Chronology: Key Events in Mao’s China, 1949–76

Year

Month

Event

1949

Communists establish the People’s Republic of China: Mao begins governing China

1950–53

Korean War

1950

February

Mao visits Moscow, Sino-Soviet agreement signed

October

China enters the Korean War

Communist campaign against religion starts

Marriage law passed

1951

Mao launches the anti-movements

1952

Abolition of rival political parties: China becomes a one-party state

1952

Launch of the first Five-Year Plan (1952–56)

1953

March

Death of Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union

1954

The Gao Gang and Rao Rashi affair

1955

Reform of the Mandarin language

1956

Beginning of Collectivisation

De-Stalinisation begins in the USSR

1957

Mao attends Moscow Conference

Launch of the ‘Hundred Flowers’ Campaign

1958

Launch of the Great Leap Forward (second Five-Year Plan, 1958–62)

Soviet leader Khrushchev meets Mao in Beijing

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