Comments on Military Cadres Participating in the Local Socialist Education Campaign [1] (August 17, 1965) After Comrade Shaoqi [2] has reviewed this, please return it to Comrade Luo Ruiqing [3]. Kindly have the Central Military Commission discuss the following: (1) Whether this document may be circulated throughout the entire army for reference; (2) That all personnel from platoon leader upward, except those who are very old or seriously ill— even patients like Guo Huoruo [4], who nevertheless went to Zhejiang for one session of the socialist education campaign with great benefit—he submitted a report to me summarizing ten lessons learned [ ], which I am now sending to you for your perusal. I believe it could also be forwarded for the reference of senior comrades. This comrade’s thinking has always been somewhat at odds with mine over the decades. Now, however, I feel he has come around—should, without exception, be dispatched in stages over a period of two years (perhaps four phases of six months each, completing the whole army) to participate in the local socialist education work. Please study and decide whether the above is feasible. Kindly inform Comrade Lin Biao [ ] by telephone. Mao Zedong August 17, 1965 Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] These comments were written on a report dated July 22, 1965, from the Political Department of the Military Engineering Institute of the People’s Liberation Army, concerning cadets’ participation in the rural socialist education movement, addressed to Luo Ruiqing and also sent to the General Political Department, the Science and Technology Commission of National Defense, and the Heilongjiang Provincial Party Committee. The report stated that, in accordance with

Chairman Mao’s instruction that we must master the principal lesson of class struggle, our institute organized 1,072 graduating cadets and cadre students to participate from late November last year through the end of June this year in the rural socialist education movement in Acheng County, Harbin Region, Heilongjiang Province. During the campaign, everyone adhered to the principles of “three togethers” and “four cleans,” conscientiously fulfilled all assigned tasks, underwent practical training and testing, and the vast majority performed admirably, achieving significant results both in their own ideological transformation and in carrying out their work. Through this campaign, the cadets not only strengthened their class consciousness, labor consciousness, mass line orientation, and dialectical materialism but also experienced a marked change in their class sentiments; moreover, their methods of thinking, policy understanding, ability to work among the masses, and capacity for social activities were all enhanced. [2] Shaoqi refers to Liu Shaoqi. [3] Luo Ruiqing was then a member of the Standing Committee and Secretary-General of the CPC Central Military Commission, as well as Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army. [4] Guo Huoruo was at that time First Deputy Commander of the Nanjing Military Region of the People’s Liberation Army. [ ] Refers to the ten points of experience outlined in Guo Huoruo’s report dated July 31, 1965, to Mao Zedong, detailing his five-month participation in the socialist education campaign in Liming Brigade, Jingjiang Commune, Xiaoshan County, Zhejiang Province. The main contents were: ① Follow the Chairman’s words and act according to his instructions; when the Chairman calls for going down to the countryside, go down—correcting the past mistake of not being sufficiently obedient. ② Observe the new appearance of the countryside over the past fifteen years and take the first step toward getting closer to reality. ③ Draw close to the poor and lower-middle peasants, rekindling class feelings and slightly reducing the danger of becoming detached from the masses. ④ Take up the front line of class struggle in the socialist period, engage in a round of class struggle, gain experience in the struggle, and thereby aid one’s own ideological transformation. ⑤ Participate in collective production labor, working joyfully alongside the poor and lower-middle peasants in the fields as an ordinary worker, engaging in cordial conversations; the masses came to regard us as one of their own. Through this, we truly understood that labor is not only enjoyable but also essential to life. ⑥ One can learn valuable experience in the struggle for production—“lay aside any airs and humbly become a pupil,” seeking advice everywhere from the poor and lower-middle peasants, and thus acquire much production knowledge. ⑦ Gain an internship opportunity by participating in drafting the people’s commune’s five-year development plan, which involves many issues unimaginable while sitting in an office. ⑧ Learn firsthand from local comrades; this time I absorbed many fine work styles from local officials and also gained a preliminary understanding of how grassroots cadres in the countryside operate. ⑨ It is beneficial for explaining oneself to one’s children, setting a good example and thereby gaining credibility with them. Having studied a bit of class struggle, one is better equipped to carry out socialist education within the family, supplementing the shortcomings of school education. [ ] Lin Biao was then Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Additional Remarks Written on the Central Organization Department’s Report Concerning the Cultivation and Promotion of Local Leading Cadres in Southern Provinces and Regions [1] (August 1965) Northern veteran cadres have made great contributions to the revolution and construction in the South; this fact must be acknowledged. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the issue of promoting new cadres [above]; this situation should now be changed. Printed from Mao Zedong’s manuscript. Notes [1] In its report dated August 21, 1965, addressed to Mao Zedong and the Central Committee, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee stated that recently, the Central Committee and Chairman Mao had pointed out that in many southern prefectural and county party committees, the secretaries were still northern veterans who had moved south, while the promotion of new forces had been extremely slow—after fifteen or sixteen years, they still had not been promoted. This situation must be rectified. Those northern veterans who had moved south should be gradually and systematically reassigned to appropriate posts in their current locations or transferred back to the North. At the same time, vigorous efforts should be made to steadily promote outstanding local cadres to leading positions at the county, prefectural, and provincial levels, providing them with proper training and experience. At a recent symposium of organization department heads from various central bureaus, we discussed the cultivation and promotion of local leading cadres in southern provinces and regions and put forward the following suggestions: (1) Party committees at all levels should earnestly study the directives of the Central Committee and Chairman Mao, correctly grasp the spirit of the Chairman’s instructions, and vigorously cultivate and boldly promote new forces among local cadres. Concrete plans for cultivation and promotion should be formulated and implemented meticulously, one person at a time. (2) The cultivation and promotion of local leading cadres should be combined with the “Four Cleans” campaign and with adjustments to leadership teams. The primary targets of such promotions and adjustments are the deputy secretaries and vice-secretaries of prefectural and county party committees, as well as deputy commissioners and county magistrates. Priority should be given to resolving issues at the county level, aiming to basically complete this task within two to three years, while more time may be allowed for prefectural and commissioner-level adjustments. (3) Appropriate adjustments should be made to cadres of northern origin during the process of cultivating and promoting local leaders. (4) For those northern cadres who have moved south and are elderly, frail, chronically ill, or have lost— or are nearly lost— their ability to work, suitable arrangements must be made. Most of them should be retained in their current posts, while a small number who absolutely need to return north may be properly resettled there. (5) Relevant regional party committees must strengthen their leadership over this work, conducting thorough and meticulous ideological and organizational work. There should be a clear plan and step-by-step implementation; hasty, sweeping changes that disrupt work and unity should be avoided. [2] These remarks were written immediately after the following sentence in the Central Organization Department’s report: “Vigorous and systematic efforts should be made to steadily promote outstanding local cadres to leading positions at the county, prefectural, and provincial levels, providing them with proper training and experience.”

