Anna Louise Strong, an American Marxist–Leninist elderly lady and an old friend of the Chinese Communist Party eight years older than Mao, was the first to hear Mao say that American imperialism was a “paper tiger.” She spread Mao’s famous remark—“imperialism is a paper tiger”—throughout the world. She came to China six times, settled in Beijing in 1958, joined the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution, and in 1970 died in anxiety and unrest, unable to see any of her American relatives one last time.

More than forty years after his death, whenever Mao thought of Strong, he still felt remorse and wished to see her. Taking advantage of the Jade Emperor’s permission to meet departed spirits, he went straight to find her.

Mao: “You worked tirelessly for the Chinese revolution for decades—from the 1920s until your death in Beijing in 1970. In the end, you died alone in loneliness, without children, without seeing even one relative. Your death was not peaceful. The Jade Emperor has permitted me to see you. I have come specially today.”

Strong: “I died alone in a foreign land, and Beijing at that time was in chaos. Looking back over decades of revolutionary奔波, was it worth it? Since the 1920s, I was full of ideals and dissatisfied with the state of America. Seeing the Soviet October Revolution gave me hope. I lived there for twenty years, reporting on the Soviet Union to the world, and married a Party member and writer. He died in World War II, and from then on I remained single. In the 1940s, I turned to China and saw hope there.”

Mao: “After World War II you visited China. We met in Yan’an in 1946. That was the first time I told you that American imperialism was a paper tiger. You spread my remarks around the world, and from then on my ‘paper tiger’ theory became famous. I am very grateful for your reporting.”

Strong: “Your ‘paper tiger’ argument indeed broke the psychological superstition about American imperialism and greatly inspired revolutionary movements.”

Mao: “In 1949 you wanted to come to China again. You reached Moscow but were blocked by the Soviet Union, accused of being a spy.”

Strong: “Everyone knew the spy charge was fabricated. Stalin did not want me to go to China again or to report too much about you and China, lest your image surpass his. Your bold ‘paper tiger’ rhetoric had already overshadowed the Soviet Union in momentum. Moscow detained me for six days and then sent me back to the United States.”

Mao: “But you were indomitable. You kept trying and finally obtained a passport to return to China. In 1958 you came, and I warmly welcomed you.”

Strong: “I was glad to come. I wanted to report on China to America and the world, to expand China’s influence and spread world revolution.”

Mao: “Your external propaganda helped me greatly.”

Strong: “But later I discovered that what I reported was all material given to me by Xinhua News Agency. I did not obtain true first-hand information. During the Great Leap Forward, the ‘satellite launches’ were largely false. You also concealed the great famine. I was unable to report objective and truthful conditions to the world.”

Mao: “We could only let you publicize my achievements, not conduct objective reporting. You know, in the Communist Party there is no word ‘objective,’ only ‘propaganda.’ Could we publicize bad things?”

Strong: “People said my reports were simply the English edition of Xinhua. I became China’s external propaganda tool. Americans said I was dishonest.”

Mao: “You know, in Communist vocabulary there is no word ‘honesty,’ only loyalty to the Party, loyalty to the revolution, loyalty to the leader.”

Strong: “But you cannot conceal negative things.”

Mao: “Report negative things? The Communist Party has only propaganda, not reporting. To report negatives would become opposition to the Party. I could only give you good things to publicize.”

Strong: “I became your loudspeaker. In 1966, when the Cultural Revolution began, I was excited. I saw new hope again.”

Mao: “You joined the Red Guards, wore the red armband, reported to the world, and promoted world revolution.”

Strong: “Li Dunbai and I wrote big-character posters. We rebelled too and joined the anti-revisionist movement.”

Mao: “I saw your big-character poster to the Bureau of Experts and wrote an instruction: ‘Very good.’”

Strong: “At the start of the Cultural Revolution, I also reported abroad that this was not a succession struggle but a movement to transform the human soul and build a new world. But gradually I saw chaos—teachers being struggled against. In our compound no one tended the gardens anymore. Someone told me that tending flowers sapped one’s will. I became angry and said, ‘What kind of will is Mao’s smoking?’ I wrote a critical article intending to send it to The Guardian, but my Chinese friends would not allow it to be sent, so I gave up. Day and night I was anxious, watching the movement unfold. In 1968, when I heard that Liu Shaoqi had been expelled as a ‘traitor, spy, and scab,’ I sat alone for hours that night, bewildered and at a loss.”

Mao: “Bringing down Liu Shaoqi was my objective, my entire strategic deployment.”

Strong: “After helping your revolution for decades, only at the end did I realize that your internal power struggles were far more important than anti-imperialist revolution. Against American imperialism it was not life-or-death, but against your internal rivals it was life-or-death. I no longer felt safe. The cult of worship regarded me as heretical. I was restless; my health declined. In 1969 my grandnephew wanted to visit me in China. I applied for five consecutive months, but approval was still denied. I was furious. I planned to go to Phnom Penh to see him, but that was not permitted either. I was like a bird in a cage. I wanted to return to America and breathe free air again.”

Mao: “Once you entered the iron barrel, you had to listen to me.”

Strong: “In 1970 my health deteriorated. I felt life had no meaning. None of my hopes could be realized. I refused medicine and hospitalization. They carried me to the hospital by force. I refused to eat and refused nutritional injections. Finally Zhou Enlai came to see me and urged me to eat and take medicine. Out of respect for him, I nodded. Zhou immediately ordered that my grandnephew be notified to come to China. But it was too late. The next day I went to see God.”

Mao: “Your passing was too unexpected and not peaceful. I heard from medical staff that before dying you suddenly sat upright and clearly said in English, ‘Is it possible?’ Then you collapsed onto the bed, and shortly after your heart stopped beating.”

Strong: “My death was not complete. In those turbulent and chaotic years, completion was impossible. You buried me at Babaoshan and gave me high honors, but I felt it would have been better to return to my homeland in freedom.”

Mao: “After my death, Deng Xiaoping carried out reform and opening. Now exchanges between China and the United States are quite free.”

Strong: “You were inferior to Deng Xiaoping. I was deceived by you. You must repent and reflect deeply! In thirty years you plunged China into chaos; tens of millions died. Your crimes are immense. You must thoroughly repent.”

Mao replied evasively, “I am continuing to reflect. Please give me more time. On the day of the Jade Emperor’s public trial, you will receive a final answer.”

Mao and Strong had said what needed to be said. After finishing their conversation, Mao departed.

Strong’s emotions remained unsettled for a long time. She thought: A lifetime’s pursuit turned out to be a deception. Retribution—retribution!

NEXT: 28. Agnes Smedley (1892–1950) & Wu Lili (1911–1975)