d, and transportation was disrupted. At one point, Red Guards were fighting battles with Government troops outside of the Foreign Ministry building. Later on, Red Guard units ended up fighting each other for supremacy. Under Mao's orders and Lin Biao's direction, the People's Liberation Army tried to bring order to the chaos, using any means necessary to slow the radical nature of the movement. After many violent clashes, political order was reestablished in 1968. In July Mao told the student leaders of the Red Guard to dissolve the organization. Student rebels were sent to the countryside for reeducation along with hundreds of thousands of Party cadre. For all the turmoil, the Cultural Revolution seemed to accomplish little in terms of lasting economic or political achievement. A key element in Mao's campaign was the support of the People's Liberation Army, led by General Lin Bao. While the Cultural Revolution 'officially' ended in 1969, and the worst abuses stopped then, the politically charged atmosphere was maintained until Mao's death in 1976....
