Commentary on the CMC Notice Implementing Lin Biao’s Instructions on Current Military Work [1] (January 15, 1965)

Comrade Lin Biao: I have already read this document [2] and fully agree with it. Please implement it as written. As you carry out these instructions, gradually summarize your experience—once a year should suffice, and at most twice will be enough. This applies to the military at the highest level. For units at the intermediate and lower levels, however, more frequent annual summaries will be necessary.

Mao Zedong Date Month Year Printed from the manuscript.

Notes [1] Lin Biao was then Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission.

[2] This commentary was written on the CPC Central Military Commission’s notice dated January 12, 1965, concerning the implementation of Lin Biao’s instructions on current military work. The notice stated that Lin Biao’s instructions were highly timely and important, addressing the key issues; all aspects of the armed forces’ work in 1965 should be organized in accordance with these important directives, ensuring their thorough and effective execution.

[3] Refers to Lin Biao’s instructions given on December 29, 1964, during his meeting with Liu Zhijian, Deputy Director of the PLA General Political Department, and Tang Pingzhu, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People’s Liberation Army Daily, regarding current military affairs. Lin Biao noted that in 1964 some units had placed excessive emphasis on military training, allocating too much time to it at the expense of political work; others had overemphasized technical skills while neglecting political and ideological education; and still others had resorted to falsification, chasing trophies and engaging in formalism. Such tendencies must be corrected. In 1965, priority should be given to political and ideological work, with particular focus on intensifying study of Chairman Mao’s writings—studying them thoroughly and applying them flexibly—upholding the “Four Firsts,” vigorously promoting living thought, carrying forward the “Three-Eight” style, expanding the Three Great Democracies, and launching the Socialist Education Campaign. Efforts to achieve the “Four Goods” standard should also be continued. Military training must be conducted in accordance with Chairman Mao’s instructions, systematically and step by step disseminating and popularizing genuine top performers and advanced experiences. At the same time, inappropriate demands and practices in training should be rectified to normalize training activities. Production within the troops should be improved, but production targets for 1965 should not be increased; excessive production must not encroach upon political and ideological work or military training. Overall, the task for 1965 is to continue implementing the policies and guidelines of the Central Committee and the Military Commission, as well as the resolutions of the expanded meeting of the Military Commission. Two additional measures are to be introduced: first, stationing cadres at the grassroots level; second, conducting criticism and self-criticism. These two measures reflect directives from the Central Committee and Chairman Mao, and they also provide an opportunity to better learn from the experiences of comrades in local areas.