Comments on the Planned Annual Inspections of Troops〔1〕 (August 6, 1955)  To Peng〔2〕: Please review and return to Comrade Su Yu. … It is very necessary to conduct several planned inspections of the troops each year.  Mao Zedong August 6, 1955

II. I had already approved your views by my instruction on May 19〔3〕; therefore, you bear no responsibility for failing to seek prior approval. The only shortcoming lies in not having sought instructions when making subsequent decisions regarding specific deployments.  Mao Zedong August 6

Printed from the manuscript.  Notes 〔1〕 These comments were written on a report submitted on July 11, 1955, by Su Yu, Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army, to Peng Dehuai and concurrently to Mao Zedong, concerning the construction of front-line airfields in Fujian Province and the deployment of air force units there. The report stated that although the General Staff’s plans for building front-line airfields in Fujian and stationing air force units in the province had been formulated in accordance with the successive directives of the Central Military Commission, insufficient assessment of the enemy situation, inadequate foresight regarding potential developments following the air force’s deployment to Fujian, and a superficial understanding of the complex diplomatic implications involved had led to a failure to seek timely instructions. This, the report argued, should serve as a lesson for future work. It further proposed that in the future, regular field inspections be conducted to gain firsthand knowledge of conditions, seize opportunities to learn, and thereby overcome a bureaucratic, routine-oriented approach to work. 〔2〕 Peng refers to Peng Dehuai, who at the time was a member of the CPC Central Military Commission, Vice Premier of the State Council, and Minister of National Defense. 〔3〕