Some Instructions on Handling the Relations Between the Army and the People
(May 1967)

Now there are rather many military sub-districts and military districts, this problem is not serious, don’t be afraid. In some places newspapers have been shut down, we have never advocated running so many newspapers. Hunger strikes are not serious, this is because our work has not been done well enough. Why is this so? It is because we made mistakes in supporting the Left, admitting mistakes was not done straightforwardly, we did not admit errors in direction and line, but did so grudgingly. Making mistakes does not matter, correcting them is all that is needed.

Why must we carry out this Great Cultural Revolution? It is because there are still bad people, some want to take the capitalist road, some have declining will. Hunger strikes are a method to deal with bureaucratism, you must go and do the work, do not let people starve to death, think of ways. You can send boiled water, some glucose can be added to the water. The places where shooting occurred are generally the army, if not supported by the army, then it was the militia, such as Qinghai, Inner Mongolia. This Great Cultural Revolution is also a test for the army. In some places the situation is reported as very serious, such as Jiangxi, the Two Hu’s, Henan. Is it really that serious? In the past the Northeast was relatively calm, now the Northeast Bureau and the army each support one faction.

Beijing is also splitting into two factions, fighting chaotically. Out of chaos something can be sorted out. Sichuan and Guizhou are the most chaotic, mainly stirred up by He Long, Luo Ruiqing, Li Jingquan. ... Temporizing is sometimes also necessary. Each locality should solve its own problems by itself, reporting to the Central Committee for approval. The Central Cultural Revolution Group has spoken too much recently, do not speak everywhere, speaking too much makes it lose efficacy. Now everywhere people are cursing the royalist faction, royalist dogs, what three-three faction, four-four faction, and also neither-three-nor-four faction. Now the army is rather tense, has the Joint Action been released? Why not let the Koukou faction participate in the Red Congress? University students everywhere


who have gone out to exchange revolutionary experiences must all return to their schools to make revolution. University students in Beijing Municipality must be completely withdrawn, those in middle schools, factories, villages must come back. In the villages a cautious attitude must be adopted, some Armed Departments have problems. A resolute attitude must be adopted, the Left must be resolutely supported. If mistakes are made, correct them, do not be grudging, be straightforward. Regarding the conservative faction, ideological work must be done, adopting the policy of educating, uniting, winning over. They must turn themselves around. If we do not correct this problem now, and let the conservative faction continue to develop, we will make mistakes. We must stand together with the Left faction and do a good job with the conservative faction’s work. Some Armed Departments are very stubborn, if things go on like this, they will make extremely serious mistakes, attention must be paid to doing good work with the Armed Departments.
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