The People's Republic of China was established on October 1, 1949. It was the culmination of over two decades of civil and international wars. Mao famously announced: "We (the Chinese people) have stood up."[162]
Mao took up residence in Zhongnanhai, a compound next to the Forbidden City in Beijing, and there he ordered the construction of an indoor swimming pool and other buildings. Mao's physician Li Zhisui described him as conducting business either in bed or by the side of the pool, preferring not to wear formal clothes unless absolutely necessary.[163] Li's book, The Private Life of Chairman Mao, is regarded as controversial, especially by those sympathetic to Mao.[164]
In October 1950, Mao made the decision to send the People's Volunteer Army, a special unit of the People's Liberation Army, China's armed forces into the war in Korea and fight against the United Nations forces and the South Korean armies led by the U.S as well as to reinforce the armed forces of North Korea, the Korean People's Army which had been in full retreat. Historical records showed that Mao directed the PVA campaigns in the Korean War to the minute details as Chairman of the ruling CPC's Central Military Commission that oversees the country's armed forces. Since he was the Chairman of the CPC's CMC, he was also the Supreme Commander in Chief of the PLA aside from being the Chairman of the People's Republic and Chairman of the ruling CPC. The PVA was under the overall command of then newly installed Premier Zhou Enlai and with General Peng Dehuai as field commander and political commissar as well.[165]