Author Talk: Bombard the Headquarters! The Cultural Revolution in China

Bombard the Headquarters! The Long Shadow of China’s Cultural Revolution

In 1966, with the words "Bombard the Headquarters!" Mao Zedong unleashed the full, violent force of a movement that he called the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. By the time he died ten years later, millions had perished, China's cultural heritage was in ruins, its economic state was perilous, its institutions of government were damaged and its society was bitterly divided.

Shortest History of China author Linda Jaivin’s latest book, Bombard the Headquarters, looks at how such a catastrophe unfolded, the stories of individuals caught up in its violent swirl, and the lessons that have - and have not - been learned from it. The Cultural Revolution’s shadow still lays over China today, even if the Party has endeavoured to erase or at least minimise its memory, and it also provides surprising insights into what is happening in the United States today in the first months of Donald Trump’s second presidency, as Jaivin will reveal.

Come join us at Mezzanine Room 1 (RHMZ1), Rutherford House, Pipitea Campus, Victoria University of Wellington, for an insightful event exploring the lasting impact of China’s Cultural Revolution.

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Buy the book: Bombard the Headquarters! by Linda Jaivin

Buy the book: The Shortest History of China by Linda Jaivin