Tightly Grasp the Key Link of Rectification[1]

(June 6, 1943)

Comrade Dehuai:

(1) An Ziwen has arrived. The message you asked him to convey to the Central Committee has been delivered, and we were very pleased upon reading it. (2) In the preceding stage of rectification, it was correct to emphasize the style of study, but in the subsequent stage, emphasis should be placed on the Party's work style, because the style of study is a question of ideological method, whereas the Party's work style is a question of practice. Only by emphasizing the Party's work style in the latter period (the second half of this year) can we apply the ideological method to the practice of Party spirit and overcome the phenomenon of impurity in Party spirit. In the study of the Party's work style, self-criticism should be further developed; everyone should be mobilized to write a self-examination note specifically on Dimitrov's four criteria for cadres. The Yan'an Party School once spent two weeks studying these four criteria. In the final stage of the study of the Party's work style, everyone should also be mobilized to write an ideological autobiography, which may be written repeatedly until it is satisfactorily completed. Finally, a confession campaign should be launched (possibly in the winter), in which everyone is called upon to speak out thoroughly about all matters in which they have let the Party down. The filling out of "whispering" forms and social relations forms should be initiated; on these two forms, everyone should be required to fill out completely all politically charged "whispering" that should not have been divulged in ordinary times, as well as all kinds of social relations in their personal history. During this stage, emphasis should be placed on opposing the error of liberalism and correcting liberalism within the Party ideologically. Only after the study of the Party's work style is completed (the style of writing should be studied together with the style of study) should the examination of cadres (chiefly the ferreting out of hidden traitors) be carried out, which should take place in the first half of next year. If rectification can be truly accomplished well this year, and the examination of cadres truly accomplished well next year, that will be an extraordinary achievement. Our Party's

[1] This is a letter from Mao Zedong to Peng Dehuai dated June 6, 1943, on how to grasp the key link of rectification.

great undertaking of a century will thereby have its foundation laid. I ask you to tightly grasp this key link. The telegram sent by Shaoqi on the 2nd to Chen and Rao[1] has been forwarded to your place; please refer to it.

Mao Zedong

The 6th

[1] Namely, Chen Yi and Rao Shushi.