We construct a gauge theoretic change of variables for the wave map from R × Rn into a compact group or Riemannian symmetric space, prove a new multiplication theorem for mixed Lebesgue-Besov spaces, and show the global well-posedness of a modified wave map equation - n ≥ 4 - for small critical initial data. We obtain global existence and uniqueness for the Cauchy problem of wave maps into compact Lie groups and symmetric spaces with small critical initial data and n ≥ 4.