Sidney Rittenberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sidney Rittenberg |
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Sidney Rittenberg in 2012
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| Chinese | 李敦白 | ||||||||||||
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Sidney Rittenberg (Chinese: 李敦白; pinyin: Lǐ Dūnbái; August 14, 1921 – August 24, 2019) was an American journalist and expert on China. He lived in China for many years, from 1944 to 1980. Sidney worked closely with important leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). These leaders included Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Zhou Enlai. He was with them during the Chinese Communist Revolution. Later, he was put in prison by himself, twice. In his book, "The Man Who Stayed Behind," Rittenberg said he was one of the first Americans to join the CCP.
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Sidney Rittenberg's Early Life
Sidney Rittenberg was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His family was Jewish. He lived there until he went to college. His father was the president of the Charleston City Council. Sidney went to Porter Military Academy. He chose to go to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill instead of Princeton University. At Chapel Hill, he studied philosophy. He also joined the US Communist Party.
When he arrived in China, he had a special task. He was sent to give money to a family. A US soldier had accidentally killed their daughter. Even though the family was very sad, they gave Sidney some money back. This moment changed how Sidney Rittenberg saw the world.
Working with Chinese Leaders
Sidney Rittenberg became friends with Mao Zedong. This was when Mao lived in caves in Yan'an. Their friendship lasted for many years. Sidney later worked for the Xinhua News Agency. This is a major news organization in China. He also worked for the Central Broadcast Administration.
First Time in Prison
In 1949, Beijing was about to be taken over by the Communists. Sidney Rittenberg was called to the capital city. He thought he would help tell the world about the new government. Instead, he was arrested. He was put in prison by himself. This happened because he was accused of being a spy.
Sidney Rittenberg said a poem helped him survive this time. The poem was by Edwin Markham:
- They drew a circle that shut me out
- Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout
- But love and I had the wit to win;
- We drew a circle that took them in.
The Cultural Revolution
Sidney was released from prison in 1955. He continued to support Mao Zedong. He also strongly supported the Great Leap Forward. This was a big plan to change China's economy. Later, he supported the Cultural Revolution. This was a major political movement in China. For a short time, he was close to Mao's inner group. He even led a group of people to take over a state broadcasting station. In 1967, a major newspaper, the People's Daily, published an article he wrote.
However, Sidney Rittenberg said he disagreed with some extreme actions during this time. Because of his objections, he was arrested again. He was put back in solitary confinement. This second time, he was in prison from 1967 to 1977. After his release, he moved back to the United States.
Helping Businesses in China
After returning to the United States, Sidney used his knowledge of China. He also used his many contacts there. He became a business advisor. He helped big company leaders, like Bill Gates of Microsoft. He also advised Michael S. Dell, who founded Dell computers. Sidney taught them how to do business in China's growing economy. He was still welcome in China. He would take business people on trips there. He introduced them to important people in the country.
See also
- Anna Louise Strong
- Jean Pasqualini
- Edgar Snow
- Sidney Shapiro
