Annotations on Five Articles
(April 8, 1960)

On pages 47 to 55, there are five articles[1] worth reading. I hope comrades will read them through carefully. That Britain and France will move toward cooperation to oppose the United States and West Germany is a matter of great significance.

Mao Zedong
7:00 a.m., April 8

Sent to Comrades Shaoqi, Enlai, Lin Biao, and Xiaoping[2] for perusal.
Return to Mao after reading.

[1]
On pages 47 to 55 of Reference Materials (Issue No. 3520), compiled and printed by the New China News Agency on April 7, 1960, the five articles marked with emphasis dots by Mao Zedong are as follows:

1. "U.S. Newspapers Attack Britain for Dividing Britain and France." This Reuters dispatch from New York on April 6 states that New York morning newspapers have published editorials commenting on French President General de Gaulle's visit to London, expressing the hope that he will not forget his experiences while in exile in Britain during the Second World War because of the warm reception he received this time in Britain, and expecting him to exert influence on British Prime Minister Macmillan so that Britain will no longer criticize West Germany.

2. "U.S. Evening Star Discusses Western Contradictions, Says Britain Opposes West European Integration and Is Especially Worried About a Strong West Germany." This New China News Agency dispatch from Geneva on April 5 states that the U.S. Evening Star published an article by William White on April 1, arguing that the greatest rift in the long-standing U.S.-British partnership is U.S. support for a European trade bloc dominated by France and West Germany, known as the Inner Six, while displaying marked coolness toward the rival British-dominated trade bloc known as the Outer Seven. This may be the greatest of all dangers affecting Anglo-American unity.

3. "U.S. Agricultural Workers Face Extraordinarily Difficult Livelihood." This special report from New York on March 17 states that a recent U.S. report, The Condition of Agricultural Workers in 1959, points out that over the past year, U.S. agricultural workers, as before, not only have been unable to receive unemployment insurance benefits from local relief funds but also cannot receive work-related injury insurance benefits, and have been deprived of the rights stipulated by the minimum wage law. They do not enjoy the provisions on minimum housing guarantees, and their children are also deprived of the opportunity for normal schooling. According to statistics, 1 million agricultural workers endure this "almost servile" condition.

4. "De Gaulle Continues Visits in London." This Agence France-Presse dispatch from London on April 6 states that French President de Gaulle's visit reached a climax on his second day in Britain, with a grand banquet held in the evening at the French Embassy in London in honor of the British Queen and political dignitaries.

5. "The Times Editorial Focuses on Attacking West Germany for Creating Unease." This New China News Agency dispatch from Geneva on April 5 states that the London Times published a report by its correspondent on April 5 titled "Anglo-German Relations Cause Unease, a Potential Danger to NATO," pointing out that since the Second World War, relations between Britain and West Germany have been, at best, merely unnatural, but that these relations have now fallen to their lowest point. Even U.S. Secretary of State Herter does not deny that West Germany, due to its past history, geographical conditions, industrial situation, and lack of experience in democratic governance, may once again become a threat to Europe. The other member states of the European Common Market were all victims of Germany during the war. The Common Market is precisely the main obstacle to improving Anglo-German relations.

[2]
Lin Biao, then Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice Premier of the State Council. Xiaoping, i.e., Deng Xiaoping, then General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice Premier of the State Council.