Commentary by the Central Committee on the Air Force of the Beijing Military Region’s Notification Regarding Serious Problems Found Among Support Staff (August 4, 1955)  To all departments of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC, to the Party Leading Groups of central state organs, to the Shanghai Bureau, to the provincial and municipal committees, and to the party committees of autonomous regions:

We are now transmitting herewith one copy of the Air Force Party Committee’s “Notification on Serious Problems Discovered Among Support Staff” [1] for your reference. The issue of impure composition among support personnel deserves close attention and should be resolved in the current rectification campaign against counterrevolutionaries.

The Central Committee August 4, 1955  Reviewed by Liu, Zhou, Chen, and Deng [2]; transmitted by telegram to Shangkun [3], with additional copies distributed separately. Printed from Mao Zedong’s manuscript.

Notes  [1] Refers to the “Notification on Serious Problems Found Among Support Staff” issued by the Air Force of the Beijing Military Region, forwarded on July 31, 1955, by the Cadre Review Office of the Party Committee of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force.  The notification states that since the commencement of the rectification campaign against counterrevolutionaries, various units of the Air Force of the Beijing Military Region stationed in Beijing have uncovered numerous problems among support staff, demonstrating that previous work in this area was inadequate and reviews were lax. This fact demands the highest level of vigilance from leaders at all levels. The rectification campaign targeting support personnel must not be relaxed, so as to resolutely root out counterrevolutionary elements who have infiltrated their ranks.

[2] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi; Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai; Chen refers to Chen Yun, who at the time served as a Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council; Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at the time held the posts of Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.

[3] Shangkun refers to Yang Shangkun, who at the time was Deputy Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Central Office.