This book explores the covert operations of security services in Mao Zedong's China, revealing how public security was prioritized by the People's Republic. Based on classified archives, it details the recruitment, training, and activities of agents tasked with identifying 'counter-revolutionaries' from 1949 to 1967.
The authors explain why Mao launched the Cultural Revolution, and show his Machiavellian role in masterminding it (which Chinese publications conceal). In its critical analysis of Chairman Mao and its portrait of a culture in turmoil, this book offers the most authoritative and compelling account to date of this seminal event in Chinese history.
The documentary history provides a curated selection of primary documents that detail the significant and violent impact of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution on China's political and social structures. It offers insights into the events and ideologies that fueled this tumultuous period, highlighting the complexities and consequences of Mao Zedong's campaign. Through these documents, readers gain a deeper understanding of the Cultural Revolution's legacy and its enduring effects on Chinese society.