People's History of Ideas Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The 1929 Sino-Soviet War Concludes Jun 28, 2025

Show notes

The final Soviet offensive, and some details on Chiang Ching-kuo’s activities as a student in Moscow.

Further reading:
Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of China
Michael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet War
Jay Taylor, The Generalissimo's Son: Chiang Ching-Kuo and the Revolutions in China and Taiwan

Some names from this episode:
Zhang Xueliang, Manchurian warlord
Feng Yuxiang, northwestern warlord who turned on Chiang Kai-shek during Sino-Soviet war
Joseph Stilwell, United States military attaché in China
Mikhail Borodin, Comintern agent and political head of Soviet mission to aid the Guomindang during the first Communist-Guomindang united front
Chiang Ching-kuo, son of Chiang Kai-shek
Zhou Enlai, leading Communist
Vasily Blyukher, commander of the Special Far Eastern Army
Aleksandr Cherepanov, commander of the 39th Rifle Division in the Soviet Far East

Episode artwork: Picture of a young Chiang Ching-kuo

Support the show

The 1929 Sino-Soviet War Begins May 14, 2025

Show notes

Some basic military history of the beginning of the war.

Further reading:
Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of China
Michael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet War
John Erickson, The Soviet High Command: A Military-Political History, 1918-1941

Some names from this episode:
Vasily Blyukher (née Gurov, aka Galen), commander of the Special Far Eastern Army
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Prussian general in Napoleonic wars
Aleksandr Cherepanov, commander of the 39th Rifle Division in the Soviet Far East
Andrei Bubnov, head of the political administration of the Soviet Red Army
Feng Yuxiang, warlord close to both the USA and the Soviet Union
A. I. Traynin, captain of the Soviet warship Sverdlov
Mok Yiuming, captain of the Chinese gunboat Lishui
Fedor Vulahov, lead petty officer of the Sverdlov
R. I. Yuanzem, commander of the Soviet warship Red East
I. I. Nikitin, captain of the Soviet warship Sun Yatsen
I. A. Onufriev, the commander of the 2nd “Amur” Rifle Division

Episode artwork:
Photo of Soviet soldiers with captured Guomindang banners

Support the show

The Chinese Eastern Railway: Background to the 1929 Sino-Soviet War Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

The Guomindang moves to seize Soviet assets in Manchuria. Also, subscribe to the new substack at https://peopleshistoryofideas.substack.com/.

Further reading:
Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of China
Michael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet War

Some names from this episode:
Li Lisan, Chairman of Central Committee Propaganda Department
Chen Duxiu, Co-founder of the Chinese Communist Party
Li Dazhao, Co-founder of the Chinese Communist Party
Lev Karakhan, Soviet deputy commissioner for foreign affairs in 1919 and acting commissioner in 1929
Zhang Zuolin, Manchurian warlord killed by Japan in 1928
Zhang Xueliang, Manchurian warlord, son of Zhang Zuolin
Martemyan Nikitich Ryutin, Bolshevik leader of Harbin soviet in 1917

Episode artwork: Flag of the Chinese Eastern Railway

Support the show

“On the Problem of Party Organization” (The Gutian Resolution—Part Three) Jan 25, 2025

Show notes

Mao discusses problems in party organization and how to fix them.
Further reading:
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
“On the Revolutionary “Three-in-One” Combination”
Episode artwork: May 1967 poster “Resolutely Protect the Policy of the Revolutionary Three-in-One Combination”

Support the show

“The Problem of Correcting Erroneous and Nonproletarian Ideological Tendencies in the Party” (The Gutian Resolution—Part Two) Jan 18, 2025

