sheng, Yao Wenyuan, Zhang Chunqiao, Wang Li, Xie Fuzhi) and student Red Guards incited by Mao Zedong
MotiveDestruction of the "Four Olds (Old cultures, old customs, old habits and ideas) and Five Black Categories (Landlords, wealthy peasants, bad influences/elements and “right wingers”)

Red August (simplified Chinese: 红八月; traditional Chinese: 紅八月; pinyin: Hóng Bāyuè) is a term used to indicate a period of political violence and massacres in Beijing beginning in August 1966, during the Cultural Revolution.[1][2][3] According to official statistics published in 1980 after the end of the Cultural Revolution, Red Guards in Beijing killed a total of 1,772 people during Red August, while 33,695 homes were ransacked and 85,196 families were forcibly displaced.[1][4][5] However, according to official statistics published in November 1985, the number of deaths in Beijing during Red August was 10,275.[5][6][7]

On August 18, 1966, Chairman

Daxing District of Beijing.[11][12][13] Meanwhile, a number of people, including notable writer Lao She, committed suicide or attempted suicide after being persecuted.[1][11][14] During the massacres, Mao Zedong publicly opposed any governmental intervention to the student movement, and Xie Fuzhi, the Minister of Ministry of Public Security, instructed police and public security organs to protect the Red Guards instead of arresting them.[10][15][16][17][18] However, the situation went out of control at the end of August 1966, forcing the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Chinese government to take multiple interventions which gradually brought the massacres to an end.[17][19]

Red August is considered the origin of the Red Terror in the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

Japanese military during the Second Sino-Japanese War.[26][27][28][29][30]

History

Historical background

See also: Though I Am Gone

On May 16, 1966, Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution in mainland, China.[10] On August 5, Bian Zhongyun, the first vice principal of the Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University, was beaten to death by a group of Red Guards—mostly her students—and became the first education worker in Beijing killed by the Red Guards.[1][8][10][20][31]

Massacre in Beijing

Mao Zedong met with Red Guard leader Song Binbin atop Tiananmen on August 18, 1966.

On August 18, 1966, Mao Zedong met with

Chongwen District.[9][17] At the same time, Red Guards launched a nationwide campaign to destroy the "Four Olds".[1][9] In Beijing alone, a total of 4,922 historic sites were ruined, and the Red Guards burned 2.3 million books as well as 3.3 million paintings, art objects, and pieces of furniture.[4][10]

Red Guards on Tiananmen Square
of Beijing (September 1966).

On August 22, 1966, Mao approved a document from the

Daxing District of Beijing.[11][12][13] And in his subsequent meetings with top public security officials from different provinces, Xie reiterated his point of view that the killings made by Red Guards were not public security issues and it would be a mistake if the public security was to arrest the Red Guards.[4][16][17][33]

Government intervention

Mao Zedong and the Red Guards in Beijing (October 1966)

By the end of August 1966, the situation had grown out of control, forcing the Central Committee of CCP and the Chinese government to take multiple interventions, which gradually brought the massacres to an end.[17][19] On September 5, People's Daily published an article (用文斗, 不用武斗) calling for an end to the violent combat and massacres.[36]

Nevertheless, millions of Red Guards continued to arrive in Beijing to see Mao Zedong at Tiananmen Square on several occasions, including September 15, October 1 and so on.[18]

Killings and death toll

Little Red Book" containing quotations from Mao Zedong
.

Methods of killing

During Red August, killing methods by the Red Guards included beating, whipping, strangling, trampling, boiling, beheading and so on.[8][9] In particular, the method used to kill most infants and children was knocking them against the ground or slicing them in half.[9][37][38]

Death toll

Aftermath and influence

Shanghai Fudan University
: "Defend the Central Party Committee with blood and life! Defend Chairman Mao with blood and life!”.

