Chapter 46 Criticized by Mao Zedong

1958 became the "Great Leap Forward" era. The "high-spirited" Mao Zedong made frequent tours and held meetings in various places to encourage the "Great Leap Forward".Hu Qiaomu also attended a series of meetings with Mao Zedong: January Hangzhou meeting (partial provincial and municipal Party committee secretaries meeting), Nanning meeting (nine provinces and two city secretaries meeting); March Chengdu Conference (Central Work Conference); Hankou meeting in April (continuation of Chengdu meeting). Mao Zedong severely criticized the "anti-rash advance" and pointed out: "Anti-adventure is only 50 meters away from the right!"

Mao Zedong said: "Anti-rash advancement is non-Marxist, and aggressive advancement is Marxist." As a last resort, at the Second Session of the Eighth National Congress of the Communist Party of China held in May, Zhou Enlai made a review: "The mistakes against 'rash advance' were concentratedly reflected in the speeches made at the Second Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee in November 1956." "The mistake of anti-'rash advance' is serious. Fortunately, due to the correct leadership of the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao and timely correction..."

Chen Yun also checked at the meeting: "I bear the main responsibility for the policy mistake of opposing 'rash advance' at that time." In addition, Li Xiannian and Bo Yibo were forced to conduct "mistakes" checks against "rash advance". The inspections by Zhou Enlai, Chen Yun, Li Xiannian, and Bo Yibo provided a footnote for Mao Zedong's criticism of "anti-rash advancement"—who exactly was the "benefit" of his "targeted". In order to realize the "Great Leap Forward", from August 17 to 30, 1958, an enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Beidaihe, and a communique was issued, calling on "the whole party and the people to strive for the production of 10.7 million tons of steel"!

The communiqué was drafted by Hu Qiaomu. Bo Yibo once made the following recollections: "Several local officials (quote note: Ke Qingshi, Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China) strongly advocated doubling steel. Chairman Mao was very happy. 070' was written in the communiqué. Chairman Mao agreed. At that time, I informed Comrade Hu Qiaomu who drafted the communiqué that Chairman Mao had said that and "1070" was written in the communiqué. I mean, everyone advocated this , everyone has to be responsible, writing the communique with the meaning of 'general'. Facts have proved that this suggestion of mine is wrong."

Bo Yibo was Vice Premier of the State Council and Director of the State Economic Commission at the time.Although the review on "anti-rash advance" was conducted a few months ago, the mind is still calm.It's just that he knew he couldn't resist the "leap forward" wave, so he came up with a "general" method.Now that Mao Zedong nodded, Hu Qiaomu followed suit, writing "1070" (that is, the production of 10.7 million tons of steel) into the communiqué. More than three months later, the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Wuchang.It was still Hu Qiaomu who drafted the meeting communiqué.

When writing the communiqué, Hu Qiaomu encountered the same problem again: the plenum discussed and passed the "leap forward index" of the national economy in 1959, should it be included in the communiqué and made public? Chen Yun, who has conducted an inspection on "anti-rash advance", is still clear-headed.Knowing that those "leap forward indicators" were difficult to achieve, he talked to Hu Qiaomu and suggested not to include the specific figures in the communiqué. Hu Qiaomu didn't listen to Chen Yun's suggestion, and he didn't dare to report Chen Yun's opinion to Mao Zedong.The meeting communiqué drafted by Hu Qiaomu still contained this paragraph:

"The Plenary Session of the Central Committee... put forward some main indicators for the development of the national economy in 1959: steel output will increase from the estimated output of about 11 million tons this year to about 18 million tons, and coal output will increase from the estimated output of this year to about 270 million tons. From about 10 million tons to about 380 million tons, grain output will increase from about 750 billion jin this year to about 1,050 billion jin, and cotton output will increase from 67 billion jin this year. From about 10,000 tons to about 100 million tons."

The communiqué drafted by Hu Qiaomu was reviewed and approved by Mao Zedong.Mao Zedong sent a letter to Hu Qiaomu on December 15, 1958—— After the publication of the communique, the four major targets of steel, coal, grain, and cotton became the struggle targets of the whole party and the whole country in 1959.However, the high indicators were divorced from reality, and the "Great Leap Forward" became a false fire. Chen Yun stated his opinions to Mao Zedong again and again.At first, Mao Zedong could not listen. On December 26, 1958, Mao Zedong celebrated his birthday. Chen Yun reminded him when he had dinner with him: "Next year's steel output will be 18 million tons, and I am afraid it will not be completed." If it is wrong, it must be tested by practice."

In January and April 1959, Chen Yun proposed to lower the targets.High targets run into trouble in execution.Gradually, Mao Zedong listened to Chen Yun's opinion. In April 1959, the Seventh Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Shanghai.Mao Zedong said: "You can't climax every day, you have to move forward in waves." This shows that he has already felt the problem of high indicators. However, the Communiqué of the Seventh Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China still reiterated the "four major indicators" mentioned in the Communiqué of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.The communiqué reads:

"After full discussion, the plenary meeting passed the draft national economic plan in 1959. This draft national economic plan was based on the 18 million tons of steel output, 380 million tons of coal output, It was compiled based on the four major indicators of grain output of 1.05 trillion catties and cotton output of 100 million dan, as well as the production and construction situation in the first quarter of this year..." After Chen Yun read it, he directly told Mao Zedong his opinion: "These indicators should not be written in the communiqué, which is very passive."

After hearing this, Mao Zedong felt that Chen Yun's words were reasonable. At this time, Chen Yun mentioned that at the end of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, he had told Hu Qiaomu to ask Hu Qiaomu to tell Mao Zedong. Now, Mao Zedong was angry with Hu Qiaomu.Mao Zedong criticized Hu Qiaomu quite sharply: "You are just a secretary, and the vice chairman's opinion is not reported?" At that time, Chen Yun served as the vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.Mao Zedong praised Chen Yun, saying: "Sometimes the truth is in the hands of one person." Hu Qiaomu has always been cautious, very organized and disciplined, and has rarely been criticized by Mao Zedong. This time Hu Qiaomu was criticized, but in fact, he also had his difficulties at that time.Because at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Wang Jiaxiang had an opinion on the issue of the people's communes and discussed it with Liu Shaoqi.Liu Shaoqi told Mao Zedong, who was very displeased. Probably knowing this situation, Hu Qiaomu did not dare to tell Mao Zedong about Chen Yun's opinion. If Hu Qiaomu had told the truth at that time, Mao Zedong might not have listened to it, and would have blamed Chen Yun instead.Because on December 26, 1958, Mao Zedong's birthday, Chen Yun told Mao Zedong face to face, but Mao Zedong didn't listen.What's more, the communiqué of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China drafted by Hu Qiaomu was reviewed and approved by Mao Zedong before it was published... After the Seventh Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Chen Yun was entrusted by Mao Zedong and the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China to conduct a survey of economic planning indicators. On May 11, at the Politburo meeting, he proposed to reduce the steel output in 1959 to 13 million tons. Later facts proved that Chen Yun's opinion was in line with China's reality: China's steel output in 1959 was only 13.87 million tons (moreover, this figure was mixed with a lot of "moisture"). Although Mao Zedong criticized Hu Qiaomu, fortunately, Qiao Mu immediately accepted the criticism, and the nature of the problem was not serious, so it passed.From then on, Hu Qiaomu became more and more cautious when working beside Mao Zedong—he was already very cautious.