The unfortunate generation

Within two years of the Cultural Revolution, armed factions battled each other in Mao's name. To avoid civil war, Mao essentially banished his detractors to the countryside. This program chronicles the Cultural Revolution, its aftermath, and the role of Mao's wife, Jiang Qing. Scholars, diplomats, and survivors discuss the forced labor camps known as "Schools of May 7th"; the attacks on foreign consulates in Hong Kong and Beijing; China's support of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge; and the trial of the "Gang of Four." The program concludes with Deng Xiaoping opening China to the West.