Chapter 71 The army is also divided into two factions 1966-1967

Journalist: “Did the military during the Cultural Revolution also have rebel factions and conservative factions?”

Mao: “Yes, in early 1966, Lin Biao entrusted Jiang Qing to organize discussions on military arts and literature, targeting the ‘black elements’ in the arts and literature. The rebel factions also emerged within military arts groups and student organizations. Where there are rebels, there is also suppression. Many rebel factions were repressed. The military also had the capitalist reactionary line. Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping were overthrown. On October 5, 1966, Lin Biao issued an urgent directive, deciding to implement the ‘Four Greats’ (four major movements) in military academies and institutions following local practices. The military also had bureaucratic corruption, and the rebel factions rose up. Over 100 institutions were completely paralyzed in terms of leadership. I happily said, ‘Indeed, there are demons within military academies.’ During the Cultural Revolution, many military units became havens for the revisionist faction, and they were entrusted with the custody of materials from provincial party committees.

Military conservative leaders did not want chaos. On November 13, 1966, a mass rally with 100,000 people was held in Beijing. Chen Yi and Ye Jianying mobilized students from military academies to return to their schools and participate in the Cultural Revolution. They emphasized that they should not storm the gates but rather focus on the buildings.”

Journalist: “The military leadership did not want chaos. What about the Central Cultural Revolution Group?”

Mao: “The Central Cultural Revolution Group represented me. I intended to counterattack. On December 31, 1966, a 2,000-person meeting was held at the Beijing West Guesthouse. Liu Zhijian, the leader of the military’s Cultural Revolution group, presided over the meeting and specifically called for Ye Jianying to make self-criticisms. Before Ye Jianying could finish his self-criticism, he was besieged. I was not aware of the meeting beforehand but gave instructions to investigate it. Jiang Qing shifted the blame to Liu Zhijian, removed him from his position, and soon after he was isolated for investigation. Xu Xiangqian took over as the group leader, and Jiang Qing became the military’s Cultural Revolution consultant, fulfilling her long-standing desire to intervene in the military.

I supported the rebellion in military academies, which led to the downfall of their leadership, and the provincial military regions were thrown into chaos. The military also had issues of bureaucratic corruption, and many leaders were criticized and targeted. A total of 22 senior military officials were criticized and attacked, and Qiu Huizuo narrowly escaped being completely purged. It was only through a note written by Lin Biao that Qiu Huizuo was spared. Xu Xiangqian ran to the Dabie Mountains, and Han Xianchu in Fuzhou declared his intention to wage guerrilla warfare in the mountains. The majority of the military were extremely dissatisfied with the targeting of their leaders.”

Journalist: “The military leaders were unhappy with the targeting of leaders in struggle sessions. The military was on the verge of turmoil. What did you do?”

Mao: “Lin Biao came to me and said, ‘The military is in a dangerous situation.’ In early January 1967, with my approval, the Military Commission held an expanded meeting at the Western Guesthouse in Beijing. On January 28, the notice ‘Prohibiting the Struggle from Targeting the Military,’ also known as the ‘Eight Regulations of the Military Commission,’ was issued. It stated that there should be no assaults or connections made. The wave of rebellion was suppressed, and I aimed to stabilize the military.

At the end of March 1967, Qiu Huizuo returned to the General Logistics Department to resume his work. He immediately targeted a small group of people, seeking revenge and harshly interrogating them. He fabricated 29 false cases involving several hundred people. Private prisons were set up, and 300 soldiers were deployed to guard them. This resulted in the deaths of 143 individuals and forced the deaths of others. Anyone who opposed Qiu suffered consequences, including their entire families. Over 3,200 cadres and masses were subjected to investigation, and their family members and friends, numbering over tens of thousands, were implicated. More than 1,000 cadres were sent to factories, horse farms, and farms for long-term detention and labor. Over 3,000 cadres were exiled to Ningxia for labor, and over 4,700 cadres were demobilized.”

Journalist: “The military faction turned around and suppressed the rebel faction fiercely, didn’t they?”

Mao: “Yes, there were over 300 people from the Inner Mongolia Military Region who collectively went to Beijing, demanding the implementation of the Four Bigs. Ye Jianying deployed a considerable number of troops and took those 300 people for training and transformation before the majority of them were disbanded and sent home.”

Journalist: “Ye Jianying also suppressed the rebel faction fiercely, didn’t he?”

