Chapter 11 3. Criticize the so-called "February Countercurrent"

In the early morning of February 19, 1967, after listening to the "report" by Zhang Chunqiao and others on the "disturbance at Huairen Hall", Mao Zedong severely criticized several old comrades who participated in the February protest, accusing them of "reversing the case" and being "restoration" and proposed that the "Cultural Revolution" cannot be denied.He also said that if the Cultural Revolution failed, he would go to Jinggangshan with Lin Biao to fight guerrillas.Mao Zedong really got angry this time.According to Kang Sheng, "I have been with the chairman for so many years, and I have never seen him lose his temper so much." Under such circumstances, Zhou Enlai made a self-criticism and took responsibility for the Huairentang meeting.The meeting decided that Chen Yi, Tan Zhenlin, and Xu Xiangqian should "ask for leave for review", and at the same time hold a Central Political Life Criticism Meeting to criticize old comrades such as Chen, Tan, and Xu.So far, the February protest, which lasted for a month, has come to an end.

After Mao Zedong severely criticized the veteran comrades who participated in the protest, most of the veteran comrades actually stopped the protest (some even changed the way of fierce struggle).The reason why these old comrades quickly changed their fighting methods and actions is, to a large extent, because the month-long fierce or other forms of struggle they carried out were ultimately based on their opposition to the Party. and Mao Zedong's trust, and unconditional obedience to the party's organizational leadership; and because of this, even in the most furious situation, they have not changed or shaken at all. a lofty belief and sentiment.They have always aimed their spearhead at the "Central Cultural Revolution Group" who carried out perverse actions, and pinned their hopes of correcting mistakes on the party organizations and party leaders.

In addition, the attitude and role of Zhou Enlai, who held a special place in the hearts of the veteran comrades who participated in the struggle, could not but be an important factor at this time.It goes without saying that Zhou Enlai, who had always had a close relationship with the old comrades who fought in February, assumed an extremely difficult and painful "role" at this time.Zhou Enlai had no room for maneuver between Mao Zedong, who still insisted on the mistakes of the "Cultural Revolution", and the old comrades whose thoughts and feelings were incompatible with the "Cultural Revolution".He even had to come forward in person, responsible for convening and hosting the "political life criticism meeting" for several old comrades held continuously from late February to mid-March of the same year (during the "political life criticism meeting", Qi Benyu, a member of the Central Cultural Revolution Group, listed Among the materials used for "criticism" was a report on the systematic campaign by the State Council drafted by Li Fuchun and approved by Zhou Enlai).At such a meeting, he had to say something against his will, including to those old comrades who made "mistakes", and also to himself.

In the meeting room of Huairen Hall, Jiang Qing, Chen Boda, Kang Sheng, and Xie Fuzhi pursued old comrades such as Li Fuchun and Chen Yi, besieging and criticizing them wantonly.They accused several veterans of speaking at the central meeting as "opposing Chairman Mao's revolutionary line", "opposing the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution", and "denying the Yan'an Rectification Movement".Kang Sheng made alarmist accusations: "This is the most serious anti-Party incident since the Eleventh Plenary Session of the (Eighth) Central Committee!" , I want to reverse the verdicts of Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping!" "To protect veteran cadres is to protect a small group of traitors and secret agents..." Chen Boda also said: "To oppose the Cultural Revolution and bombard the proletarian headquarters headed by Chairman Mao is an act of self-determination. And going down to restore capitalism is to subvert the dictatorship of the proletariat!"

In addition, they also use various hats and sticks, such as "clubs", "black generals", "liaison officers", etc., to attack and slander with all their strength.Li Fuchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, assisted Zhou Enlai in handling daily work and was the head of the business team in charge of the work of the State Council. Several vice premiers often went to him to discuss issues.Kang Sheng falsely claimed that Li was the "club director".To this, Li Fuchun replied coldly: "Okay, then you organize a special case review! People have mouths, and they always have to talk!"

March 18 is the last day of the "Political Life Meeting".The incident of old comrades "making a big fuss at Huairen Hall" was finally characterized as "February Countercurrent".Chen Yi returned home from the venue and said to the staff with emotion: "What a coincidence! 41 years ago, on March 18, 1926, under the leadership of the Party and Comrade Li Dazhao, we organized more than 4,000 citizens, workers, and students to attack The reactionary government of Beiyang warlord Duan Qirui, the revolutionary masses were massacred. Lu Xun denounced the "March 18 Incident" as "the darkest day". Unexpectedly, 41 years later, because of opposing such reactionary guys, I would actually Criticized!"

