Commentary on the General Political Department’s Report Concerning the Implementation of Political and Cultural Education in the Troops (December 11, 1951) To all departments of the Military Commission and all major military regions, with further transmission to political departments at all levels, and to the Chinese People’s Volunteers and all Central Bureaus: (1) We approve the report submitted on December 9, 1951, by the General Political Department of the Military Commission, detailing the implementation of political and cultural education and the development of literary and artistic endeavors within the armed forces [1]. We consider this report accurate and direct its circulation for your compliance. (2) Concurrent with the ongoing rectification of the Party and the implementation of political education, during the first few months of 1952, depending on the specific circumstances of each department and military region, a designated period is to be set aside for a vigorous, mass-based campaign throughout the entire army—modeled after the suppression of counterrevolutionaries—to combat corruption, waste, and bureaucratic practices. Those found guilty of any of these offenses are to be punished or criticized as appropriate, with concrete results expected. Mao Zedong December 11, 1951, printed from his manuscript. Note [1] The key points of the General Political Department’s report are as follows: (1) In 1952, training in the armed forces will primarily focus on cultural education, with the guiding principle being to universally eliminate illiteracy among officers and soldiers, raising their educational level to that of primary school graduation; to advance those already at the primary school level to the equivalent of junior high school graduation; and to further elevate officers who have completed junior high school to a standard comparable to the first year of secondary school. (2) Among all personnel, priority in cultural education is to be given to officers; any officer whose educational attainment is below the secondary school level is to receive intensive cultural instruction. (3) The implementation of the 1952 cultural education plan is to be led by the party committees, with leading officials assuming personal responsibility. Cultural education committees are to be established under the leadership of party committees at or above the regimental level to strengthen guidance. Specific cultural education initiatives will be carried out by political organs at various levels. (4) The “rapid literacy method” developed by Qi Jianhua, a cultural officer of the Sixteenth Army of the Southwest Military Region, is to be adopted throughout the armed forces. (5) To ensure the effectiveness and objectives of cultural education, certain material resources will be provided in accordance with the principle of thrift. (6) The 1952 political education efforts will focus on further enhancing the troops’ patriotic and internationalist spirit, instilling a long-term mindset of struggle against U.S. imperialism, strengthening their war readiness, and preventing the emergence of complacency or apathy. (7) A significant reduction will be made in the number of non-essential publications, concentrating resources on those that are truly necessary. (8) A systematic, planned, and focused campaign will be launched across the armed forces to guide literary and artistic workers in reforming their thinking, thereby elevating the quality of cultural and artistic activities within the military.