Chapter 46 3. Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai supported Deng Xiaoping's strict criticism of the "Gang of Four"

On the evening of May 3, members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee in Beijing received a notice to hold a meeting at Mao Zedong's residence in Zhongnanhai.At 23:00 that night, members of the Politburo arrived one after another, and Zhou Enlai also rushed to the venue from the 305 Hospital sick. The meeting was chaired by Mao Zedong himself.At this time, the senile cataracts in both eyes of Mao Zedong had not been cured, and the scenery was still blurred, but his thinking was still sharp, and his conversation was still the same as before.At the beginning of his speech, he admitted that he "made a mistake" and "let go" of the article criticizing "empiricism" (that is, Yao Wenyuan's "On the Social Basis of Lin Biao's Anti-Party Clique"), and severely criticized the "Gang of Four". ": "You only hate empiricism, not dogmatism."When talking about the party's historical experience, Mao Zedong once again mentioned the "Deng, Mao, Xie, and Gu Incident" that occurred in the Central Soviet Area in 1931, and said to Deng Xiaoping: "(At that time) I only met you once, and you are Mao Zedong. delegates."

Immediately, Mao Zedong emphasized his tone and said with gestures: "Practice Marxism-Leninism, not revisionism; unite, not split; be open and aboveboard, and don't engage in conspiracies. Don't engage in the 'Gang of Four', you don't engage in it, why are you doing the same? What are you doing?" This was Mao Zedong's point out of the "Gang of Four" and its sectarian activities after criticizing Jiang Qing's group many times in 1974. When Mao Zedong was speaking, Jiang Qing relied on her special status and did not make a single sentence of self-criticism, and interrupted the meeting from time to time, causing Mao Zedong's displeasure.With a stern face, he warned Jiang Qing one by one: "Don't be casual, be disciplined, be cautious, don't make your own decisions, discuss with the Politburo, have opinions discussed in the Politburo, and print documents for distribution. In the name of a person, not in the name of a person, for example, not in my name, I never send any materials...”

When the meeting adjourned, Mao Zedong shook hands with the members of the Politburo who were present and said goodbye one by one.When shaking hands with Wang Hongwen, Wang Zhiwu said: "Follow the chairman's instructions." After hearing this, Mao Zedong made a movement of turning his palm over and over again, and said seriously: "Don't be like this again!" The next day, Zhou Enlai discussed in the hospital with Deng Xiaoping, who had officially started to preside over the daily work of the Central Committee. According to Mao Zedong's instructions, he needed to further criticize the "Gang of Four" in the Politburo.Immediately, he leaned over his desk and wrote down a written opinion, expressing his "agreement with Xiaoping's opinion" and his support for the Politburo meeting chaired by Deng to criticize the "Gang of Four."

In order to ensure that the meeting to criticize the "Gang of Four" was held successfully, Zhou Enlai, regardless of his extreme weakness, wrote a letter to the members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, suggesting that further discussions should be made to thoroughly understand Mao Zedong's speech on May 3, especially to find out who took the lead in criticizing "empiricism". The problem.In this regard, Zhang Chunqiao, who was the first to criticize "empiricism", expressed his objection that "some words in Premier Zhou's letter are inaccurate".Zhou Enlai did not back down, and countered Zhang Chunqiao's sophistry on the issue of anti-"empiricism" based on Zhang Chunqiao's speech in the General Political Department on March 1 and the fact that various units in the army reflected Zhang's speech in March and April.In the face of hard facts and Zhou Enlai's strong criticism, Zhang Chunqiao had to restrain himself.

On May 27 and June 3, under the chairmanship of Deng Xiaoping, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee held consecutive meetings to discuss Mao Zedong's May 3 speech and severely criticize the "Gang of Four".At the meeting, Deng Xiaoping and Ye Jianying made another long speech, exposing Jiang Qing, Zhang Chunqiao and others' practices of attacking and slandering Zhou Enlai one by one, and questioning them repeatedly.Deng Xiaoping said in a firm tone: These issues should be clearly explained, "If you don't explain clearly, it will be of no benefit." Due to the situation, Wang Hongwen had to do some "checks".But Jiang Qing and others refused to review, and even tried to deny the fact that the "Gang of Four" existed.

Afterwards, when Deng Xiaoping reported the meeting of the Politburo to Mao Zedong, Mao Zedong praised: "I think there are achievements, and the problem has been solved." Refers to Deng), against Ye Shuai... Now the "wind direction" of the Politburo is about to turn." Finally, Mao Zedong said to Deng Xiaoping full of expectations: "You have to do your work!" Deng Xiaoping said firmly: "In this regard, I am determined." After the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, Jiang Qing and his group, who were criticized, were downcast and devastated.People noticed that during the "Cultural Revolution", Jiang Qing, who never let go of the opportunity to show his face in public, hardly made any public appearances in the past few months.Wang Hongwen, Zhang Chunqiao, and Yao Wenyuan also became less domineering and airy.For a while, the news that "Jiang Qing was criticized by the central government" spread like wildfire and was widely circulated.

