Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong was the founding leader of the People’s Republic of China and head of the Chinese Communist Party. He led communist forces in World War II and the Chinese Civil War, claiming victory in 1949. While celebrated as a revolutionary, his rule also brought great tragedy. His economic campaigns, notably the Great Leap Forward, caused a famine that killed an estimated 45 million people. The Cultural Revolution led to further persecution, with over a million additional victims.