It's exactly what it says on the tin. Let's say the South African Air Force that kills Mao's son, Mao Anying, with four napalm bombs fails to function properly on the day of the deed. What are the possibilities that China faces as a result of this?
Mao would shift power to his sun and we would see the power in China begin to be a herediatry thing, much like Korea. Not much is known about the sons abilities to lead though I wonder how he might have turned out.It's exactly what it says on the tin. Let's say the South African Air Force that kills Mao's son, Mao Anying, with four napalm bombs fails to function properly on the day of the deed. What are the possibilities that China faces as a result of this?
Mao would shift power to his sun and we would see the power in China begin to be a herediatry thing, much like Korea. Not much is known about the sons abilities to lead though I wonder how he might have turned out.
It's entirely possible that Mao would *try* - OTL he didn't trust much of anyone in the party to get it right. (Not definite - he might not trust his son either.)
But the party will still disagree with Mao. Mao will still become convinced of the party's corruption and launch the cultural revolution. And once that happens, Mao's son doesn't have a chance, simply because he's Mao's son.
OTL, after all, Jiang Qing, Mao's wife (although I don't believe Mao Anying's mother) was arrested and given life imprisonment. If Mao's son sticks with his father politically, there's no way he'll be allowed in politics by the post-Cultural Revolution party, although his name might keep him out of prison. If he does not, he won't be able to trade on family connections and will have no powerbase for any such bid.
Most likely, he goes down as a historical footnote, if even that.
Thoughts?
(after Peng Dehuai's fall, so 1959-60).