--- Notes



Regarding Lin Biao’s [1] note of disapproval on the military’s report proposing that units at all levels submit information on local conditions to the respective local Party committees (November 15, 1960), please instruct Fu Chun [2] to inform Xiao Hua [3] to act in accordance with Comrade Lin Biao’s views [4]. Mao Zedong, November 15.

Printed from the manuscript. Notes: [1] Lin Biao was then Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Vice Premier of the State Council.

[2] Fu Chun refers to Li Fuchun, who at the time was a member of the CPC Central Political Bureau, Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice Premier of the State Council.

[3] Xiao Hua was then Deputy Director of the General Political Department of the People’s Liberation Army.

[4] In a report dated November 10, 1960, addressed to Mao Zedong and others, Lin Biao stated: “I am submitting herewith one copy of the General Political Department’s proposal to issue an order directing all stationed troops to report local conditions to the local Party committees. I believe the intent behind this proposal is sound; however, I fear that if such an order were issued, it could easily strain relations between the stationed troops and the local Party committees, which would be detrimental to the Party’s unified leadership and might lead to the military interfering in Party affairs from outside the Party framework. Military cadres are no more familiar with local work than their local counterparts, and they are readily influenced by their families and well-to-do middle peasants, often making rash criticisms of local affairs and indulging in subjective, haphazard pronouncements. Many military officers possess greater seniority than the locally responsible cadres, and this could result in seniority being invoked to interfere in local affairs, thereby placing great pressure on Party cadres. Such a situation might even give rise to nationwide antagonism between the military and local authorities, fostering a trend of unwarranted criticism of local matters by the military and thus impeding the work at hand. When military personnel participate in local work, if the local Party committee specifically assigns them the task of reporting on local conditions, the military may carry out that duty as instructed; this would be acceptable as a localized, concrete measure. However, if the local Party committee has not entrusted the military with such a task, the military should not intervene arbitrarily. Any opinions the military may have about local affairs should be conveyed solely through the military’s political organs. Taking these considerations into account, I therefore do not approve of issuing an order making the reporting of local conditions one of the primary duties of the armed forces.”