Comments on “A Case of ‘Fear of the Enemy’ Disease” [1] (October 8, 1962) To Comrades Liu, Zhou, Zhu, Deng, Ruiqing, and Fuzhi [2]: Please review this matter. It is proposed that we discuss it at a meeting of the Standing Committee. Mao Zedong, after reading it on October 8, returned it to Mao.

Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] Refers to the material titled “A Case of ‘Fear of the Enemy’ Disease,” published in No. 348 of the CCP Central Office’s Situation Briefing, issued on October 4, 1962. The material states that, according to reports from the Propaganda Department of the North An Municipal Party Committee in Heilongjiang Province, in August of this year, Qiu Yulin, secretary of the Party committee of the Shuangquan Commune in that city, fired shots at night to drive away wolves. Upon hearing the gunfire, many cadres and commune members were led to believe that “the enemy was attacking,” plunging them into extreme panic and causing them to flee in all directions. This “mental state” is highly worthy of attention. [2] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Zhu refers to Zhu De. Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at the time served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. Ruiqing is Luo Ruiqing, who at the time was a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Premier of the State Council, and Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army. Fuzhi is Xie Fuzhi, who at the time was Minister of Public Security.