Forwarded Comment on Huang Jing's[I] Supplementary Plan for the Suppression of Counterrevolutionaries in Tianjin
(March 18, 1951)

To all central bureaus, and forward to sub-bureaus, party committees of large and medium-sized cities, provincial party committees, and regional party committees:

In the work of suppressing counterrevolutionaries in all large and medium-sized cities, the momentum over the past few months has generally been very weak. This has mainly resulted from the leading organs' insufficient understanding of the seriousness of the counterrevolutionaries and the extreme importance of the work of suppressing counterrevolutionaries. Beginning in February, first Beijing, and now Tianjin and Chongqing, have begun to move—this is a good phenomenon. The large cities are the most important lairs where counterrevolutionary elements and their leading organs hide. We must devote great strength to dealing with them, must conduct serious study, make thorough arrangements, and kill several batches in large numbers before we can preliminarily resolve the problem. Below is Tianjin's plan, which is correct. Tianjin is prepared to kill 1,500 people within this year (150 have already been killed), and to kill 500 before the end of April. Once this plan is fulfilled, we will have gained the initiative. I hope that Shanghai, Nanjing, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and other large and medium-sized cities will all have a practical plan for suppressing counterrevolutionaries covering the next few months through the end of this year. The people say that killing counterrevolutionaries is more satisfying than a thorough soaking rain. I hope all large and medium-sized cities can kill several batches of counterrevolutionaries in large numbers.

Mao Zedong
March 18

[I]
Huang Jing, then serving as Secretary of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee and Mayor of the Tianjin Municipal People's Government.