Mao: “Yes, I believe there was excessive suppression of the rebel faction. On April 6, 1967, I approved the Military Commission’s ‘Ten Orders,’ emphasizing that arbitrary arrests were prohibited, and those who were arrested should be immediately rehabilitated, released, as revolutionary activities were not criminal, and mass democracy was not criminal. There would be no investigations into attacks on institutions. The Ten Orders contradicted the January 8 regulations.

Regarding the ‘Ten Orders,’ many generals were resistant. Chen Zaidao in Wuhan said, ‘This is too much! They want to stir things up again! I won’t implement it, I won’t discuss it.’

I wanted the military to rebel, but at the same time, I wanted to stabilize the military. There were contradictions between the two, sometimes leaning left and sometimes right. With each turning point, a large number of rebel factions were suppressed.”

Journalist: “The military’s shifts between left and right were all based on your highest instructions?”

Journalist: “The military divided into two factions, with the rebel faction supporting the Ten Orders and the conservative faction supporting the Eight Orders.”

Mao: “Yes, my long-time favored dance partner, Liu Suyuan, was in the Air Force Art Troupe and belonged to the conservative faction. She asked me about Wu Faxian. I said he could be criticized but not overthrown. She firmly supported Wu Faxian, and with the support of Xiao Jingguang and Yu Lijin, she became the leader of the majority faction, known as ‘Commander Liu.’ The Air Force Art Troupe became an important force for the conservative faction.”
Journalist: “With just a few words, you made your favored dance partner become a rebel commander?”

Mao: “Yes, on May 13, 1967, the conservative faction in the military planned to hold a performance at the Beijing Exhibition Theater. The rebel faction stormed the stage, waving flags and causing violent clashes. With the support of Xiao Jingguang and Yu Lijin, the conservative faction called in two platoons, forcing the rebel faction to retreat. The conservative faction regrouped and the performance was successful.

While the two factions were engaged in the battle at the theater, Liu Suyuan and I were in the bedroom. She said that the revolutionary faction had won, and I replied, ‘You’re happy for nothing! The rebel faction can still turn the tables.’”

Journalist: “Oh, the two factions were fighting at the theater, and you and your favored partner were watching in the bedroom?”

Mao: “Yes, at that time, Zhou Enlai, Chen Boda, Xiao Hua, and others were at the Great Hall of the People, making efforts to reconcile the two factions and unite for the performance. I allowed Liu Suyuan to go to the Great Hall of the People. She informed Zhou Enlai that I supported the performance. The situation at the venue was chaotic, so Zhou Enlai immediately stood on a chair and shouted to the rebel faction not to rush into the venue, or they would be challenging Chairman Mao’s revolutionary line. Zhou also sent Chen Boda and Xiao Hua to the scene to stop the attacks.

After the performance on May 13, 1967, the rebel factions in the military began to disintegrate. Liu Suyuan was a small chess piece manipulated by me. Lin Biao had previously asked Ye Qun to meet with Liu Suyuan and inform her that Lin Biao supported the conservatives. I also agreed with Lin Biao that the military needed stability in order to carry out its tasks. I wanted to use the military to lead the Cultural Revolution.”

Journalist: “Oh, by using the military to control the localities, you suppressed the rebel factions in the military?”

Mao: “Yes, as early as January 1967, I instructed Lin Biao to involve the military in Anhui to support the rebel factions and seize power from Li Baohua. We should not serve as protective air-raid shelters for the capitalist-roaders. On March 19, 1967, the Military Commission issued the decision ‘Supporting the Left, Supporting Agriculture, Supporting Industry, Military Control, Military Training’ based on my instructions. From then on, a large number of military cadres were sent to local areas to participate in the Cultural Revolution. By the end of 1969, 2.8 million military personnel were deployed to carry out military control in nine provinces, 25 major cities, dozens of special zones, and over a hundred counties. Military personnel served as the chairpersons of revolutionary committees at or above the county level, accounting for over 80% of positions.”

Journalist: “So, does this mean that military control was implemented nationwide?”

Mao: “Yes, the high-level military officials were in communication with the local bureaucrats. In reality, the majority of the military supported the conservative faction and were dissatisfied with the unruly actions of the rebel faction. The so-called ‘supporting the left’ actually meant supporting the conservative faction. The rebel factions were suppressed and repressed. With the military intervening in the localities, the strength of the rebel forces gradually weakened, while both the military and the local bureaucrats gained power.”

Journalist: “Oh, so military control was essentially the suppression of the rebel factions?”