The People’s Republic under Mao, 1949–1976
Mao’s China maps by year
22 historical maps of The People’s Republic under Mao, 1949–1976, one for each turning point: who controlled what, and what changed since the map before.
Explore every date in the interactive atlas →
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China

1 October 1949
THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC PROCLAIMED

June 1950
THE SOUTH-WEST TAKEN; THE AGRARIAN REFORM LAW

October 1950
INTO KOREA AND INTO TIBET

October 1951
THE PLA IN LHASA; THE CAMPAIGNS AT THEIR HEIGHT

July 1953
ARMISTICE IN KOREA; LAND REFORM COMPLETE

December 1955
THE “HIGH TIDE” OF COLLECTIVISATION

March 1956
KHAM AND AMDO IN REVOLT

December 1956
THE COLLECTIVES COMPLETE

June 1957
FROM A HUNDRED FLOWERS TO THE ANTI-RIGHTIST CAMPAIGN

October 1958
THE GREAT LEAP: COMMUNES AND FURNACES

March 1959
LHASA RISES; THE DALAI LAMA FLEES

1960
THE GREAT FAMINE AT ITS WORST

January 1962
THE RETREAT: THE LEAP ABANDONED

November 1962
WAR WITH INDIA

October 1964
THE BOMB, THE THIRD FRONT AND THE SOVIET RIFT

August 1966
THE RED GUARDS

July 1967
POWER SEIZED: THE FIRST REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEES

September 1968
“THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS RED”

March 1969
ZHENBAO ISLAND: THE BORDER WAR WITH THE SOVIETS

September 1971
LIN BIAO’S FLIGHT; BEIJING TAKES CHINA’S UN SEAT

September 1972
NIXON, THEN TANAKA: THE RING BROKEN

September 1976
MAO DIES
Historical maps from every atlas, by year →
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