<human>:  When did the Great Leap Forward start and when did it end?
<bot>: The Great Leap Forward was a period of rapid industrialization in China between 1958 and 1962. It was initiated by Mao Zedong, who believed that China’s agricultural economy could not support its rapidly growing population. The Great Leap Forward was a disastrous failure. Millions died due to famine and millions more died due to political purges.