Mao died in 1976, his preserved remains placed on view in a marble tomb at the center of Tiananmen Square, where they remain today. As China’s leader, Mao left behind a devastating record of turmoil and death. The country he turned over to his successors was desperate for change.
In 2010, Liu became the first Chinese citizen to win a Nobel Prize. Neither Liu, nor any of his family, were allowed to travel to Norway to accept the prize. Liu is still in prison today, and the question of his long-term impact is open. Did China’s democracy movement fail in 1989, or will we… Read more »
Chiang ruled Taiwan as an autocratic generalissimo until death in 1975. His son and successor, Chiang Ching-kuo, then surprised the world by lifting martial law, allowing opposition parties to emerge, and eventually abdicating in favor of the first free elections in China since 1913. Countries around the world began to look at the Taiwanese model… Read more »