Comments on the Circulation of the East China Military Region Party Committee’s Report on the “Smashing Tigers” Budget (January 30, 1952) To all military regions, the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army, and all Central Bureaus: The spirit behind the East China Military Region’s January 29th determination of its “smashing tigers” budget [1] is commendable and is hereby circulated for your reference. A single military region cannot possibly contain merely over two hundred big tigers, but setting such a figure as an initial target is appropriate. Subsequent adjustments can be made as understanding deepens and new information emerges. At the central level, among 120,000 personnel, 10,000 corrupt elements have been identified (over eighty percent being minor offenders involved in sums under one million yuan, generally subject to lenient treatment), and a total of four hundred big tigers have either been apprehended or are slated for apprehension. This goal has been achieved through repeated, rigorous supervision and the gradual escalation of tasks. Mao Zedong January 30 Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] The report submitted by the CPC East China Military Region Committee on January 29, 1952, to various party committees and leading officials, and also copied to Mao Zedong and the East China Bureau, outlined the budget for “smashing tigers” across all units of the East China Military Region, estimating a total of 266 big tigers, 865 small tigers, and 86,850 minor corrupt individuals to be dealt with during this campaign.