Mao Zedong was born on December 26, 1893, in Chaochan, Hunan province. He was born into a farmer family.

Mao Zedong attended the local Shaoshan primary school, but received minimal education during this time.

In 1911, Mao Zedong enlisted in a unit of the revolutionary army in Hunan and spent six months as a soldier. This brief military experience confirmed his admiration of military leaders and exploits.

In the spring of 1912, the new Chinese republic was established, marking the end of the Qing dynasty and the beginning of a new era in Chinese history.

Mao published his first article in New Youth in April 1917, instructing readers to increase their physical strength to serve the revolution.

Mao Zedong graduated from the First Provincial Normal School in Changsha in 1918, where he received high-quality instruction in Chinese history, literature, philosophy, and Western ideas.

The May Fourth Movement was a series of student demonstrations protesting the decision to hand over former German concessions in Shandong province to Japan instead of returning them to China. It also marked a period of rapid political and cultural change, leading to the abandonment of Western liberalism for Marxism and Leninism as the answer to China’s problems.

In 1920 Mao Zedong married Yang Kaihui, who was later killed during the Chinese civil war.

Mao Zedong embraced the ideas of Lenin and the Russian Revolution, becoming influenced by communist ideology.

In late 1924, Mao returned to Shaoshan and observed the revolutionary potential of the peasantry, an idea that convinced him of the peasantry's revolutionary potential.

In the winter of 1925, Mao fled to Guangzhou after his revolutionary activities attracted the attention of regional authorities. There, he ran the 6th term of the KMT's Peasant Movement Training Institute from May to September 1926.

In 1928, Mao met and married He Zizhen, an 18-year-old revolutionary who would bear him six children.

In January 1929, Mao and Zhu evacuated the base with their armies and moved south, which led to a drop in morale and disobedience among the troops. This caused concern for Li Lisan and the Central Committee, who saw Mao's army as unable to share in proletariat class consciousness.

After being defeated, Mao and other leaders adopted guerrilla tactics to continue their fight.

In November 1931, Mao announced the start of a land reform program, which was expanded in June 1933, as part of his efforts to implement measures for social and political change.

Mao Zedong's youngest daughter, born in 1933, died in infancy.

In October 1934, the Red Army broke through the KMT line on the Jiangxi Soviet's south-west corner at Xinfeng with 85,000 soldiers and 15,000 party cadres, embarking on the arduous 'Long March' to escape the KMT forces. Mao was elected to a position of leadership during a conference in Zunyi, becoming Chairman of the Politburo and de facto leader of both Party and Red Army. The Long March cemented Mao's status as the dominant figure in the party.

Mao Zedong married Yang Kaihui on this date.

In January 1935, Mao led his troops to Loushan Pass, successfully crossing the river and outmanoeuvring Chiang's armies. The Long March ended with Mao's forces reaching the Shenshi Soviet, solidifying Mao's status as the dominant figure in the party.

Mao's troops arrived at the Yan'an Soviet during October 1935, settling in Bao'an. They developed links with local communities, redistributed and farmed the land, offered medical treatment, and began literacy programs, while Mao commanded 15,000 soldiers.

In November 1935, Mao was named chairman of the Military Commission, marking the point where he became the Communist Party's undisputed leader.

In February 1936, the North West Anti-Japanese Red Army University was established in Yan'an, through which they trained increasing numbers of new recruits.

In December 1936, Mao Zedong moved to Yan'an in Shaanxi province, marking the beginning of the Yan'an period. This phase was characterized by a renewed united front with the Nationalists against Japan and the rise of Mao to unchallenged supremacy in the party.

On 25 December 1937, the Xi'an Incident resulted in the formation of a United Front with concessions on both sides, following the arrest of Chiang Kai-shek by one of his own generals, Zhang Xueliang.

Mao Zedong organized a seminar on Clausewitz for the Party leadership in Yan'an after reading On War in 1938. The 'Clausewitzian' content in Mao's writings was not just a repetition of Lenin's ideas but reflected Mao's own study and interpretation.

In August 1938, the Red Army formed the New Fourth Army and the Eighth Route Army, which were nominally under the command of Chiang's National Revolutionary Army.

