Podcast Episodes

Revolution in the ‘20s, Go For It: The ‘Third Period’ Comes to China

Season 1 Episode 130

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 …

Published on 21 hours ago

The Chinese Communist Party Interventions in the 1929 Sino-Soviet War

Season 1 Episode 129

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 China
Michael M…

Published on 3 weeks ago

The 1929 Sino-Soviet War Concludes

Season 1 Episode 128

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 …

Published on 4 months ago

The 1929 Sino-Soviet War Begins

Season 1 Episode 127

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 China
Michael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet …

Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The Chinese Eastern Railway: Background to the 1929 Sino-Soviet War

Season 1 Episode 126

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.,…

Published on 6 months, 3 weeks ago

“On the Problem of Party Organization” (The Gutian Resolution—Part Three)

Season 1 Episode 125

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, Ju…

Published on 9 months, 1 week ago

“The Problem of Correcting Erroneous and Nonproletarian Ideological Tendencies in the Party” (The Gutian Resolution—Part Two)

Season 1 Episode 124

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…

Published on 9 months, 2 weeks ago

The Gutian Resolution (End of 1929) (Part One)

Season 1 Episode 123

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 J…

Published on 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Two Letters and “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party” (November to December 1929)

Season 1 Episode 122

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:
Pa…

Published on 10 months ago

The Battle for Shanghang (mid-September 1929)

Season 1 Episode 121

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 P…

Published on 10 months, 1 week ago