Annotations and Revisions to Lin Biao’s Speech Draft at the Enlarged Central Work Conference (March 20, 1962) Comrades Tian Jiaying and Luo Ruiqing: I have read this document once through. It is an excellent and substantial piece, and I am very pleased with it. (1) Whether it should be sent to Comrade Lin Biao for another review is for Comrade Ruiqing to decide. In my view, it should be shown to him. If so, please arrange for its delivery. (2) At the same time, please forward a copy to Comrades Shaoqi, Enlai, and Xiaoping for their perusal, and solicit their suggestions for revision. Should any changes be made, they will be finalized in Beijing. If no revisions are needed, please hand it over to Comrade Shangkun for processing; there is no need to send it back to me. (3) I have made a few minor corrections in the first section. Please consider them as you see fit. (4) This document contains no particularly sensitive information. It may be distributed along with other comrades’ speeches for reading by certain individuals, or read aloud to others. However, keeping this matter secret from senior and intermediate-level cadres—preventing them from learning about it, reflecting on it, and making appropriate mental and material preparations—is extremely harmful.

Printed from Mao Zedong’s manuscript at 9:00 a.m. on March 20, 1962. Second, a backward country can be transformed into an advanced one… provided that the country becomes united and possesses advanced leadership. With just a few decades—perhaps no more than a hundred years—it can achieve this transformation. To surpass even the most powerful nation in the world, the United States, would require no more than a century, because our socialist system is superior to capitalism, and the leadership of our proletarian party—the Communist Party—is superior to that of bourgeois parties. Capitalism took over three hundred years to reach its current level, whereas we can certainly catch up with and overtake it within a few decades, at most a century. Printed according to Mao Zedong’s revised version. 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. [ ] Tian Jiaying was Deputy Director of the CPC Central Committee’s Political Research Office and Mao Zedong’s secretary. Luo Ruiqing was Secretary of the CPC Central Secretariat, Secretary-General of the Central Military Commission, and Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army. [3] Refers to Lin Biao’s revised speech delivered on January 29, 1962, at the Enlarged Central Work Conference. The speech addressed two main issues: First, Party work. Lin Biao stated that the Three Red Flags—the General Line, the Great Leap Forward, and the People’s Communes—proposed by our Party are correct; they represent innovations in the course of China’s revolution, creations of the people and of the Party itself. Over the past two or three years, certain difficulties experienced by our country have been temporary, and conditions have already begun to improve, continuing to do so in the future. The causes of these difficulties are multifaceted: severe natural disasters and certain errors in our work have led to declines in industrial and agricultural production, but we have also gained valuable experience. A nationwide study campaign has significantly enhanced the quality and capabilities of Party members and cadres. During times of hardship, we should further strengthen Party unity and rely on and trust the leadership of the Party and of Chairman Mao. Facts have shown that, in some respects and to a certain extent, these difficulties arose precisely because we failed to follow Chairman Mao’s instructions, warnings, and thought. Both then and subsequently, it has been proven that Chairman Mao’s thinking is always correct. Yet some comrades have not fully grasped his ideas, consistently leaning too far to the left. I deeply feel that our work proceeds most smoothly when Chairman Mao’s thought is effectively implemented without interference. Conversely, whenever his views are disrespected or greatly disrupted, problems inevitably arise. Second, military affairs. Lin Biao began by discussing differing perspectives on war. On one side, revisionists argue that war can be avoided, yet if it cannot be prevented, it will result in global destruction. We Marxists, however, believe that war is inevitable and bound to break out. The only question is whether it will be a major or minor conflict. As for a large-scale war involving the world’s major powers, there are two possibilities; whereas a smaller war is almost certain to occur. Regarding the outcome of war, revisionists contend that it will annihilate all humanity, while we maintain that the result need not be mutual destruction—one side wins, the other loses. Our policy toward war is, first, to avoid provocation and refrain from initiating attacks; we should strive for peace and delay the outbreak of war as long as possible. Second, we must not engage solely in passive defense. That is, if attacked, we will indeed mount a defensive operation. However, rather than simply defending, we should adopt an offensive-defensive posture: allowing the enemy to advance to a favorable position before launching a counterattack. Our approach involves alternating between defensive and offensive actions. Based on this operational doctrine, we ought to implement a series of measures—some to be carried out by the military, others by local authorities. For now, let us focus on how the military itself should prepare. Following the Lushan Conference, the consensus within the Military Commission has been to take Chairman Mao’s thought as the guiding principle, acting in accordance with his intentions, writings, and directives at every turn, seeking his guidance and reporting to him, and using his thought to unify our own thinking. [4] Shaoqi refers to Liu Shaoqi. Enlai refers to Zhou Enlai. Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at the time served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. [ ] Shangkun refers to Yang Shangkun, who was then Alternate Secretary of the CPC Central Secretariat and Director of the Central Office. [ ] Namely, Section II of this text, printed in Song typeface, consists of additions and revisions made by Mao Zedong.