Mao Zedong and the Yan’an Rectification Movement.
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Authors
Fetter, Elizabeth
Issue Date
2026
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Research Subject Categories::HUMANITIES and RELIGION::History and philosophy subjects::History subjects::History
Alternative Title
Abstract
In 1938, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) convened
the Sixth Plenum, a meeting that marked a decisive shift in the
party’s strategic orientation. At this meeting, representatives
from Moscow and the Comintern, the international communist
coalition, withdrew their support for CCP leader Wang Ming
following his military losses to the Japanese. This decision
enabled Mao Zedong and his political faction to expand their
power and influence within the party. Mao emerged from the
1938 Sixth Plenum in a strong position of power within the CCP,
aided by the support of international communists, particularly
the Soviets. Yet four years later, in early 1942, Mao delivered
a speech criticizing the CCP’s reliance on Soviet communist
ideology —marking the beginning of the Yan’an Rectification
Movement. This movement was Mao’s means of indoctrinating
the CCP with his own version of communism to consolidate
and solidify his position within the party. Mao initiated
this campaign because he understood that a leader without a
monopoly on ideology could easily lose political standing and
control. Therefore, the Yan’an Rectification Movement represented
an innovative political strategy, as Mao transformed a contingent position within the CCP into an ideologically entrenched
one, thereby institutionalizing his power and authority.
Description
Citation
Fetter, Elizabeth. “Mao Zedong and the Yan’an Rectification Movement.” REPORT: West Point Undergraduate Historical Review 16 (Spring 2026): 4–14.
Publisher
West Point Press
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Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
2993-5989