After the failure of the protest in February, Jiang Qing openly demanded power from Zhou Enlai, who presided over the daily work of the party and government. The Political Bureau of the Central Committee was forced to stop its activities, and the Central Cultural Revolution Group actually replaced the functions of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee. Beginning in March of this year, Lin Biao and Jiang Qing set off a nationwide wave of "counter-revolutionary counter-revolutionary restoration from top to bottom", attacking and persecuting leading cadres at all levels who were dissatisfied with and resisting the "Cultural Revolution" on a larger scale. The already chaotic situation worsened.

Under Jiang Qing's direct instruction, Qi Benyu conspired with Tan XX from Beijing Normal University, one of the "five leaders" of the Red Guards in Beijing universities, and decided to "counterattack the 'February Countercurrent' first with Tan Zhenlin." Zhai exhibition surgery". Around March 8, the Red Guards of Beijing Normal University and other colleges and universities successively made incidents of attacking the Beijing Agricultural Exhibition Hall and the exhibition of "Learning from Industry in Daqing".In a very complicated situation, Wang Zhen, the former Minister of Land and Reclamation, and others resolutely protected the older generation of revolutionaries, and the broad masses of cadres and the masses also fought against the evil waves caused by Lin Biao and Jiang Qing.

On March 14, under the control of Lin Biao, Chen Boda and others, a large number of people who did not know the truth appeared on the streets of Beijing, the capital, to demonstrate. Chairman", "Defend the Central Cultural Revolution with blood and life" and other slogans set off the first climax of the nationwide counterattack against the "February Countercurrent". On May 1st in 1967, Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai personally approved Ye Jianying, Li Fuchun, Tan Zhenlin, Chen Yi, Xu Xiangqian, Nie Rongzhen, Li Xiannian and other old comrades who "made a big noise at Huairen Hall" to climb the Tiananmen Gate Tower to watch the festive fireworks. On May 4th, Chen Boda and Qi Benyu rushed to Beijing Normal University, inciting Tan XXX and others, saying: "They go to Tiananmen Square, you are against them!" "If the truth is in your hands... do it according to your opinions! As a result, the rebels began to fight back against the so-called "May Demon Wind", which made the already chaotic situation more complicated and changeable.

Since mid-May, big-character posters and large slogans directly attacking Zhou Enlai have appeared in Beijing, stating: Zhou Enlai is "one of the creators and executors of the bourgeois reactionary line" and "bombarding Zhou Enlai is the general direction of the current movement", etc.Some rebels also put forward the reason of "cannoning" Zhou Enlai: the prime minister is an "old protector", who protects this and that, but in the end, he protects all bad people; many vice premiers of the State Council have collapsed, and their mistakes will not have nothing to do with the premier ; The Prime Minister's many speeches are far from the tone of the speeches of the members of the Central Cultural Revolution Group; Zhou Enlai is the general root of the "February Countercurrent"; and so on.

Just at this time, Jiang Qing resorted to a more vicious move. On May 17, she wrote to Lin Biao, Zhou Enlai, and Kang Sheng, claiming that the Red Guards "found an anti-communist notice, and the leader is Wu Hao (Zhou XX), and asked to have an interview with me."Enclosed are the materials handed over by the Red Guards.This "material" is the "Notice of Wu Hao and Others Leaving the Communist Party" that was forged by Kuomintang agents in 1932 after Zhou Enlai had already arrived in the Central Revolutionary Base and published in Shanghai newspapers.The Red Guards who gave Jiang Qing the materials did not know the truth of the historical facts, but at this time Jiang Qing's sinister intentions were very clear.Faced with this provocation, Zhou Enlai quickly and decisively refuted it.Two days later, Zhou Enlai criticized Jiang Qing's letter: "The announcement of Wu Hao and others leaving the Communist Party is purely a forgery by the enemy. Only 243 people are cited, and there is no other name, so it is undoubtedly a forgery. I was already in the Central Soviet Area at that time. , Comrades Kang Sheng and Chen Yun in Shanghai knew that the enemy had done it, so they took measures." On the same day, Zhou Enlai put aside other things, consulted old newspapers in Shanghai, and wrote a letter to Mao Zedong himself to explain the matter.Mao Zedong instructed to send the letter and materials to Lin Biao and the Central Cultural Revolution Group for review and storage. On the 29th, in response to the wave of "bombarding" Zhou Enlai, Mao Zedong wrote in a material: "The views of the ultra-leftists are wrong, please do the work of persuading them." The approval document was "circulated" to the members of the Central Cultural Revolution Group.Until then, Kang Sheng, who knew the truth about the so-called "Wu Hao Incident", wrote to Chen Boda and Jiang Qing, suggesting that the Central Cultural Revolution Group convene a meeting of relevant rebels to criticize the views of the "ultra-leftists".This farce was finally forced to end quietly.