Brain-Washing in Red China

by Edward Hunter

Genres: Psychology

374 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

Reviews

[Drew · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author states countless times that the Chinese are brainwashed by the CCP and the Soviet Union. Instead of letting the reader figure it out, it would have better to give more examples and let the reader discover it on their own. The stories are interesting and engaging, but they seem faked. This ironically made me feel like the author was pushing an agenda, creating their own religious and political propaganda.

[Steven Petarra · Rating 2 out of 5]

The very first thing to know if you plan on reading this book is that the author, Edward Hunter, was an OSS operative during WWII and remained a covert CIA agent under the cover of a journalist. It's entirely possible this book is CIA disinformation, sensationalistic pulp designed to make people fear and hate the Chinese Communists. This is difficult to prove, because he quotes Chinese textbooks and diaries that have never been translated before along with confidential sources he can't disclose.

That being said, some of his information was corroborated. The Chinese did run political indoctrination centers, they did create a totalitarian state that attempts to control an individuals mind, and they did foster hatred against America.

Some of his other assertions were not so well regarded, like his claim that all of the insurgencies in Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indochina, Indonesia, etc...) were just sectors in a Chinese war against the West. This was a Chinese fantasy, that all the people of Asia were united with them, and Hunter takes the Chinese statements at face value.

Overall, the book is flavoring for other ideas I've read elsewhere. I wouldn't believe anything the book says based solely on it's own evidence.

[Carolyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish it. It sounded like the same thing over and over again.