The Liberation of Tibet

During the next few years living conditions in Tibet would get worse and Mao would become more and more powerful in that area. People were restricted from carrying guns, monasteries were bombed, taxes were imposed on them, and they were stripped of rights such as the freedom of speech. This led to a revolution in eastern Tibet which the Chinese responded to by bombing more monasteries. The Chinese thought that the monasteries were the source of the rebellion. After this the Dalai Lama attempted to negotiate with Mao but Mao refused. The Dalai Lama left Tibet in Exile.  

Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.

-          Mao Tse-Tung[3]

In 1959 the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) was established. During the time this existed many things happened to the people in Tibet that had never happened before. The Chinese replaced the government with a military based government headed by the second in command, the Panchen Lama. Many Tibetans were executed, forced into labor camps or imprisoned. As the Cultural Revolution swept through China things worsened. Tibet pleaded to the UN for help but the UN refused because Tibet was not an official member [1].

What can we learn from Mao’s decision to invade Tibet? We can learn that you can pursue your dreams at ease, but to help others while doing so is hard. Our dreams can be our source of power but to others, our dreams should be kept dreams. Mao’s dream was to make China great, he did make China great, but with a price tag that was almost too high. Tibet was the beginning of Mao’s Era, to follow would be the Cultural Revolution and many other attempts like the “Great Leap Forward”.  Today people are still trying to sort out the conflict between China and Tibet. Though Mao had died his dreams did not go with him. Mao’s dreams for better China still remain and the dreams of peace still are in Tibetan minds. Though Mao had the interests of China at heart, he did not seem to know what was best for the country in the short term. Mao was an unbelievable leader during his era but he was blind to what he needed to see. He needed to see the consequences of his dreams.

Once all struggles are grasped, miracles are possible.

-          Mao Tse-Tung[3]

[1] “Studying the Tibetan Conflict.” Free Essay. 18 DEC 2008. Echeat. 11 Mar 2009

<http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=32067>.

[2] “Brief History of Tibet.” Friends of Tibet. Friends of Tibet. 11 Mar 2009

<http://www.friends-of-tibet.org.nz/tibet.html>.

[3] Brainy Quote. Brainy Quote. 11 Mar 2009 <http://www.brainyquote.com>.