Comment on the Report on Purging Hidden Counter-Revolutionaries
(August 3, 1955)

To the Shanghai Bureau, all provincial and municipal Party committees, and the Party committees of all autonomous regions:

This document[1] is very good. Distribute it to you for reference. It may also be forwarded to all units for emulation in handling the matter.

The Central Committee
August 3, 1955

[1]
Refers to the special briefing by the Party Committee of the Central State Organs on July 29, 1955, concerning the purging of hidden counter-revolutionaries. The briefing stated that the movement to purge hidden counter-revolutionaries in the state organs had been underway for eight weeks, and the masses in most units had been mobilized. In order to further deepen and develop this movement, attention should be paid to the following issues:

1. Earnestly implement the directives of the Central Committee, overcome the complacency and paralysis existing among cadres, and strengthen specific leadership over the movement. At the same time, the leadership of each unit should pay attention to properly dividing the movement and professional work, so as not to delay the realization of the "Five-Year Plan" while also conducting the movement well.

2. It is necessary to break the current deadlock in the small-group struggles, focusing on resolving the following important problems:
First, overcome generalized leadership methods, study the enemy situation in a planned manner, sum up the experience of the struggle, and specifically study the tactics of the struggle;
Second, pay attention to overcoming the mentality of underestimating the enemy and seeking quick victory, as well as crude and simplistic methods of struggle, among the backbone elements in certain small groups; under no circumstances should matters be handled simplistically;
Third, adopt different methods and tactics of struggle according to different targets of the struggle, and promote diversity and flexibility in the methods and tactics of struggle;
Fourth, pay attention to investigation and research work, and send personnel to investigate and gather materials in a planned manner and as early as possible;
Fifth, actively develop the struggle of the special case review groups, while also paying attention to integrating it with the struggle of the general small groups, and flexibly employ both forms of struggle.

To be read immediately by Liu, Zhu, Zhou, Chen, and Deng[1];
to be sent by telegram by Shangkun[2];
also to be printed and distributed.

[1]
Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhu refers to Zhu De. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Chen refers to Chen Yun, who was then a Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, who was then Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.

[2]
Shangkun, namely Yang Shangkun, was then Deputy Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the Central Committee.