Great Chinese Famine

1959-1961 Chinese famine, the deadliest in history, with 15-46 million deaths. Caused by Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward: high grain confiscation, inefficient distribution, over-reported production, poor farming techniques, and transferring farmers to industry. In 1981 the Communist Party blamed it mainly on Great Leap Forward mistakes, alongside natural disasters and the Sino-Soviet split.