--- Notes



Comments on the General Political Department’s Draft Report on Giving Priority to Political Work, Implementing the “Four Excellences”[1], and Strengthening Combat Readiness (October 28, 1965) To Comrade Lin Biao[2]: This document[3] has been read; it is very good. — Mao Zedong, October 28 Printed from the manuscript.

Refers to being excellent in political thought, in the “Three Eights” style of work, in military training, and in daily life management. [2]

Lin Biao was at that time Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission. [3]

Refers to the General Political Department of the People’s Liberation Army’s draft report dated October 14, 1965, on giving priority to political work, implementing the “Four Excellences,” and strengthening combat readiness.

The main contents are as follows: (1) An overview of the PLA’s political work during the first nine months of this year. The primary focus has been on carrying out Vice Chairman Lin Biao’s instructions to give priority to political work, with emphasis placed on ten major tasks: 1. Intensifying study of Chairman Mao’s works. A total of 1.14 million copies of selected readings and over five million copies of quotations were distributed. Diverse methods of study were employed, including daily reading, regular reading, small-scale rectification campaigns, experience-sharing meetings, political classes, half-day study sessions for cadres, and centralized training, among others. 2. Stepping up political work related to combat readiness. 3. Launching the Socialist Education Campaign. 4. Conducting rectification within military academies and schools. 5. Carrying out rectification within literary and artistic units. 6. Having army cadres participate in local socialist education movements and ensuring the full implementation of the “three assurances” in militia work. 7. Accelerating the cultivation and selection of revolutionary successors. 8. Implementing several institutional reforms. 9. Rigorously organizing rotational training for grassroots key personnel and conducting preliminary assessments for the “Four Excellences.” 10. Rectifying the work style of organs and overcoming disorder in company-level units. (2) Opinions on the PLA’s political work for this coming winter and spring. The overall requirement remains to give priority to political work, implement the “Four Excellences,” and strengthen combat readiness. The main tasks include: 1. Thoroughly studying Chairman Mao’s theory of people’s war to fundamentally reinforce war preparedness. 2. Ensuring that unit cadres effectively participate in the local “Four Cleansings” campaign and that the PLA’s own socialist education movement is carried out successfully. 3. Continuing to vigorously promote the “Four Excellences” campaign and completing the preliminary assessments. 4. Rectifying organs. 5. Further improving efforts to cultivate and select successors.