Chairman Mao was the ruler of modern day China from 1945 to 1976. In 1958 he began his largest campaign, “The Great Leap Forward.” This plan took China and changed it’s ancient economics and modernized them to a point of suffering and poverty for it’s people. The power and products of the individual farmer were given to the government. Many farmers died of starvation. This change occurred exactly one year before the Yellow River flooded killing 2 million Chinese citizens. Mao seemed to care for China first and it’s people second. To this day he is loved by many, many millions of China’s people. Although considered a hard time, Mao was able to mobilize his subjects in a time of China’s greatest “Pride of Country."