Telegram from Mao Zedong et al. Congratulating Romania on the Twenty-First Anniversary of Its Liberation (August 22, 1965) To Comrade Nicolae Ceaușescu, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party, Bucharest; to Comrade Chivu Stoica, Chairman of the State Council of the Socialist Republic of Romania; and to Comrade Ion Gheorghe Maurer, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Socialist Republic of Romania: On the occasion of the twenty-first anniversary of Romania’s liberation, on behalf of the Chinese people, the Communist Party of China, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, we extend our warmest congratulations to the Romanian people, the Romanian Communist Party, and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Romania. Under the leadership of the Romanian Communist Party and the Romanian government, the Romanian people have upheld a policy of independence and self-reliance, advancing with high enthusiasm, united as one, and working diligently, thereby achieving significant accomplishments in industry, agriculture, science, and culture. Recently, the Ninth Congress of the Romanian Communist Party adopted a new Five-Year Plan for further prosperity and a Ten-Year Electrification Plan for Romania, showcasing the bright prospects of Romania’s development. We firmly believe that, in realizing these grand new socialist construction plans, the Romanian people will surely achieve even greater successes, moving from victory to victory. The Socialist Republic of Romania and the Romanian people have made important contributions in opposing the aggressive and war-mongering policies of U.S. imperialism, supporting the liberation struggles of peoples worldwide, and safeguarding world peace. The Romanian Communist Party and the Romanian government have made tremendous efforts to maintain the unity of the socialist camp and defend the principles governing relations among fraternal parties and fraternal countries. The friendship between the Chinese and Romanian peoples is a combat friendship founded on Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism. Our bilateral relations conform to the principles governing mutual relations among socialist fraternal nations: they are based on mutual respect for independence and sovereignty, equality, mutual support, and mutual assistance. We are pleased to note that cooperation between our two countries in the political, economic, cultural, and scientific-technological fields has continued to develop. We are confident that the combat friendship between the two parties and the friendly cooperative relations between the two peoples will be further consolidated and developed. Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Mao Zedong President of the People’s Republic of China Liu Shaoqi Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China Zhu De Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhou Enlai August 22, 1965 Printed from the People’s Daily of August 23, 1965. £´ ３