Show notes

We continue our textual analysis of the Gutian Resolution.
Further reading:
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Mao Zedong, “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party”
“Bury the Slave Mentality Advocated by China’s Khrushchov” in Peking Review (April 14, 1967)
Some names from this episode:
Liu Shaoqi, top level Communist Party leader attacked as China’s Khrushchev during the Cultural Revolution
Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
Li Lisan, leading Communist
Qu Qiubai, top leader of Communist Party from the summer of 1927 until the Sixth Congress
Huang Chao, salt merchant who led a rebellion from 875-884
Li Chuang (Li Zicheng), bandit leader who seized Beijing in 1644 and was later defeated by the Manchus
Hong Xiuquan, leader of the Taiping Revolution and claimed to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ
Chen Yi, member of Front Committee of Fourth Red Army
Episode artwork: Gutian village

Support the show

The Gutian Resolution (End of 1929) (Part One) Jan 10, 2025

Show notes

On the importance of the Resolution, and a beginning discussion of the actual text.
Further reading:
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Mao Zedong, “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party”

Episode artwork: Photo of the Gutian Congress

Support the show

Two Letters and “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party” (November to December 1929) Dec 28, 2024

Show notes

We look at two letters written by Mao on November 28, 1929, and introduce our discussion of “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party” and the other parts of the Gutian Resolution.
Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Mao Zedong, “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party”
Abimael Guzmán, “Report of the Meeting of the Central Leadership with the Cangallo-Fajardo Regional Committee”
Peking Review (Feb. 3, 1967)
Some names from this episode:
Li Lisan, Chairman of Central Committee Propaganda Department
Yang Kaihui, Mao’s first wife
Mao Anying, Mao’s first son
Chen Yi, member of Front Committee of Fourth Red Army
Chen Duxiu, former general secretary of the Communist Party
Mao Zemin, Mao’s brother
Xie Hanqiu, observer from the Fujian Provincial Committee
Liu Heting, Guomindang military commander
Jin Handing, Guomindang military commander
Zhang Zhen, Guomindang military commander
Episode artwork: He Kongde’s Gutian Meeting poster

Support the show

The Battle for Shanghang (mid-September 1929) Dec 21, 2024

Show notes

The Communists take the fortified city of Shanghang in southwestern Fujian.
Further reading and watching:
Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
The Battle for Dien Bien Phu
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Some names from this episode:
Lin Biao, commander of the first column of the Fourth Red Army
Lu Hanmin, Guomindang militarist
Liu Angong, special envoy sent by Party Center to the Fourth Red Army
Episode artwork: Aerial view of modern Shanghang

Support the show

The Politburo in Shanghai Discusses the Line Struggle in the Red Army and Issues the September Instruction Dec 14, 2024

Show notes

The Central Committee turns out to support centralized leadership. Also, the Comintern publishes Mao’s obituary.
Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Joseph Fewsmith, Forging Leninism in China: Mao and the Remaking of the Chinese Communist Party, 1927–1934
Mao Zedong nianpu, 1893-1937 (毛泽东年谱)
Chen Jian, Zhou Enlai: A Life
Zhou Enlai, Selected Works of Zhou Enlai, vol. 1
Some names from this episode:
Chen Yi, replaced Mao as secretary of the Front Committee
Xiang Zhongfa, General secretary of the CP
Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
Li Lisan, Leading Communist
Liu Angong, special envoy sent by Party Center to the Fourth Red Army

Support the show

Mao gets Kicked from Party Leadership, and Organizes a Land Reform in Western Fujian Dec 07, 2024

Show notes

The line struggle continues and does not go Mao’s way. Plus, comments on the historiography.
Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Joseph Fewsmith, Forging Leninism in China: Mao and the Remaking of the Chinese Communist Party, 1927–1934
Mao Zedong nianpu, 1893-1937 (毛泽东年谱)
Chen Jian, Zhou Enlai: A Life
Some names from this episode:
Liu Angong, special envoy sent by Party Center to the Fourth Red Army
Lin Biao, commander of the first column of the Fourth Red Army
Chen Yi, replaced Mao as secretary of the Front Committee
Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
Jiang Hua, secretary general of the political department of the Fourth Red Army
Episode artwork: photo of Jiang Hua

Support the show

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

People’s History of Ideas Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected