Chapter 47 "Why is that? "The inside story

"People's Daily" editorial "Why? ", in black and white, how many people have studied it carefully - because the "anti-rightist struggle" started from this editorial. However, how was this editorial written?How did Mao Zedong plan it?For so many years, it has been a mystery. In 1995, Wu Lengxi published his memoir "Recalling Chairman Mao" by Xinhua Publishing House, which finally solved this mystery.Because Wu Lengxi is an extremely important person, his memory said "Why is this?" The inside story of "... Wu Lengxi is at a critical moment——"Why? "On the day before it was published, that is, on June 7, 1957, at the invitation of Mao Zedong, accompanied by Hu Qiaomu, we went to Mao Zedong's bedroom in the Juxiang Bookstore in Fengzeyuan, Zhongnanhai.Wu Lengxi said that in that conversation, apart from Mao Zedong, Hu Qiaomu and him, "no one else participated in this conversation."

Wu Lengxi recalled that as soon as he sat down, Mao Zedong told him about the "Lu Yuwen incident": As soon as we sat down, Chairman Mao happily said that today's newspaper published Lu Yuwen's speech at the symposium, saying that he had received an anonymous letter attacking, insulting and intimidating him.This provides us with a good opportunity to launch a counterattack against the rightists. Then, Mao Zedong explained to Wu Lengxi why he wanted to seize the "Lu Yuwen incident" to make a fuss.Mao Zedong obviously had a great strategic vision, and he chose the "Lu Yuwen incident" as a breakthrough point after careful consideration.Mao Zedong thought that catching the "Lu Yuwen incident" would have two advantages: first, Lu Yuwen was not a member of the CCP; second, the letter was anonymous.

Wu Lengxi recalled: Chairman Mao said that this threatening letter was good because he was attacking non-Party people and members of the Kuomintang; the good thing was that it was anonymous, and it was not signed by a named person.Of course, the signature can also be used as a representative of a force, but not signing can make people think of a tendency, a force.Originally, such threatening letters were despised in the old society, but now that we invite non-Party people to help the Communist Party rectify, such threatening letters are very unusual. When Mao Zedong was talking to Wu Lengxi, he had already written the People's Daily editorial "Why? ".Mao Zedong held this editorial from "People's Daily" in his hand, and explained the title of the editorial to Wu Lengxi, "Why is this?" " means:

For the past few days, I have been thinking about when to seize and when to launch a counterattack.Now that the opportunity has come, seize it immediately and launch a struggle against the rightists in the form of an editorial in the People's Daily. The title of the editorial is "Why? ", put forward such a question in front of the readers, let everyone think.Although the editorial has made our point of view clear, it still gives readers room to turn their minds.Lu Xun often writes articles like this, always leaving room for readers. Chairman Mao said that when writing articles, especially editorials, one must always disturb the overall situation politically and closely integrate with the political situation. This is called a politician running a newspaper.

Wu Lengxi still remembers that before he left, Mao Zedong changed a few words in the editorial and asked Hu Qiaomu to publish it in the "People's Daily" the next day. broadcast by People's Broadcasting Station. This clearly shows that the People's Daily editorial "Why is this?" "was revised by Mao Zedong himself, and the time of publication was also decided by Mao Zedong. This editorial was probably drafted on June 6th. More than a year later, Mao Zedong mentioned the "Lu Yuwen incident" in another speech, which shows that Mao Zedong thought that he chose the "Lu Yuwen incident" as a breakthrough in the "anti-rightist struggle" because he thought it was his political struggle. "Sweet pen".

It was the afternoon of August 25, 1958. Mao Zedong hosted a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in the lounge of the Beidaihe Beach Swimming Pool.At that time, Mao Zedong had just returned from swimming in the sea and presided over the meeting in his pajamas.In addition to Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping, Peng Dehuai, Wang Shangrong (chief of the General Staff Operations Department), Ye Fei (political commissar of the Fuzhou Military Region), Hu Qiaomu, and Wu Lengxi also attended the meeting. That day, Mao Zedong was in high spirits and talked at high volume.Wu Lengxi recalled:

Chairman Mao said that we must seize the opportunity in everything.Last year, I began to fight back against the rightists because I seized the Lu Yuwen incident, and when I criticized Wen Wei Po, I seized the "Xinmin Daily" and made self-criticism.The shelling of Kinmen this time is to seize the US military landing in Lebanon. Mao Zedong wrote in the People's Daily editorial "Why? "On the eve of publication—on June 7, 1957, Wu Lengxi was summoned suddenly. The main purpose was not to discuss the "Lu Yuwen incident" with him, but to discuss job transfers with him—and Wu Lengxi was transferred to " People's Daily presided over the work.

Mao Zedong had long been dissatisfied with Deng Tuo, so he violently criticized Deng Tuo as "a dead man running a newspaper."Mao Zedong knew very well, "Why is this?" "The publication means a turning point in history.At this turning point in history, "People's Daily" must "change coaches"—replacing Deng Tuo with Wu Lengxi. When Mao Zedong told Wu Lengxi this transfer order, Wu Lengxi felt very sudden.Wu Lengxi blurted out a sentence: "I am not mentally prepared." Although Wu Lengxi was unprepared, Mao Zedong was already prepared! Of course, Wu Lengxi could only obey the transfer order and take up his post at the "People's Daily"...

Nine years later, history repeated itself, strikingly similar: On June 1, 1966, the "People's Daily" published an editorial "Sweeping All Ghosts and Snakes". Since then, history has reached a new turning point, and the "Cultural Revolution" has entered a day of public launch. "People's Daily" editorial. The eve of the publication of "Sweeping All Ghosts and Snakes"—on May 31, 1966, the "People's Daily" was changed again. Mao Zedong appointed Chen Boda to lead a working group to the "People's Daily" suddenly, and Chen Boda replaced Wu Lengxi.

In launching the "Anti-Rightist Struggle", Mao Zedong seized the "Lu Yuwen Incident" and made a big fuss; in launching the "Cultural Revolution", Mao Zedong seized the big-character posters of Nie Yuanzi and other seven people in Peking University and made a big fuss, calling it "the first "Marxist-Leninist Big-Character Poster", published in the "People's Daily" on June 2, 1966...