Chairman Mao, a great man of a generation, was full of political wisdom, and on many major diplomatic occasions, he always liked to use humorous language to express profound truths, leaving behind many stories that people talked about.
On October 1, 1959, the tenth anniversary of the founding of New China.
Many foreign heads of state, government, and party and government figures came to Beijing and were invited to attend the National Day ceremony.
On National Day, Chairman Mao met with many foreign guests on the upper floor of Tiananmen Square, including Wilcox, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of New Zealand.
The meeting did not last long, and the two sides left a simple conversation.
During the conversation, Wilcox expressed his admiration for Chairman Mao's successful socialist transformation of China, believing that the Chinese (national) bourgeoisie had accepted peaceful transformation and that the proletarian revolution had achieved a "peaceful transition."
Unexpectedly, Chairman Mao euphemistically opposed this view, and the reason for the objection opened Wilcox's eyes and was very admirable.
At the end of the conversation, Chairman Mao said three more words to Wilcox.
Wilcox was greatly puzzled and wanted to further inquire about the meaning of Chairman Mao's three sentences, but before he could speak, the staff reminded him that the time had come and Chairman Mao would have to meet with other foreign guests.
Wilcox had to leave with doubts, but the doubts kept haunting his mind, and he couldn't figure it out.
In fact, not only Wilcox, but even the comrades in our Party cannot understand the meaning of Chairman Mao's three sentences.
Chairman Mao is very knowledgeable, funny and humorous, and he likes to quote from the sidelines, and his three sentences certainly have a deep meaning, but this time, even the high-ranking secrets around Chairman Mao are difficult to understand.
It was not until four years later that this doubt was truly solved, and everyone knew chairman Mao's cleverness.
It was none other than Chairman Mao himself who unveiled the mystery.
Who the hell is Wilcox? Why did Chairman Mao oppose his view of a "peaceful transition"? What are Chairman Mao's reasons for opposing it? What three sentences did Chairman Mao say in the end? What exactly do these three sentences mean?
All doubts will be answered in this article.
Wilcox: Former General Secretary of the Communist Party of New Zealand
Wilcox, whose full name is Victor George Wilcox, was born in the United Kingdom on 6 November 1912 and moved to New Zealand with his parents at the age of 11.
Wilcox worked as a worker in New Zealand for many years, but later attended Auckland College, a university in New Zealand, where he became exposed to and fascinated by communist ideas. When a workers' movement broke out in New Zealand, Wilcox participated in the organization of the workers' movement and joined the Communist Party of New Zealand in 1933.
After the outbreak of World War II, Wilcox joined the Air Force, retired a few years later, began working as the leader of the Communist Party of New Zealand, and in 1951 became General Secretary of the New Zealand Communist Party.
On October 1, 1949, the People's Republic of China was founded; from 1950 to 1953, China won a great victory in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea; from 1952 to 1956, China's socialist transformation was basically completed...
In the far East of Asia, the proletarian revolution led by the Communist Party of China had made a series of brilliant achievements, which Wilcox admired very much, and he had always wanted to visit Chairman Mao to learn from him, but he was suffering from the lack of a suitable opportunity.
On October 1, 1959, the tenth anniversary of the founding of New China, the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China decided to hold a ten-year celebration and invite a group of foreign guests to come to watch the ceremony, and Wilcox finally ushered in the coveted precious opportunity.
Chairman Mao's objection is that to say "peaceful transition" is to be touched by a blind man
On October 1, 1959, the day of the National Day ceremony, Chairman Mao received foreign dignitaries attending the ceremony on the upper floor of Tiananmen Square, and Wilcox was finally able to talk to Chairman Mao face to face.
Wilcox held Chairman Mao's hand tightly and sincerely expressed his admiration for Chairman Mao. He had never been so close to this great leader, and it all seemed so dreamy.
Chairman Mao smiled and thanked Wilcox for his support of the Chinese Communist Party.
The guest and host sat still, and after three or two words of greeting, they stepped into the right topic.
Wilcox said that he particularly admired China's transformation of the (national) bourgeoisie, believing that "the Chinese (national) bourgeoisie has accepted peaceful transformation and the proletarian revolution has achieved a 'peaceful transition', which is an extraordinary achievement."
To understand the meaning of Wilcox's words, we must first understand socialist transformation and transition.
In October 1949, the founding of New China was founded, but it had not yet entered a socialist society, but was in a new democratic society, for example, in the economy, public ownership was not yet the main body of the national economy.
