I’ve read that the CCP, observing how Khrushchev’s denunciation of Stalin was catastrophic for the Communist cause globally, never attacked Mao after his death but emphasized on separating “Mao Zedong thought” from Mao the man, whom they say made mistakes in his later years.

Of course it seems intuitive how such a vehement repudiation of the head of the biggest communist state would be detrimental for communism worldwide but how did it actually happen in practice?

Surely communists didn’t just become liberals after hearing about le evil communist. Though it certainly must have been grist for the anticommunist propaganda mill.