Great Leap Forward

1. China was in a terrible condition for Mao to start an economic plan like the
Great Leap Forward. They had little trade with other nations, and their
economy was in ruin. For the Great Leap Forward to be successful, China
would have to have a strong economy, strong trade with other countries and
have a strong agricultural production. What didnt help the plan are the
terrible climatic disasters that affected China in 1959 and 1960. This caused
a sharp decline in agricultural production. Also, the Soviet-China relations
were strained during this time, and the Soviet leadership looked to punish
the Chinese. In 1960 they withdrew experts from China, halted aid and
walked off with blueprints to unfinished industrial installations. They also
left the Chinese with a large debt, incurred mostly from the Korean War.
This was a very hostile environment to begin an ambitious project such as
the Great Leap Forward, and that is why it was a complete failure.