The People's Liberation Army (PLA)

The roles that the PLA played in Mao's consolidation of power

What did the communists lack when the PRC was established in October 1949?

effective means of national control

How did the Party control the PLA?

Through the Military Affairs Commission

What did the PLA greatly increase for the Communist Party?

Their national control and Mao’s personal political prestige

Who were the PLA assigned the responsibility of repressing?

bandits- any opposition of the CCP

How many enemies of the Communist Party were killed?

100,000

What law was passed in 1955?

The conscription law

How many people did the conscription law ensure were recruited?

800,000

What did the soldiers call the PLA because they learnt how to read and write?

The ‘big university’

Why did this education of the soldiers help Mao?

Because the soldiers could be indoctrinated with communist propaganda in order to create genuine ideological commitment- many recruits from rural backgrounds appreciated the opportunities that were offered