Wild Swans by Jung Chang (1991). This book is like a detailed photograph of China’s recent history, and by reading it I gained new insights and a deeper understanding of the Chinese people.
The central part of the book begins in the early years of World War II, when much of China was already under Japanese control following the invasion that began in 1937. One wonders how such a vast country could have been dominated by Japan. The answer is complex: China was torn by internal conflict between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Red Army, even as it fought against the Japanese. The Kuomintang had a stronger army, better-trained troops, superior weapons, and support from the United States, yet they lost the war. Rampant corruption and nepotism within the system were powerful forces and were among the main reasons the Communists ultimately won the civil war.
The Communists emerged as a response to the deep economic problems that followed World War II, as much of China remained in a semi-feudal state. They redistributed land, but then Mao launched the Great Leap Forward, ordering millions of farmers and peasants to focus on backyard steel production. The result was catastrophic: an estimated 30 to 45 million people died from starvation between 1959 and 1962.
The book’s portrayal of poverty and hunger is profoundly disturbing. One wonders how it was possible for a single man to cause such immense suffering to an entire nation. Again, the answer is complex. Mao was an extraordinarily powerful leader, but it was also the entire political system, with its complete control over institutions, that enabled such tragedy. People across China asked why there was no food, and the Party told them it was due to “bad weather.” In some regions, famine became so severe that there were reports of cannibalism and people selling human flesh as meat.
This book is not written by a native English speaker and would benefit from careful proofreading, but I nevertheless highly recommend reading it.