In 1967, Mao Zedong was furious: Let Liu Deng come to power and fight a guerrilla war with Lin Biao

On February 8, 1967, Zhou Enlai held a meeting of the Politburo of the Central Committee in Huairentang, which was attended by relevant responsible persons. Present at the meeting were Zhou Enlai, Li Fuchun, Chen Yi, Ye Jianying, Xu Xiangqian, Nie Rongzhen, Tan Zhenlin, Li Xiannian, Yu Qiuli, Gu Mu, Chen Boda, Kang Sheng, Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, Wang Li, and Guan Feng. The main study is on the issue of "grasping the revolution and promoting production." Centering on the major issues of principle, such as whether the "Great Cultural Revolution" should lead the party, whether or not to overthrow all the old cadres, and whether to stabilize the army, Xu Xiangqian and some proletarian revolutionaries of the older generation waged a tit-for-tat struggle with Chen Boda and Kang Sheng and their gang.

At the meeting on the afternoon of February 11, Ye Jianying questioned Kang Sheng, Chen Boda, and Zhang Chunqiao: "You have messed up the party, the government, and the factories and rural areas. ”

Xu Xiangqian knocked on the table and said indignantly: "The army is the pillar of the dictatorship of the proletariat. If not, those of us who simply go home and farm! The two veteran marshals argued on the basis of reason, made generous statements, and won the support of some comrades, leaving Kang Sheng, Chen Boda and others speechless.

On the afternoon of February 16, we continued to meet to discuss the issue of "grasping the revolution and promoting production." Xu Xiangqian did not participate for some reason. At this meeting, the struggle became even more intense. At first, Tan Zhenlin asked Zhang Chunqiao to protect Chen Pixian, and Zhang Chunqiao pushed back and said to go back to consult with the masses. Tan Zhenlin was annoyed and asked loudly: "What kind of masses, always the masses, and the leadership of the party!" You just don't want the party's leadership. The more Tan Zhenlin spoke, the more excited he became. He rebuked the "hundred ugly pictures" made by the likes of Tsinghua University's Ku Dafu and said, "What is Ku Dafu? It's counter-revolution! Made a 'hundred ugly figures'. These guys just want to bring down all the old cadres. The more Tan Zhenlin spoke, the angrier he became, picked up documents and clothes, and wanted to exit the venue, and said: "Let you people do it, I will not do it!" Cut off your head, go to jail, and expel the party to the end! ”

Zhou Enlai asked him to come back. Chen Yi also said: "Don't go, stay inside and fight!" When these guys come to power, they engage in revisionism. He also talked about the rectification of Yan'an, saying that he and Zhou Enlai had been rectified. ......

Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, and others who attended the meeting became defendants on trial and could not say a word. After the meeting was adjourned, they hurried to Diaoyutai to report to Jiang Qing. Jiang Qing listened to the report and was furious, saying: "This is a new line struggle, Chen Yi, Tan Zhenlin, and Xu Xiangqian are representatives of the wrong line, and Ye Jianying, Li Xiannian, and Yu Qiuli are echoing the wrong line." She picked up the phone and called Mao Zedong's office, saying that Zhang Chunqiao and Yao Wenyuan had important reports and asked the chairman to meet them overnight. When Zhang Chunqiao and Yao Wenyuan talked about these situations, Mao Zedong just laughed and did not take a stand. He knows best the generals who have been fighting with him for decades. Zhang Chunqiao was confused and could not figure out what Mao Zedong meant. However, when Chen Yi was reported to the problem of Rectifying the Wind in Yan'an, Mao Zedong's attitude suddenly changed, saying: "Is the Rectification in Yan'an also wrong?" Do you still want to ask Wang Ming to come back to them? ”

On the morning of February 18, Jiang Qing took Wang Li to report to Lin Biao on the Huairentang conference and Mao Zedong's instructions. Lin Biao listened expressionlessly as always. After listening, he said two sentences: one was "Xu Xiangqian cannot represent the People's Liberation Army"; the other sentence was "Chen Boda is a scholar".

From the night of February 18 to the dawn of February 19, Mao Zedong held a meeting at which he angrily said: "If you want to negate the Cultural Revolution, you can't do it!" To make a big fuss about Huai Ren Tang is to carry out capitalist restoration. Let Liu and Deng come to power, and I will go south with Lin Biao and then go up to Jinggang Mountain to fight guerrillas. Chen Boda and Jiang Qing were shot! Kang Sheng charged the army! The Central Cultural Revolution Group was reorganized, with Chen Yi as the group leader, Tan Zhenlin as the deputy group leader, and Yu Qiuli as the team member. The strength is not enough, please come with the United States and the Soviet Union. ”

The audience was silent. The marshals of new China and the vice premiers of the State Council looked at each other in front of the supreme authority, and their eyes were full of worry, confusion and expectation.

The meeting confirmed that Chen Yi, Tan Zhenlin, and Xu Xiangqian would "ask for leave for review, and an enlarged meeting of the Politburo of the Central Committee would be held to criticize Chen Yi, Tan Zhenlin, and Xu Xiangqian.

