Part 8/10:
In villages stripped of hope, relatives buried their loved ones hastily along roadsides as they succumbed to starvation. The leadership, instead of allowing public discourse about the famine or facilitating aid, resorted to further suppression, ensuring that any evidence of distress remained hidden from both domestic audiences and international observers.
The Aftermath and Legacy of the Great Leap Forward
By the early 1960s, the full extent of the Great Leap Forward and its horrific toll became undeniable not only to the masses but also to several high-ranking party officials. As the death toll rose, calls for reform echoed within the party. Eventually, even the Great Helmsman himself could not escape the shadow of the famine’s legacy.