That is why, in September 1952, Chairman Mao proposed at a Central Committee meeting: "We must now begin to basically complete the transition to socialism in 10 to 15 years." ”
How to achieve the transition to socialism?
Under Chairman Mao's strategizing, the CPC Central Committee formulated a general line for the transitional period, which is simply "one body and two wings."
One main body is the gradual realization of socialist industrialization, and the other two flanks are the gradual realization of the socialist transformation of agriculture, handicrafts and capitalist industry and commerce.
The route is established, that is, in one sentence: roll up your sleeves and work hard.
Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, from the second half of 1952 to 1956, it took only four years for New China to complete the three major transformations, realize the transformation from private ownership of the means of production to socialist public ownership, and enable China to step from a new democratic society into a socialist society.
That is to say, it was not until 1956 that our country really established the basic system of socialism and entered the primary stage of socialism.
In the process of socialist transformation, we did not resort to violent expropriation, but to peaceful means. For example, in the transformation of capitalist industry and commerce, a policy of "peaceful redemption" was adopted, and a smooth transformation was achieved.
Such a great achievement, which is extremely rare even in the eyes of the whole world, fully demonstrates the political wisdom of the first generation of the central leadership of the Communist Party of China with Chairman Mao as the core.
This is what Wilcox means by "peaceful transformation" and "peaceful transition," and this peaceful method has made him deeply admire Chairman Mao and the Chinese Communist Party.
Surprisingly, in the face of the praise of fraternal parties, Chairman Mao expressed his opposition.
"If we only look at the peaceful transformation of the national bourgeoisie in China now, and insist that the Chinese revolution is a peaceful transition, what is the difference between that and the blind man treating the elephant's trunk as an entire elephant?" Chairman Mao said.
In Chairman Mao's view, Wilcox did not really understand the history and present situation of the Chinese revolution, and his so-called "peaceful transition" viewpoint was undoubtedly that of a blind man touching an elephant, peeking at a leopard in his pipe, looking at only one point, not the whole picture; he only knew one thing and did not know the other.
Chairman Mao's words were more euphemistic, but Wilcox still understood -- but he did not understand that China's transformation of the bourgeoisie was indeed "peaceful", so why can't it be said to be a "peaceful transition"?
Seeing Wilcox's doubts, Chairman Mao explained:
"The Communist Party of China has led the people in a long period of armed struggle, overthrown the three great mountains, and now that it has political power and an army in its hands, it is possible to carry out peaceful transformation of the national bourgeoisie."
Brilliant! It's brilliant!
As Wilcox put it, China has indeed carried out a "peaceful transformation" of the national bourgeoisie. In this process, no violent means were used, and the national bourgeoisie also accepted "peaceful transformation" without fierce resistance.
But imagine if it were not for the fact that the Communist Party of China had previously led the Chinese people to carry out the agrarian revolution, the War of Resistance Against Japan, and the War of Liberation, defeated the Kuomintang reactionaries, overthrew the three mountains, established a new China, defeated US imperialism, and possessed an invincible people's army.
Can the (national) bourgeoisie be obedient and accept peaceful transformation with just a single order?
This is obviously a fool's dream, and it is absolutely impossible.
Chairman Mao's opposition to the view that "the Chinese revolution is a peaceful transition" stemmed from a profound summation of historical experience and because he had personally experienced those unforgettable and painful lessons.
The Chinese Communist Party in history has made mistakes in its line.
During the first period of kuomintang-communist cooperation, the Communist Party of China surrendered its revolutionary leadership and did not build up its own armaments, suffering major defeats and paying a bitter price, until Chairman Mao led the Communist Party of China to find the secret weapon of "armed struggle" and gradually embarked on the correct revolutionary road and scored a series of major achievements.
Chairman Mao believes that without the bloody sacrifices of the previous armed struggle and the backing of the political power and the army, the bourgeoisie of any country could have been tied up and accepted socialist transformation.
Out of the barrel of the gun comes the regime, and out of the barrel of the gun comes the revolution.
No one has more say in this matter than Chairman Mao. Any revolution is bound to be bloody and sacrificial, and any historical progress will inevitably come at a price.
The so-called "peaceful transition" is because of the foundation laid with the blood of countless revolutionary martyrs.
After listening to Chairman Mao's explanation, Wilcox suddenly realized that this was the case! How clever!
Chairman Mao's three words puzzled Wilcox for four years
"You are one of the greatest genius military and strategists I have ever met." Wilcox was sincerely amazed that he had met many outstanding leaders, but none of them had such a profound thought as Chairman Mao.