From February 25 to March 18, seven or eight meetings were held intermittently at HuaiRen Tang, known as the "Politburo Life Meeting", which was actually a criticism of Chen Yi, Tan Zhenlin, Xu Xiangqian and others.

On March 24, 1967, at a meeting of the "Central Cultural Revolution," It was announced that Xiao Hua would preside over the work of the "Cultural Revolution of the Whole Army."

A month later, on the night of April 30, Mao Zedong invited Zhou Enlai, Li Fuchun, Chen Yi, Ye Jianying, Xu Xiangqian, Nie Rongzhen, Tan Zhenlin, and other old comrades to his home and had cordial conversations. Mao Zedong asked everyone about the situation one by one, and then said, "Have a unity meeting today." We still have to do unity! ”

Mao Zedong held a cigarette in his hand, and while smoking it, he said pleasantly: "At first, I didn't know what a 'big fuss huairentang' was. Later, I listened to several reports before I figured it out. The speech at the meeting was an opinion on the movement, and the old coach complained! ”

Mao Zedong sat on the couch, looked at these comrades-in-arms who were fighting the world together, and said: "These words were said at the party meeting, they are conspiracies, not conspiracies. In the future, everyone has an opinion, you can tell me! ”

Mao Zedong also smiled and asked Tan Zhenlin: "Boss Tan, have your anger subsided?" My anger has subsided. "Let's make a gentleman's agreement not to scold the mother."

There was a burst of laughter in the room. Xu Xiangqian and other veteran marshals also had their first smiles on their faces since the Cultural Revolution. The 40th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army is approaching, and according to the custom, the marshals of new China should attend the reception, so this time Zhou Enlai also included them in the list of participants in the reception. However, Lin Biao, Jiang Qing, and their gang disagreed on the grounds that they had "made a mistake in the direction and route" and were members of the "February Countercurrent." On July 31, they discussed for an afternoon, and there was always a lot of debate.

At about 5 p.m., Ye Jianying came to Xu Xiangqian's residence and said that Premier Zhou had called him and asked him to inform Xu Xiangqian and prepare to attend the reception. The Prime Minister said that the list of participants in the reception had been discussed for an afternoon, and that he was ready to report to Chairman Mao and, after asking the Chairman, would be formally notified by telephone.

Ye Jianying also brought a hairdresser and asked Xu Xiangqian to get his hair cut first and wait for the notice. As soon as he finished cutting his hair, he received a phone call from Zhou Enlai: "Chairman Mao instructed that Zhu De should attend today's reception, as well as Xu Xiangqian and Han Xianchu. ”

Although Xu Xiangqian has long since left the leadership post of the "All-Army Cultural Revolution," he still holds the title of leader of the "All-Army Cultural Revolution" group, which is not worthy of his name. On September 16, Xu Xiangqian formally wrote a report to Mao Zedong, asking him to resign from his position as the leader of the "All-Army Cultural Revolution" and to select another talent.

Mao Zedong thought about it for a long time, and on October 12, he issued a directive: "I do not intend to be exempted, please consider discretion." Lin Biao also commented: "I fully agree with the chairman's opinion, do not exempt it as appropriate." ”

Xu Xiangqian's resignation was not approved and he continued to hang on to his empty name. This "leader of the Cultural Revolution Group" of the Central Military Commission actually stood on the sidelines after only three months.

After the 12th Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in October 1968, Huang Yongsheng became chief of the general staff. He arranged to criticize several veteran marshals in the General Staff Department, and mobilized the staff of the old marshals' offices to organize the expository criticism and demand that a line be drawn with the old marshals. In a briefing, he even fabricated lies and framed Xu Xiangqian's wife, Huang Jie, as a "traitor," and as a result, he was raided by the "rebels" three times. Soon, the party branch of Xu Xiangqian's office wrote an official report to Premier Zhou, asking how to criticize Xu Xiangqian and his wife Huang Jie. After reading it, Zhou Enlai instructed: "Don't be too nervous. And forwarded it to Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong instructed: "All veteran comrades and their families related to the 'February Counter-Current' should not be criticized, but should have good relations with them." ”

Lin Biao had no choice but to add a comment to Mao Zedong's instructions: "I completely agree with the chairman's opinion, and I hope that Comrade Xu Xiangqian will do a good job in his health and not create new obstacles." ”

On April 1, 1969, the "Ninth National Congress" was held. When the Twelfth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee elected deputies to the Ninth National Congress, Xu Xiangqian and several other veteran Communist Party members related to the "February Countercurrent" were nominated by Mao Zedong to become deputies. During the Ninth National Congress, it was Mao Zedong who came forward to do the work, and Xu Xiangqian and several other veteran comrades related to the "February countercurrent" were elected to the Central Committee.

On September 13, 1971, Lin Biao's plot was completely exposed and he was buried in the desert. Mao Zedong understood and understood these old marshals better during the struggle, and personally rehabilitated the "February counter-current".

At the meeting with the commanders of the Eight Military Regions, Mao Zedong said a few words of praise to every veteran commander present. When shaking hands with Xu Xiangqian, he didn't say much, but just praised: "Good man! Good! "The mood is excited, and the intention is not to say.