Red August of Beijing is regarded as the origin of

Red Terror in the Chinese Cultural Revolution, instigating Red Guards' movement in multiple cities including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing and Xiamen, where local political leaders, intellectuals, teachers and members of the Five Black Categories were persecuted and even killed by the Red Guards.[1][21][22][24][27][41][42]

There has been comparison between the date "18 August 1966", which was the key point during Red August, and the

Japanese military during the Second Sino-Japanese War.[26][27][28][29][30]

See also

References

  1. ^
    The University of Chicago. Archived
    (PDF) from the original on 2020-04-17.
  2. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived
    from the original on 2019-12-08. Retrieved 2019-12-23.
  3. ^ Dong, Yifu (13 September 2016). "My Grandfather Survived China's Cultural Revolution. Why Does He Still Love Mao?". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 2019-12-24. Retrieved 2019-12-23.
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8108-6491-7. Archived
    from the original on 2020-06-11. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  5. ^ a b c d Song, Yongyi (2011). "文革中"非正常死亡"了多少人？ ---- 读苏扬的《文革中中国农村的集体屠杀》" [How many people "died unnaturally" during the Cultural Revolution?]. Boxun (in Chinese). Dong Xiang (动向). Archived from the original on 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2019-12-10. 有关北京市文革的受害者人数，目下最流行的大都引用文革初期北京市公安局对"红色恐怖"中死亡数的统计：1,772 人。另有33,695户被抄家，85,196个家庭被驱逐出北京。其实，1985年11月5日北京市核查工作会议的工作报告"加强领导，再接再厉，全面做好二期整党的核查工作"有过新的调查和统计。其中死亡数为10,275 （增长率580%）；被抄家为92,000户 (增长率273%)，被驱逐出北京的家庭为125,000 (增长率147%) 。从官方矛盾的陈述中可以清楚地看到：公开的数字被大大地缩小了。
  6. ^ a b Peng, Xiaoming (2013-03-02). "记下老红卫兵的血债" [On the "bloody debt" of the "Old" Red Guards]. Beijing Spring (北京之春) (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2019-12-10. 1966红八月打人死亡数为10,275人 ；被抄家为92,000户 ，被驱逐出北京的家庭为125,000户，《1985年11月5日北京市核查工作会议的工作报告"加强领导，再接再厉，全面做好二期整党的核查工作"》（《动向》2011年9月号）
  7. ^ a b Sai, Hongqiu. "毛泽东大笑谈杀人" [Mao Zedong talked about killing people with laughter]. Boxun (in Chinese). 北京周末诗会. Archived from the original on 2019-12-10.
  8. ^
    The University of Chicago (in Chinese). Archived
    (PDF) from the original on 2016-10-12.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Yu, Luowen. "文革时期北京大兴县大屠杀调查" [An investigation of the Daxing Massacre in Beijing during the Cultural Revolution]. Chinese University of Hong Kong (in Chinese). Lecture Room. Archived from the original on 2019-06-09. Retrieved 2019-12-10. 婴儿往往是被劈成两半。有的孩子被孤零零地留在家里，打手们到各家搜，见到小孩就扔到门口的马车上，多数孩子被活活摔死了。死人都被埋在村北边的苇塘里，后来人们管那里叫"万人坑"。有的小孩没被摔死，从"万人坑"里还想往外爬，打手们上去就是一铁锹，再把他打回去。
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Song, Yongyi (2011-08-25). "Chronology of Mass Killings during the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966–1976)". Sciences Po. Archived from the original on 2023-04-10. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  11. ^
    doi:10.2753/CLG0009-4609140370
    .
  12. ^
    ISBN 978-1-4422-5172-4
    .
  13. ^
    ISSN 0190-8286. Archived
    from the original on 2019-12-24.
  14. ^ Brady, Paul (1974). "Death and the Nobel-On Lao She's "Suicide"" (PDF). Chinese University of Hong Kong. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-12-27.
  15. ^ a b Mao, Zedong (1966-08-23). "Talk At The Work Conference Of The Centre". Marxists Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 2018-07-15.
  16. ^ a b c Sun, Yancheng (2012). "血统论和大兴"八三一"事件" [Bloodline theory and the Daxing Massacre]. Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). Yanhuang Chunqiu. Archived from the original on 2019-12-10.
  17. ^ a b c d e f Feng, Xiang (2014). "王晶垚: "我，没有忘记历史"" [Wang Jingyao: I, have not forgotten history]. Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). Southern Weekly. Archived from the original on 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  18. ^ a b c "对红卫兵组织失去信任 毛泽东决定下放知青始末" [Losing faith in the Red Guards organizations, Mao Zedong decided to "send the youths to the countryside"]. Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). People's Net. 2009-12-14. Archived from the original on 2015-05-27. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  19. ^ a b Wang, Nianyi (2006-06-13). "《亲历重庆大武斗》序". China News Digest (华夏文摘) (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  20. ^ a b Lasseter, Tom. "Chinese haunted by bloody 'Red August'". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on 2020-06-12. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  21. ^