Comments on Materials Regarding the Revolutionary Transformation of Hunan’s Various Levels of Socialist Education Leadership Bodies (August 24, 1965) Comrade Shaoqi [1]: This document [2] contains some innovative measures that can correct certain past shortcomings—for example, in one large province, the various levels of socialist education offices actually employed as many as ten thousand staff members; similar situations likely exist elsewhere. Please consider whether a notice could be issued accordingly. Mao Zedong August 24th Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] Shaoqi refers to Liu Shaoqi. [2] Refers to the material titled “The Revolutionary Transformation of Hunan’s Various Levels of Socialist Education Leadership Bodies,” published in No. 299 of the “Briefing on Current Affairs” compiled and printed by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee on August 24, 1965. The material states that the second phase of the socialist education movement in Hunan Province is about to begin. This phase covers a wider area, yet the number of work teams has been relatively reduced, including those from enterprises and institutions as well as the various levels of socialist education offices, averaging only eight people per brigade. In this context, in order to avoid cumbersome procedures and enable the work teams to concentrate on their tasks, the Provincial Rural Socialist Education Office, after consultation with comrades at all levels, has put forward the following suggestions: First, abolish all unnecessary reports and forms. Second, do not summon members of the work teams to attend meetings of various departments. Third, compress the socialist education briefings as much as possible. Fourth, simplify the procedures for reporting and filing matters. Fifth, drastically reduce the number of personnel and administrative tasks in the socialist education offices. Henceforth, all supplies such as grain, cotton cloth, fertilizers, pesticides, and funds intended to support the socialist education areas shall be handled by government departments at all levels, while routine economic work should be led by the existing provincial, prefectural, county, district, and commune-level institutions. On August 25, 1965, the CPC Central Committee, via Document Zhongfa [65] No. 526, forwarded this material together with Mao Zedong’s comments to all central bureaus, provincial, municipal, and district party committees, various prefectural party committees, key county-level socialist education work team party committees, central ministries and commissions, party groups and committees of state organs and people’s organizations, and the General Political Department of the Central Military Commission, instructing them to refer to Hunan’s approach and rectify certain shortcomings present in socialist education leadership bodies at all levels.

Inscription for Zhong Xuekun [1] (August 30, 1965) Study Bethune [2], study Lei Feng [3], serve the people. Mao Zedong August 30, 1965 Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] Zhong Xuekun was originally a nurse at the Lushan Sanatorium and, during the Lushan Conference, provided health care services to Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong’s inscription was written in her diary. [2] Bethune refers to Norman Bethune, a Canadian Communist Party member and renowned physician. He came to China in 1938 to assist in the War of Resistance Against Japan and died in November 1939 after contracting an infection while performing emergency surgery on wounded soldiers. [3] Lei Feng was a squad leader in the transport company of the Tenth Regiment of Engineer Troops, Shenyang Military Region, People’s Liberation Army. He tragically died in the line of duty in August 1962.£´ ６

Telegram from Mao Zedong et al. Congratulating the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on the Twentieth Anniversary of Its Founding (September 1, 1965) To Comrade Ho Chi Minh, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Labor Party and President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Hanoi; to Comrade Truong Chinh, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam; and to Comrade Pham Van Dong, Prime Minister of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam: On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, on behalf of the Chinese people, the Communist Party of China, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, we extend our warmest congratulations to our fraternal Vietnamese people, the Vietnamese Labor Party, and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Twenty years ago, the heroic Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the Vietnamese Labor Party headed by Chairman Ho Chi Minh, won national independence after a long and arduous struggle, establishing for the first time in Vietnamese history a people’s own state—the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Since gaining independence, the Vietnamese people have held high the banner of revolution, continuing their relentless struggle against imperialism and achieving one brilliant victory after another, while also making tremendous achievements in the socialist construction of North Vietnam. The Chinese people have drawn great inspiration from the Vietnamese people’s victorious struggle and sincerely rejoice in their accomplishments. Currently, the Vietnamese people are bravely fighting against the most vicious enemy facing all peoples worldwide—U.S. imperialist aggression—in a great patriotic resistance to save the nation. This struggle is not only to defend Vietnam’s independence, sovereignty, and national dignity, but also constitutes an important part of the global revolutionary struggle against U.S. imperialism and in defense of world peace. The Vietnamese people stand firmly at the forefront of the anti-U.S. struggle, striking hard, weakening, and containing U.S. imperialist aggression and war-making capabilities, thereby powerfully supporting the revolutionary struggle of peoples around the world against U.S. imperialism and for peace. Today, on the Vietnamese battlefield, the brave and valiant Vietnamese people grow stronger with each passing day, while U.S. imperialism continues to suffer defeat. The paper tiger facade of U.S. imperialism has been further exposed by the heroic Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese people’s revolutionary spirit of daring to struggle and daring to win, along with their fearless and heroic bearing, have earned the heartfelt praise and admiration of peoples worldwide. People all over the world stand with the Vietnamese people, sympathizing with and supporting their just cause, firmly believing that the heroic Vietnamese people will surely defeat U.S. imperialist aggression and achieve final victory. China and Vietnam are socialist neighboring countries that depend on each other for survival. Our two peoples are close comrades-in-arms, bound by ties of kinship. The Vietnamese people’s struggle provides tremendous support to the Chinese people. The Chinese people resolutely support the Vietnamese people’s patriotic resistance to save the nation. We have already made all necessary preparations and are determined to fight side by side with the Vietnamese people until we completely thwart U.S. imperialist aggression. We wish the Vietnamese people new and even greater achievements in their great struggle to defend the North, liberate the South, and reunify the motherland. May the combat friendship between the Chinese and Vietnamese peoples endure forever.£´ ８

Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Mao Zedong President of the People’s Republic of China Liu Shaoqi Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China Zhu De Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhou Enlai September 1, 1965 Printed from the People’s Daily of September 2, 1965.