Chapter 75 Lin Biao led the million people to the Tiananmen Conference 1967

Journalist: “You weren’t in Beijing, but Lin Biao and Wang Li went to Tiananmen Square?”

Journalist: “Were you afraid that Lin Biao would overshadow you in Beijing?”

Mao: “Yes, I was in distress in Wuhan and fled to Shanghai in a hurry. Lin Biao was extremely active in Beijing during that time. He was ecstatic and seized the opportunity to expand his influence. Lin Liguo even published an article in the Liberation Army Daily titled “Expose a Small Group within the Army,” possibly intending to carry out a large-scale purge of the entire army and replace them with his own people. Lin Biao took advantage of my absence from Beijing and went to Tiananmen Square alone to make a show of strength, claiming it was to welcome the hero Wang Li back to Beijing. Only I can lead at Tiananmen Square, and this touched a nerve with me. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. He wanted to cross me and go to Tiananmen Square alone, challenging my authority.

Yes, Wang Li and Lin Biao going to Tiananmen Square alone displayed their power, and it made me very uncomfortable. Can Tiananmen Square be freely accessed without me? Wang Li became a bit reckless and conceited. On August 7, 1967, he said to the rebel faction in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that they should seize leadership. On August 11, the rebel faction criticized and overthrew Chen Yi.

On August 1, 1967, Lin Biao indulged Guan Feng, and the Liberation Army Daily published an editorial using the residual influence of overthrowing Chen Zaidao to raise the slogan ‘Expose a Small Group within the Army.’ As soon as I saw this, I realized there was a problem and said, ‘Defend the Great Wall.’ If they continue to bring up ‘Exposing a Small Group within the Army,’ it will cause chaos in the military and destroy my Great Wall. My instruction regarding this was transmitted to Beijing on August 12.”

Journalist: “Did you oppose Lin Biao using the pretext of overthrowing Chen Zaidao and exposing a small group within the army?”

Mao: “Yes, in August 1967, while I was in Shanghai, I had Zhang Chunqiao go to the Dabie Mountains to invite Xu Shiyu to come to Shanghai. Xu was hiding on a military farm in the Dabie Mountains. When he came to Shanghai and I saw him, he immediately knelt in front of me, and I helped him up and comforted him. He had killed two leopards in the Dabie Mountains, one of which he gave to Yang Chengwu and the other to Zhang Chunqiao. He also gave Zhang a box of Maotai liquor.”

Journalist: “Oh, you brought Xu Shiyu here, and he knelt before you?”

Mao: “Yes, when Zhou Enlai saw that the situation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was out of control, and the incident of the British Consulate being set on fire on August 22, 1967, he specifically sent Yang Chengwu to fly to Shanghai and report to me that the situation was severe. After considering it for a day, in order to appease the army generals, I decided to bring down Wang Li and Guan Feng to balance the situation. Lin Biao used Wang Li’s solo appearance at a high point in Tiananmen Square to show off, so I also wanted to take down Wang Li and suppress his arrogance. Only I can lead at Tiananmen Square and display my authority. On August 26, I told Yang Chengwu: ‘Arrest Wang Li and Guan Feng for sabotaging the Cultural Revolution. Let Premier Zhou handle it alone.’ I specifically instructed that Zhou should handle it without going through Lin Biao, Jiang Qing, or the Central Cultural Revolution Group to avoid their unnecessary meddling. Yang Chengwu immediately flew back to Beijing and reported to Zhou.

On the evening of August 26, 1967, Zhou Enlai acted swiftly and conveyed my instructions to the Central Cultural Revolution Group to isolate and investigate Wang Li and Guan Feng. Jiang Qing was in a heavy mood and cried after the meeting. From then on, the influence of Jiang Qing’s faction significantly declined, and more than 140 people brought in by Wang and Guan were purged.”

Journalist: “Oh, so you wanted to appease the army generals and suppress the rebel faction of the Central Cultural Revolution Group, employing a strategy of balance?”

Mao: “Yes, on September 1, 1967, under my guidance, Jiang Qing also changed her tune and said she was not afraid to speak against right-leaning tendencies. She emphasized that we should not focus on exposing a small group within the army but should carry out the struggle-criticism-transformation within our own units.

On September 16, 1967, I left Shanghai and traveled by special train through Hangzhou, Nanchang, Changsha, Wuhan, and Zhengzhou. On September 23, I returned to Beijing. Regarding the Wang Li incident, I recited a Tang poem to Wang Hairong: “When the time comes, heaven and earth will lend their strength, and when luck runs out, heroes lose their freedom.” Everyone hailed me as a great helmsman. A helmsman must steer according to the wind; steering against the wind will capsize the ship.”

Journalist: “So, you manipulated the situation skillfully and effortlessly?”