In 1939 Mao Zedong divorced He Zizhen and married the movie star Jiang Qing, who later wielded a sizable amount of power during the Cultural Revolution.

In August 1940, the Red Army initiated the Hundred Regiments Offensive, a military success that resulted in the death of 20,000 Japanese, the disruption of railways, and the loss of a coal mine.

In March 1943, Mao achieved for the first time formal supremacy over the party, becoming chairman of the Secretariat and of the Political Bureau (Politburo).

In 1944, the U.S. sent a special diplomatic envoy, called the Dixie Mission, to the Chinese Communist Party. The American soldiers favorably impressed by the less corrupt and more unified Chinese Communist Party compared to the Kuomintang.

During the anti-Japanese war, the communists broke up a substantial portion of their army into small units and sent them behind the enemy lines to serve as nuclei for guerrilla forces that effectively controlled vast areas of the countryside, expanding their military forces and establishing effective grassroots political control over a population.

Under direct orders from Mao, the People's Liberation Army starved out the Kuomintang forces occupying the city of Changchun. At least 160,000 civilians are believed to have perished during the siege, which lasted from June until October.

On 21 January 1949, Kuomintang forces suffered great losses in decisive battles against Mao's forces.

Mao Zedong proclaimed the foundation of the People's Republic of China, establishing a Marxist–Leninist single-party state controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

China entered the Korean War on November 6, 1950, by sending troops to aid North Korea against South Korea and the United Nations forces.

Mao initiated two successive movements in an effort to rid urban areas of corruption by targeting wealthy capitalists and political opponents, resulting in several hundred thousand additional lives lost.

In 1952, the basic land reform was completed after a five-year campaign in the People's Republic of China. All land deeds were destroyed and land was redistributed, resulting in the execution of roughly two million landlords.

Mao Zedong launched the Sufan movement in 1955, which was a campaign to suppress counterrevolutionaries and strengthen the Communist Party's control in China.

The Hungarian Revolution influenced Mao's decision to soften his stance on Chinese intelligentsia and allow them to express their social dissatisfaction and criticisms of the government. However, following the Hundred Flowers Campaign, Mao cracked down on the movement he initiated.

On June 13, 1957, Mao Zedong's prominence and influence in China continued to rise, solidifying his position as a key figure in the Communist Party and the country's leadership.

Mao Zedong introduces a theory that calls for more freedoms but with certain limitations in place.

Mao Zedong imposes restrictions on the 'Bloom-Contend' phase of the Communist movement.

In 1958, Mao Zedong initiated the Great Leap Forward, a campaign aimed at rapidly transforming China from an agrarian society into a socialist society through rapid industrialization and collectivization. The campaign led to widespread famine and economic devastation.

The Reds made significant developments on October 21, 1958.

On December 19, 1958, Red China slowed the commune drive and focused on implementing reforms.

Peiping ordered army officers to assist in the reorganization of communes on December 25, 1958.

Mao stepped down as President of China but retained other top positions such as Chairman of the Communist Party and of the Central Military Commission. The Presidency was transferred to Liu Shaoqi.

To address unrest, Red China eased life in communes on May 17, 1959.

In August 27, 1959, the Chinese government acknowledged that the output figures for 1958 were significantly exaggerated.

In 1960, Mao Zedong publicly acknowledged that the Great Leap Forward had resulted in a catastrophe for China.

On February 12, 1961, clashes on party issues were revealed, indicating internal conflicts within the party.

On March 11, 1961, Peiping retreated in the economic field, suggesting a shift or change in economic policies or strategies.

On April 15, 1961, reports of hunger in Red China stirred strong opposition, indicating potential unrest or dissatisfaction among the population.

On April 16, 1961, the long shadow of Mao Zedong was cast over events, suggesting a significant influence or impact of Mao Zedong's legacy.

On October 24, 1961, Chou quit talks of Red leaders and returned to China, signifying a notable shift or development in diplomatic relations or internal dynamics.

At a large Communist Party conference in Beijing, State Chairman Liu Shaoqi denounced the Great Leap Forward, attributing it to widespread famine in China. This led to a brief period of liberalization and the disbanding of people's communes to rescue the economy.