In sharp contrast to this, Zhou Enlai, who was in the hospital, frequently met with foreign guests from the beginning of June.Deng Xiaoping, Li Xiannian, Liao Chengzhi and others often accompanied him to meet foreign guests. On the evening of June 7, when Zhou Enlai met with Philippine President Marcos and his wife and daughter at the hospital, he told the guests with great interest: Now the talks and banquets are arranged by Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping, which provides me with a chance to rest... With the support of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, starting from the second half of this year, the rectification led by Deng Xiaoping was carried out comprehensively and rapidly in various fields such as agriculture, commerce, education, science and technology, and literature and art.

On July 4, Deng Xiaoping delivered a speech titled "Strengthening the Party's Leadership and Rectifying the Party's Work Style" to the students of the fourth session of the Central Reading Class, expounding on his famous slogan for fighting the "Gang of Four" not long ago - "Three The item instruction is the outline".He said: "In the previous period, Comrade Mao Zedong had three important instructions: first, we must study theory, oppose revisionism and prevent revisionism; second, we must stabilize and unite; third, we must develop the national economy. These three instructions are interrelated. It is a whole, and nothing can be lost. This is the outline of our work during this period." He emphasized: At present, we have a lot of things to do, "especially to develop the national economy."

On July 14, Deng Xiaoping put forward the "Tasks for Reorganization of the Army" at the enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission, requiring that the first thing to do is to eradicate hills in the army, overcome factionalism, and strengthen organizational discipline. On August 3, Deng Xiaoping made another speech "On the Reorganization of National Defense Industry Enterprises" at a meeting held by the Central Military Commission, pointing out: We must establish a leadership team with the word "dare" at the top, and select those who can and dare to do things. Those who dare to take responsibility will lead the rectification work.

On August 18, Deng Xiaoping expressed his opinion on the issue of accelerating industrial development, emphasizing the necessity and urgency of adjusting the management order of enterprises and restoring and improving various rules and regulations. On September 15, Deng Xiaoping attended the National Conference on Learning from Dazhai in Agriculture held in Xiyang County, Shanxi Province.At the meeting, he reiterated the grand goal of realizing the "four modernizations" and suggested that all aspects of work should be rectified. From the end of September to the beginning of October, Deng Xiaoping pointed out more clearly at the symposium on rural work: "At present, there is a problem of rectification in all aspects. Agriculture needs to be rectified, industry must be rectified, literature and art policies must be adjusted, and adjustment is actually rectification. Rectification, solving problems in the countryside, solving problems in factories, solving problems in science and technology, and solving problems in all aspects." "The core of the rectification is the rectification of the party. As long as the central link of party rectification is grasped, the rectification in all aspects will not be difficult." Disaster."

From July to October, in just three months, the comprehensive rectification of the "discharge" was like spring thunder, shaking the land of the motherland.Many old cadres, old workers and intellectuals, through conveying and studying Deng Xiaoping's speeches, spontaneously felt a kind of carefree feeling that they had never had since the "Cultural Revolution".Zhou Rongxin, who has been rectifying the education system under the guidance of Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping, according to Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping's opinions on the rectification of education work, at an educational symposium, sternly criticized all kinds of fallacies spread by the "Gang of Four" for a long time, and pointed the finger at Zhang Chunqiao The "two estimates" concocted by others.In this regard, Zhou Rongxin is not unaware of taking "risks", but he is fearless: "Some of my words will hurt those who are good at metaphysics, and they will definitely be dissatisfied. It is nothing more than being knocked down again! Even if I'm knocked down again, I'm not afraid—I must make up my mind and be the kind of person that Comrade Xiaoping said is not afraid of being knocked down!" Zhou Rongxin's speech expressed the aspirations of a group of veteran cadres leading the rectification work. Deng Xiaoping's comprehensive rectification quickly and systematically corrected all kinds of mistakes since the "Cultural Revolution", resulting in a significant improvement in all aspects of work in a short period of time, and various indicators of the national economy also turned from stagnant decline to rapid recovery.Industrial production and transportation are getting better month by month.From the second half of the year, the national economic situation continued to improve, and industrial and agricultural production rose steadily. This comprehensive rectification has won the hearts of the party and the people.People who have suffered from 8 years of turmoil began to feel: there is hope for the "four modernizations", there is hope for the nation, and there is hope for China! On September 7, 1975, Zhou Enlai, who was seriously ill, met with foreign guests for the last time in the hospital.When he said frankly and affirmatively to the guests from Eastern Europe, "I have received Marx's 'invitation'", all the guests present were astonished.Immediately, Zhou Enlai announced with confidence: Comrade Deng Xiaoping will succeed me in presiding over the work of the State Council.Comrade Deng Xiaoping is very talented, and we can fully believe that Comrade Deng Xiaoping will continue to implement the internal and external policies of the Chinese party and government. ...