People's History of Ideas Podcast

The 1920s that is. The Comintern lets the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee know how the objective conditions in China are ripening for revolution.Further reading:Nikolai Bukharin, “On the International Situation and the Tasks of the Chinese Communist Party”Nicholas Kozlov and Eric Weitz, “Reflections on the Origins of the ‘Third Period’: Bukharin, the Comintern, and the Political Economy of Weimar Germany”Robin Kelley, Hammer and Hoe: Alabama Communists during the Great DepressionTheodore Rosengarten, All God’s Dangers: The Life of Nate ShawSebastian Haffner, Failure of a Revolution: Germany 1918-1919Chen Jian, Zhou Enlai: A LifeJane Degras, ed., The Communist International, 1919-1943: Documents, vol. 3: 1929-1943 So Wai-chor, The Kuomintang Left in the National Revolution, 1924–1931Some names from this episode:Nikolai Bukharin, general secretary of the executive committee of the Comintern (1926-1929)Rosa Luxemburg, German communist leader murdered in 1919Karl Liebknecht, German communist leader murdered in 1919Li Lisan, leading CommunistStalin, StalinFeng Yuxiang, northwestern warlord who turned on Chiang Kai-shek during Sino-Soviet warWang Jingwei, the overall leader of the Guomindang LeftChen Gongbo, main ideologue of the Reorganization Comrades AssociationChen Duxiu, co-founder of the Communist PartyHe Long, leader of a soviet in the Hunan-Hubei border regionEpisode artwork:Li Lisan with familySupport the show

How the Chinese Communist Party tried to turn war into revolution in Manchuria in 1929.Further reading:Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of ChinaMichael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet WarChong-Sik Lee, Revolutionary Struggle in Manchuria: Chinese Communism and Soviet Interest, 1922-1945“Japan Moves Town to Reach Coal Vein”Some names from this episode:Miles Lampson, British minister to ChinaYang Jingyu, Fushun special branch secretary of the CCPLiu Shaoqi, Communist labor organizer and secretary of the CCP’s Manchurian Committee from June 1929 to March 1930Ting Chün-yang, veteran communist sent to ManchuriaMeng Yongqian, veteran communist sent to ManchuriaEpisode artwork:Postcard of a Fushun coal mine from the early 1940sSupport the show

The final Soviet offensive, and some details on Chiang Ching-kuo’s activities as a student in Moscow.Further reading:Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of ChinaMichael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet WarJay Taylor, The Generalissimo's Son: Chiang Ching-Kuo and the Revolutions in China and TaiwanSome names from this episode:Zhang Xueliang, Manchurian warlordFeng Yuxiang, northwestern warlord who turned on Chiang Kai-shek during Sino-Soviet warJoseph Stilwell, United States military attaché in ChinaMikhail Borodin, Comintern agent and political head of Soviet mission to aid the Guomindang during the first Communist-Guomindang united frontChiang Ching-kuo, son of Chiang Kai-shek Zhou Enlai, leading CommunistVasily Blyukher, commander of the Special Far Eastern ArmyAleksandr Cherepanov, commander of the 39th Rifle Division in the Soviet Far EastEpisode artwork: Picture of a young Chiang Ching-kuoSupport the show

Some basic military history of the beginning of the war.Further reading:Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of ChinaMichael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet WarJohn Erickson, The Soviet High Command: A Military-Political History, 1918-1941Some names from this episode:Vasily Blyukher (née Gurov, aka Galen), commander of the Special Far Eastern ArmyGebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Prussian general in Napoleonic warsAleksandr Cherepanov, commander of the 39th Rifle Division in the Soviet Far EastAndrei Bubnov, head of the political administration of the Soviet Red ArmyFeng Yuxiang, warlord close to both the USA and the Soviet UnionA. I. Traynin, captain of the Soviet warship SverdlovMok Yiuming, captain of the Chinese gunboat LishuiFedor Vulahov, lead petty officer of the SverdlovR. I. Yuanzem, commander of the Soviet warship Red EastI. I. Nikitin, captain of the Soviet warship Sun YatsenI. A. Onufriev, the commander of the 2nd “Amur” Rifle DivisionEpisode artwork:Photo of Soviet soldiers with captured Guomindang bannersSupport the show

The Guomindang moves to seize Soviet assets in Manchuria. Also, subscribe to the new substack at https://peopleshistoryofideas.substack.com/.Further reading:Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of ChinaMichael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet WarSome names from this episode:Li Lisan, Chairman of Central Committee Propaganda DepartmentChen Duxiu, Co-founder of the Chinese Communist PartyLi Dazhao, Co-founder of the Chinese Communist PartyLev Karakhan, Soviet deputy commissioner for foreign affairs in 1919 and acting commissioner in 1929Zhang Zuolin, Manchurian warlord killed by Japan in 1928Zhang Xueliang, Manchurian warlord, son of Zhang ZuolinMartemyan Nikitich Ryutin, Bolshevik leader of Harbin soviet in 1917Episode artwork: Flag of the Chinese Eastern RailwaySupport the show

Mao discusses problems in party organization and how to fix them.Further reading:Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949“On the Revolutionary “Three-in-One” Combination”Episode artwork: May 1967 poster “Resolutely Protect the Policy of the Revolutionary Three-in-One Combination”Support the show

We continue our textual analysis of the Gutian Resolution.Further reading:Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949Mao Zedong, “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party”“Bury the Slave Mentality Advocated by China’s Khrushchov” in Peking Review (April 14, 1967)Some names from this episode:Liu Shaoqi, top level Communist Party leader attacked as China’s Khrushchev during the Cultural RevolutionZhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central CommitteeLi Lisan, leading CommunistQu Qiubai, top leader of Communist Party from the summer of 1927 until the Sixth CongressHuang Chao, salt merchant who led a rebellion from 875-884Li Chuang (Li Zicheng), bandit leader who seized Beijing in 1644 and was later defeated by the ManchusHong Xiuquan, leader of the Taiping Revolution and claimed to be the younger brother of Jesus ChristChen Yi, member of Front Committee of Fourth Red ArmyEpisode artwork: Gutian villageSupport the show

On the importance of the Resolution, and a beginning discussion of the actual text.Further reading:Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949Mao Zedong, “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party”Episode artwork: Photo of the Gutian CongressSupport the show

We look at two letters written by Mao on November 28, 1929, and introduce our discussion of “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party” and the other parts of the Gutian Resolution.Further reading:Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930Mao Zedong, “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party”Abimael Guzmán, “Report of the Meeting of the Central Leadership with the Cangallo-Fajardo Regional Committee”Peking Review (Feb. 3, 1967)Some names from this episode:Li Lisan, Chairman of Central Committee Propaganda DepartmentYang Kaihui, Mao’s first wifeMao Anying, Mao’s first sonChen Yi, member of Front Committee of Fourth Red ArmyChen Duxiu, former general secretary of the Communist PartyMao Zemin, Mao’s brotherXie Hanqiu, observer from the Fujian Provincial CommitteeLiu Heting, Guomindang military commanderJin Handing, Guomindang military commanderZhang Zhen, Guomindang military commanderEpisode artwork: He Kongde’s Gutian Meeting posterSupport the show

The Communists take the fortified city of Shanghang in southwestern Fujian.Further reading and watching:Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]The Battle for Dien Bien PhuPang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930Some names from this episode:Lin Biao, commander of the first column of the Fourth Red ArmyLu Hanmin, Guomindang militaristLiu Angong, special envoy sent by Party Center to the Fourth Red ArmyEpisode artwork: Aerial view of modern ShanghangSupport the show