The PLA

Overview

• "All political power lies in the barrel of a gun." - Mao
• CCP controlled the PLA through the Military Affairs commission
• Reunification Campaign
• => Boosted communist control and Mao's personal power
• Korean War 1950-53 - intimidated opponents
• 1950-53 had responsibility for the suppression of bandits
• => "a euphemism for any opposition to the CCP - Linda Benson (historian)
• Over 100,000 communist opponents killed
• 1955 Conscription law established
• => 800,000 new recruits each year as a result
• Known as 'big university'
• =>Taught to read and write
• => indoctrinated with communist propaganda

Regional bureaux

• Country split into six parts to make it more manageable ruled by regional party bureaux
• Two out of the four post filled by military
• Consolidated the PLA's power

'Learn from the PLA'

• Campaign urging people to aspire to the PLA's qualities
• Including - Loyalty, bravery, resourcefulness and commitment to the communist party
• Loyalty to Mao was important
• => When in 1950 the divorce rate rose as a result of the New Marriage Law a new clause was added to make it harder for the wives of PLA to get a divorce

Economy

• Officers were compelled to work on collective farms
• PLA work teams contributed up to a weeks free labour a year
• => by helping local construction, irrigation projects, teach in primary or night schools or help repair farm tools
• Every 50 men were commanded to raise at least one pig between them
• During the Great Leap Forward 1958-61
• => Forced to help peasants eradicate the 4 pests - rats, sparrows, flies and mosquitoes
• PLA men were commanded to collect their own excrement to be used as fertilisers in local co-operatives

Modernising the PLA

• Guerrilla tactics were abandoned after the high body count of the Korean War
• Aimed to become more technologically advanced
• Army shrunk from 5 million in 1950 to 3.5 million in 1953
• Military Academies were set up Beijing and Nanjing
• =>Committed and incredibly loyal to the communist party
• => Taught techniques of modern warfare
• Many were sent to Russia for advanced training
• => USSR provided weapons e.g. MiG fighter jets