Throughout the Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiaoping's status as the "No. 2 capitalist faction in the party" was controversial, but the party central committee never formally concluded his "mistakes." Although he stopped working, he was not disciplined by the party and his salary remained undiminished. This is extremely rare. Deng Xiaoping once lamented in a conversation with the delegation of the New Freedom Club of Japan: "They (Lin Biao, Jiang Qing and others) must defeat me, and they still have to kill me, but Chairman Mao protects me." This phrase "Chairman Mao protects me" tells the mystery of Deng Xiaoping's "not falling."
Deng Xiaoping's daughter, Deng Rong, repeatedly referred to Mao Zedong's protection of her father, lamenting: "Deng Xiaoping's situation was unique in the Cultural Revolution." On the one hand, Mao Zedong wanted to criticize Deng Xiaoping and tried to overthrow him under the impetus of Lin Biao, Jiang Qing and others. On the other hand, Mao retained Deng Xiaoping's party membership and appointed the Central Office (General Office of the Central Committee) to be in charge of Deng Xiaoping's affairs, without allowing Lin Biao, Jiang Qing and others to interfere. Mao Zedong protected Deng Xiaoping to some extent, including his personal safety. Looking back at the situation at that time, if Mao Zedong had not protected Deng Xiaoping, and if Lin Biao, Jiang Qing and others had been given the power to dispose of Deng Xiaoping, Deng Xiaoping's fate would have been very different.
Mao Zedong repeatedly protected Deng Xiaoping because Deng Xiaoping was once a "Maoist leader" and had faithfully followed Mao Zedong for many years, working tirelessly. Despite their political differences, Mao still had faith in Mr. Deng, perhaps seeing him as the younger brother who had "made a mistake in the moment." Mao Zedong was 11 years older than Deng Xiaoping, and Deng Xiaoping and Mao's brother Mao Zeqin were peers. These two factors, or emotions, may have led Mao to take special care of Deng Xiaoping.
Interestingly, Deng Xiaoping, despite his political downfall, remained convinced of Mao.
During his overthrow, especially when he was sent to Jiangxi, he struggled to maintain contact with Mao Zedong and maintain their friendship. When faced with an unsolvable dilemma, his first thought was not to seek help from other people or organizations, but to go to the "distant water" - Mao Zedong and write a letter asking for help. In the end, Mao Zedong reached out and solved Deng's problem. These episodes vividly illustrate the special personal relationship between Deng Xiaoping and Mao Zedong outside of politics.
In summary, Mao's special protection and trust in Deng Xiaoping can be attributed to Deng's historical position, loyal service, and personal feelings.
This close relationship played a key role during the Cultural Revolution, changing Deng's fate. Mao's protection could have been an important turning point in history, with profound implications for Chinese politics.
Opinion-based analysis:
This history reveals the complex and unique relationship between Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Mao Zedong was politically divided on Deng Xiaoping, but trusted and close to him in his personal relationships. Mao's special protection and support, which spared Deng Xiaoping from severe persecution during the Cultural Revolution, had a profound impact on Chinese political history.
The story also highlights the critical role of interpersonal relationships between leaders in political decision-making and historical direction. While there may be political disagreements among leaders, personal emotions and trust can have a significant impact at critical moments. Mao's decision to protect Deng not only affected Deng's fate, but also changed the course of Chinese politics. The story also reminds us that close relationships between leaders can shape the destinies of nations and societies, not just cold political power struggles.
Ultimately, this historical story shows that in the political realm, personal emotions and trust can sometimes transcend ideological differences and have a profound impact on the course of history.