Mao Zedong launched the Socialist Education Movement in 1963, which aimed to reassert Communist ideology and control over the Chinese population.

The Great Chinese Famine resulted in approximately 40 million deaths due to a widespread famine caused by the economic policies of the Great Leap Forward revolution.

After the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964, Mao's proposal for the development of basic and national defense industry in protected locations in China's interior gained support. This initiative, known as the Third Front, involved massive projects including railroad infrastructure, aerospace industry, and steel production.

In 1965, Mao Zedong initiated the Cultural Revolution, a tumultuous and violent socio-political movement in China.

Mao Zedong initiated the Cultural Revolution, a sociopolitical movement in China, aiming to preserve true communist ideology and remove capitalist and traditional elements from society.

Efforts to influence and control the youth were believed to be the driving force behind the Peking Purge in 1966.

The 'Red Guards' were seen to be engaging in violent and aggressive behavior in Peking in August 1966.

Project 523 was a secret military project of the People's Republic of China to find antimalarial medications. It was launched in response to the important threat of malaria in the Vietnam War and resulted in the development of new antimalarial drugs called artemisinins.

Mao Zedong purges a host of Party veterans, including Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping, leading to disorder and the intervention of the army.

Lin Biao, who was chosen by Mao as his successor, died in a plane crash over Mongolia in 1971. The Chinese Communist Party declared that Lin was planning to depose Mao and posthumously expelled him from the party.

Chou and the U.S. agree to renew contacts, with the U.S. planning to gradually withdraw from Taiwan.

The CCP's Tenth Congress issues a new Party Constitution, which includes the elimination of a clause naming Lin Biao as Mao's successor.

Mao is credited for raising the average life expectancy from 35 in 1949 to 63 by 1975, bringing unity and stability to China.

A massive earthquake hits the northern city of Tangshan, resulting in the death of nearly a million people.

Mao Zedong, the influential Chinese leader, passes away on September 9th.

On September 10, 1976, Mao Zedong was recognized as the father of the Chinese Revolution.

Hua Guofeng leads the arrest of influential radicals, including Jiang Qing, Zhang Chunqiao, Wang Hongwen, and Yao Wenyuan.

The Deng Xiaoping reforms were regarded as a betrayal of Maoism by many outside of China, aligning with Mao's view of 'capitalist roaders' within the Communist Party. This event marked a significant shift in China's economic and political direction.

In 1980, Mao Zedong was portrayed by Han Shi in the film 'Cross the Dadu River', further adding to his representation in film and television.

The communist party's Central Committee adopted the Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party since the Founding of the People's Republic of China, which assessed the legacy of the Mao era and the party's priorities going forward. The Resolution describes setbacks and major mistakes during Mao's era, while concluding that Mao's contributions to the Chinese Revolution far outweigh his mistakes.

American composer John Adams' opera 'Nixon in China' premiered in 1987, featuring Mao Zedong as a principal character.

On 13 March 2006, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference proposed to include the portraits of Sun Yat-sen and Deng Xiaoping in the renminbi.

China opened the Mao Zedong Square to visitors in his home town of central Hunan Province to mark the 115th anniversary of his birth.

Professor Jeffrey Wasserstrom compares China's relationship to Mao to Americans' remembrance of Andrew Jackson, highlighting the positive regard for both leaders despite their roles in devastating policies. This comparison sheds light on the complex and nuanced perspectives on Mao's legacy within China and internationally.

Liu Ye played the role of a young Mao Zedong in the 2011 film 'The Founding of a Party', contributing to Mao's portrayal in modern cinema.

The book 'Mao: A Very Short Introduction' was published by Oxford in 2013. It provides a concise overview of Mao Zedong's life and impact on China.

A video of Bi Fujian, a television host, insulting Mao at a private dinner in 2015 went viral, sparking support and backlash.

A 2016 survey by YouGov found that 42% of American millennials have never heard of Mao Zedong.

According to the CIS poll, in 2019 only 21% of Australian millennials were familiar with Mao Zedong.

The book 'Mao: A Very Short Introduction' by Delia Davin was published in 2022. It provides a concise overview of Mao Zedong's life, influence, and impact on Chinese history and politics.