Mihai Zodian’s Reviews > The Penguin History of Modern China: The Fall and Rise of a Great Power, 1850-2008 > Status Update

When Deng attacked Vietnam, the 4th modernization, that of the PLA, was supposed to be over. Vietnam won and the PLA "lost half of its tanks".

Today, the 4th modernization is still ongoing with 2049 (or maybe 2027 or 2035). Xi is constantly purging the PLA, so probably it is not going that well. Thus, it is risky to assume that today's CCP is better at prediction or planning than during Mao or Deng.

On the same page, Qi Shi Huang and Wu Zetian. Of course, as the models promoted by the Gang of Four.

During WWII, the CCP was engaged in opium trade, kept contacts with the collaborationist regime, and avoided to fight the Japanese as much as possible.

The author argues that the antifascist resistance of Mao is a myth and that the real practice was to pass the buck on the nationalists.

While it was proof of endurance, The Long March was more an adaptation than Mao playing 5D chess with Chiang, since he was isolated and the leadership pursued confrontation with the Nationalists. One in control and safe at Yan'an he passed the buck to his rivals, when the full scale Japanese invasion began.

The author explains that the PLA Day is a celebration of an ignominious failure led by Zhou Enlai at Stalin`s orders, and why the Soong sisters were cool.

Ho Chi Minh studied at the Whampoa academy and the KMT was more competent that people usually think.