Chairman Mao smiled and waved his hand, and said humbly, "Where am I a genius military and strategist!" I just know three more truths than those who are dead against dogma. ”
Three truths? As soon as Wilcox heard this, he immediately became interested.
"People have to eat, they have to walk with their feet, bullets can kill people." Chairman Mao snapped his fingers and said.
People want to eat? Do you need to use your feet to walk? Can bullets kill people?
The translators around him were confused, Chairman Mao had always spoken unpredictably, and even when talking with foreign guests, he often quoted scriptures, which made the translators very headache. Compared with those historical allusions, these three sentences are all vernacular, but it is not difficult to translate, but what does Chairman Mao really mean? How do I translate it?
Seeing that Chairman Mao did not explain, the interpreter had no choice but to translate the words to the other side.
Wilcox was also confused, he could fully understand these three sentences, but was this not common sense known to everyone? What is the esoteric truth? What is the meaning of these three sentences spoken by Chairman Mao?
Wilcox was preparing to ask questions when the staff politely reminded him that the time had come and that Chairman Mao would have to receive other foreign guests, and Chairman Mao did not keep him.
Seeing this, Wilcox had to get up and say goodbye, leaving with great doubt.
After returning to New Zealand, this doubt still haunted Wilcox's mind, but he was puzzled, and the answer to this doubt was probably only given by Chairman Mao himself.
In fact, not only Wilcox, but also the comrades in our Party have great doubts about Chairman Mao's three sentences: "People must eat, they must use their feet to walk, and bullets can kill people."
The content of Chairman Mao's and Wilcox's conversation was not made public, so only some people knew about it, and they also tried to dig out the connotations of these three sentences.
This confusion was not solved until 1963, four years later.
It was no one else who gave the answer, but Chairman Mao himself.
Second visit four years later: The mystery of Chairman Mao's three sentences came to light
On May 22, 1963, Wilcox arrived in Beijing by plane.
This time when he came to China, Wilcox thought that he must personally ask Chairman Mao for an answer.
Unexpectedly, the answer came even faster than he expected.
On the same day, as soon as Wilcox got off the plane at the airport, he was taken to the Great Hall of the People and said that Chairman Mao was going to meet with him.
It turned out that Chairman Mao was going to inspect the field on this day, and the time was very tight, and once he went out, he could not come back in a short time. Hearing that Wilcox had arrived, Chairman Mao decided to meet him before leaving.
Wilcox did not expect Chairman Mao to meet him so soon, and he was very excited, and the doubt that had plagued him for four years finally came to the day when it came to light.
After the two sides met, a few brief greetings.
Before he could get to the point, Wilcox couldn't wait to ask, "Distinguished Comrade Chairman, do you remember what you said four years ago on the tower of Tiananmen Square?" ”
Chairman Mao was slightly stunned and immediately recalled.
"Remember, of course remember!" Chairman Mao said with a hearty smile.
"For four years, I've been trying to figure out what those three sentences mean. Today, I hope you give me an answer. Wilcox breathed a sigh of relief.
Along with the recollection of the fifth anti-"encirclement and suppression" campaign, Chairman Mao gave a detailed explanation.
First, "People want to eat."
Chairman Mao said that revolutionaries are human beings, soldiers are also human beings, and if they are human beings, they must eat, which is a basic common sense. If there is no food to eat, not only will there be no way to fight, but there will be no survival at all. Therefore, commanders must attach importance to logistical work and let the soldiers eat and eat enough to win the battle.
However, during the fifth anti-"encirclement and suppression" campaign on September 25, 1933, Wang Ming's "Left" dogmatism occupied a dominant position in the Red Army, and Chairman Mao's correct military ideas were not supported, resulting in heavy losses to the Red Army, leading to the defeat of the fifth anti-"encirclement and suppression" campaign, and the Central Red Army was forced to march.
Wang Ming and others only know how to read dead books and dead books, only know how to command the troops to fight, do not know how to ensure that the soldiers in the front eat and dress, only talk about fighting wars, not about guarantees, and how can they not fail to fight wars under their command?
On the contrary, Chairman Mao attached great importance to the logistical support of the army, and on the one hand, he won the support of the peasants by fighting the local tyrants and dividing up the land, and in order to defend their land, the peasants would automatically and spontaneously support the Red Army and provide food, clothing, and other materials to the Red Army.
On the other hand, Chairman Mao has always adhered to guerrilla warfare and mobile warfare, seeking opportunities to annihilate the enemy in the course of the movement, and capturing a large amount of materials and equipment, so as to realize the goal of "relying on the enemy as capital" and solving the problem of supply.
