China's youth are urged to destroy old customs, old habits, old culture, and old thinking, to attack teachers, leaders, and parents. An outpouring of violence begins, with mass criticisms, imprisonments, torture, and killings. Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping are purged. Red Guards spread chaos throughout China. China explodes its first hydrogen bomb.
Radical struggles continue in Chinese cities.
Mao allows PLA crackdown on militant radicals. 1969-1970 Border clashes with the Soviet Union. Lin Biao is chosen as Mao's successor. US trade embargo against China is partially lifted. First Chinese satellite orbits the earth.