    ISBN 978-988-17563-3-6
    .
  22. ^ a b "47周年回放：再忆文革"八.一八"和 "红八月"" [Forty-seventh anniversary: remembering the "August 18" and Red August of the Cultural Revolution]. Radio Free Asia (in Chinese). 2013-08-15. Archived from the original on 2019-12-10.
  23. ^
    ISSN 8756-6583
    .
  24. ^ a b c Jin, Zhong (27 August 2016). "红八月，血迹未乾" [Red August, the blood is still wet]. Independent Chinese PEN Center (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  25. ^ a b "王容芬经历的"8·18"" [Wang Rongfang's experience on "August 18"]. Deutsche Welle (in Chinese). 2011-08-19. Archived from the original on 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  26. ^ a b c d Wang, Chuanye. "沉重的回忆（41）"文革"风暴到来的时候" [Heavy memories (41): when the storm of "Cultural Revolution" arrived]. Chinese University of Hong Kong (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2020-03-24.
  27. ^ a b c d e f Xi, Ligong (2012). "也说"老红卫兵"" [On the "Old" Red Guards]. Boxun (in Chinese). Consensus Net. Archived from the original on 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  28. ^ a b c d Lang, Jun (2012). "伫视王晶垚－宋彬彬对簿历史的公堂——《宋彬彬谈话纪要》的解读及其它（下）" [Looking at the court of history between Wang Jinyao and Song Binbin]. China News Digest (华夏文摘) (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2019-12-11.
  29. ^ a b Luo Ri, Yu Deng (2018-12-13). "建構文化創傷——從南京大屠殺與「文革」說起" [Constructing cultural tramas——beginning from the Nanjing Massacre and the Cultural Revolution]. Initium Media. Archived from the original on 2019-12-11. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  30. ^ a b Ma, Jian (2016). "谁敢把皇帝拉下马？----文革五十周年反思" [Who dares to drag the Emperor down from the horse: reflection written on the fiftieth anniversary of the Cultural Revolution]. Independent Chinese PEN Center (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2020-06-28. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  31. ^ Buckley, Chris (2014-01-13). "Bowed and Remorseful, Former Red Guard Recalls Teacher's Death". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-07-01.
  32. ^ a b "Chinese Red Guards Apologize, Reopening A Dark Chapter". NPR. Archived from the original on 2020-02-14.
  33. ^
    ISBN 978-988-17563-3-6
    .
  34. ^ Mao, Zedong (1966-08-23). "在中央工作会议上的讲话". Marxists Internet Archive (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2019-12-10.
  35. ISBN 978-988-17563-3-6
    .
  36. ^ Yang, Jishen (2017-07-04). 天地翻覆: 中国文化大革命历史 (in Chinese). 天地图书.
  37. ^ "北京大兴文革屠杀：婴儿被劈成两半". Boxun (in Chinese). 2013-08-01. Archived from the original on 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  38. ^ "集体遗忘文革，无疑是一种更深远的民族公耻". Ipkmedia (光传媒) (in Chinese). 2019-10-18. Archived from the original on 2020-06-29.
  39. ^ Wang, Jiajun (2014-09-05). "怎样反思"红卫兵"" [How to reflect on the "Red Guards"] (in Chinese). Phoenix Weekly (凤凰周刊). Archived from the original on 2017-10-16. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  40. ^ Du, Junfu (2012). "文革屠杀事件注记二则" (PDF). Remembrance (in Chinese). 83. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-04-12. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  41. The University of Chicago (in Chinese). Archived from the original
    on 2019-12-11.
  42. ^ a b "1966年首都红卫兵上海搞武斗:没打死就是文斗" [Red Guards from Beijing joined in violent struggles in Shanghai in 1966: verbal struggles continued if (victims) not beaten to death]. Tencent (in Chinese). Century Magazine (世纪). 2013-09-28. Archived from the original on 2020-06-12. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  43. The University of Chicago (in Chinese). Archived
    from the original on 2018-12-26.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Red_August&oldid=1217557296"