"People want to eat" is a seemingly ordinary common sense, but it contains a great military truth, which shows that the commander must respect the objective law and cannot blindly act arbitrarily.
Compared with Wang Ming, Chairman Mao made a judgment from a high level.
Second, "you have to use your feet to walk."
Chairman Mao recalled that at that time, the Red Army was very poorly equipped, there were no cars or planes, the movement of troops was completely on foot, and the troops often had to cross mountains and mountains, braving the bombardment and strafing of enemy aircraft to rush the road, and the marching speed was very slow.
However, the commanders represented by Wang Ming and Bogu did not understand this, and they took the Soviet model, sat in the command room, looked at the map and commanded, and pulled the small flag representing the troops on the map from one place to another and inserted it to another, thinking that the task of mobilizing troops had been completed.
According to this method of command, they can "move" a unit out of tens or even hundreds of miles without much effort on the map, but they do not know that according to their orders, those transferred troops will have to trek for many hours on foot, or even for several days, to reach their destination.
Along the way, the Red Army had to wade through mountains and rivers to avoid the enemy's aircraft bombardment, and when it arrived at its destination, it was already exhausted, but the enemy stayed where it was, or arrived in a car, so that it could wait for work. How could the Red Army not lose the battle after this?
Chairman Mao's remarks are completely in line with reality.
In the fifth anti-"encirclement and suppression" campaign, Chiang Kai-shek learned the lessons of the previous defeats, implemented "fortress doctrine," built one blockade line after another, fought steadily, and gradually advanced. However, Wang Ming, Bogu, and others disregarded reality, adopted "position warfare," ventured everywhere, and fought head-on with the enemy.
With its own shortcomings and the strength of the enemy, the results can be imagined, and the Red Army suffered a crushing defeat and heavy losses.
"You must use your feet to walk, another very ordinary common sense, but it contains a great truth, warning commanders that they must seek truth from facts, and cannot talk on paper and deviate from reality.
Third, "bullets can kill people."
Chairman Mao explained: Those military commanders who are divorced from reality seem to think that the soldiers of the Red Army are invincible, that the enemy's bullets cannot kill our soldiers, and that after a unit has fought the front line for several days and nights, regardless of victory or defeat, it needs to be withdrawn and rested.
However, the commanders who could only read and planted flags did not care at all, and still used this unit as a fresh force, ordering them to "attack and fight fiercely, and pursue with victory", resulting in more and more defeat and more losses, and the Central Soviet Area did not expand, but shrank day by day.
Under such a bad command, how can the fifth anti-"encirclement and suppression" campaign be victorious?
"Bullets can kill people", a very ordinary common sense, but it contains military truth, the commander must grasp the law of war, can not blind command.
Finally, Chairman Mao summed up these three sentences:
"I didn't go to a military academy, and some people scolded me for 'holding a copy of Sun Tzu's Art of War and directing a war.'" In fact, I hadn't even read Sun Tzu's Art of War. I heard that someone scolded me like this, so I tried to get a copy to read. Those who believe in foreign dogmas blindly command, and many comrades have sacrificed for them, what a bloody lesson! We were forced to march because we had to lose the battle. Today, in celebrating the victory of the Long March, we must not forget the lesson of 300,000 people who fought only 26,000 or 7,000.
With Chairman Mao's detailed explanation, the mystery that had plagued everyone for four years finally came to light, and Wilcox also put down a stone, which was deeply worth the trip.
Chairman Mao's explanation is so thorough that there is no need for the author to explain it more.
At this point, the author cannot help but lament the political wisdom of Chairman Mao and his old man.
These seemingly profound truths, in Chairman Mao's mouth, were expounded only with the most superficial common sense, 3 sentences and 15 words, and this kind of skill in simplifying complexity can be described as invincible.
"People have to eat, they have to walk with their feet, bullets can kill people." Chairman Mao's political wisdom is admirable.
It is precisely by virtue of this genius-like political wisdom that Chairman Mao was able to lead the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people to many great victories of the Chinese revolution and made unprecedented and indelible great contributions.
Finally, let's talk about Wilcox.
After that, in 1964, Wilcox was received by Chairman Mao again for the third time and listened to Chairman Mao's conversation. However, although he understood the connotation of Chairman Mao's three sentences, he failed to implement them and succeeded, but instead was dismissed from the general secretary of the New Zealand Communist Party and all leading positions in the party in 1977.
It seems that scientific theories can guide practice, but not everyone can succeed.
References: Chinese Communist Party News Network, Party History Expo "Mao Zedong Faced With Anger and Death" and so on.