30. Official Incompetence Added Unnecessary Suffering to an Already Tragic Disaster
The Chinese government was not prepared for such a tragic event. 100,000 soldiers, 30,000 medical personnel, and another 30,000 construction workers were mobilized, and ordered to Tangshan to assist with rescue and recovery. However, just getting them there proved to be a challenge. Road and rail links to the stricken region had been severed, so rescuers had to walk to get there – some covering almost 200 miles on foot.
When they got there, many of the rescuers lacked the training for pulling survivors out of the rubble, and there was little effective oversight on the ground to coordinate their efforts. Mao’s government, embarrassed and unwilling to let outsiders witness the incompetence of its response, refused all offers of foreign assistance. As a result, during the crucial first few days after the disaster, many died from lack of adequate care.