February Countercurrent
| February Countercurrent | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theCultural Revolution | |||
| Date | 11 February 1967 – 16 February 1967 (5 days) | ||
| Location | |||
| Caused by |
| ||
| Resulted in | Cultural Revolution Groupvictory, party elders criticized and are made to conduct self-criticism | ||
| Parties | |||
| Lead figures | |||
TheFebruary Countercurrent(Chinese:Hai tháng nghịch lưu;pinyin:Èryuè nìliú), also known as theFebruary Adverse Current,[1]refers to the joint efforts by a group ofChinese Communist Party(CCP) veterans to oppose the radicalism at the beginning of theCultural Revolution.[2]
Overview[edit]
The February Countercurrent occurred in February 1967, as senior generals and theCultural Revolution Groupbecame embroiled in a conflict over the direction of the country.[3]: 154 The conflict pitted Communist revolutionary generalsTan Zhenlin(the vice Premier), MarshalChen Yi,Li Xiannian,Yu Qiuli,and others against Maoist radicals[3]: 154 led byLin Biao,Kang Sheng,Jiang Qing,andZhang Chunqiao.
Li Fuchun hosted a meeting at his home with leaders who dealt with industry and transportation, including someCCP Politburomembers.[3]: 154 Li's focus was to discuss "grasping revolution and promoting production" despite the contentious political climate of the Cultural Revolution.[3]: 154 The meeting turned to criticizing the Cultural Revolution and the damage it had caused to the social order and established leadership.[3]: 154 Chen and Tan were the attendees who most vocally criticized the course of the Cultural Revolution.[3]: 154 Eventually, a brawl broke out between members of the Cultural Revolution Group and the generals.[3]: 154
An account detailed one of the confrontations, which involved the MarshalYe Jianyingslamming the table so hard, he broke several fingers. As one of the leaders of theWeberian-orientedPeople's Liberation Army(PLA) military commanders in the discussion panel, he accused the Cultural Revolution Group of undermining the military, specifically the incitement of radical insurgency against the troops.[4]
Response[edit]
Mao called a meeting on February 18 including Zhou Enlai, Ye Jianying, Ye Qun, Kang Sheng and others to express his support for Lin Biao and theradical Red Guards,saying "If someone opposes the Central Cultural Revolution Group I will resolutely oppose him," "The Central Cultural Revolution Group [...] errors amount to one, two, maybe three percent, while it's been correct up to ninety-seven percent", "If this Great Cultural Revolution fails, Comrade Lin Biao and I will withdraw from Beijing and go back toWell Ridge Mountainto fight a guerrilla war ", and even taunted that Chen Yi's faction could take a try to bringWang Ming,Zhang Guotaoand even theUnited Statesand theSoviet Unionto support them. Kang Sheng later said he had never seen the Chairman so angry.[5]Mao declared that the group was merely expressing its views and it was part of the intra-party life.[6]Mao required, however, that Tan Zhenlin, Chen Yi andXu Xiangqian"request leaves of absence to carry outself-criticism."[3]: 154 Because Yu Qiuli was not as senior as the other officials involved in the February Countercurrent, he was permitted to retain his position. He nonetheless became the target ofRed Guardsin Beijing who subjected him to many struggle sessions.[3]: 154
The generals were denounced by Lin Biao as a "serious anti-party act".[7]Lin, who was designated as Mao's successor in April 1969,[2]denounced the countercurrent by describing them as those who "assumed the roles of backstage Boss es and instigated the masses to fight the masses" and those who proposed that, in state organs, all cadres above the department director level should be "baked" or thrown out, paralyzing the numerous states organs in the process.[6]Chen Bodacontended that the February Countercurrent was an attempt "to subvert thedictatorship of the proletariat."[3]: 154
In March 1968, Lin Biao and the Gang of Four accusedYang Chengwu,Yu Li gian (second secretary of the Party Committee of the Air Force), and Fu Chongbi (commander of the Beijing garrison) of "overturning the case of the February Countercurrent."[8]: 76–77 This event became known as the "Yang, Yu, Fu Incident."[8]: 76 Based on allegations later deemed by the Party to be false, the Gang of Four and their allies contended that Yang, Yu, and Fu sought to had sought to seize power with respect to the air force and the Beijing garrison.[8]: 76 Yang, Yu, and Fu were persecuted and some of their allies attacked and even killed.[8]: 76
Reassessment[edit]
The post-Mao CCP reversed the judgment of the February Countercurrent, particularly following the downfall of theGang of Four.[9]On November 25, 1978,Hua Guofengannounced at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Central Committee that the Politburo would openly and thoroughly redress a number of historic matters, including the February Countercurrent.[8]: 54
In March 1979, the Central Committee issued a Notice of Open Rehabilitation and repudiated the allegations made by the Gang of Four during the "Yang, Yu, Fu Incident."[8]: 76 The Central Committee resolved that the accusations were slanderous, officially restored the reputations of those targeted in the incident, and paid compensation for those who were injured or killed as a result.[8]: 76
References[edit]
- ^"Resolution on CPC History".
- ^abLeung, Edwin Pak-Wah; Leung, Pak-Wah (2002).Political Leaders of Modern China: A Biographical Dictionary.Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 241.ISBN0313302162.
- ^abcdefghijHou, Li (2021).Building for Oil: Daqing and the Formation of the Chinese Socialist State.Harvard-Yenching Institutemonograph series. Vol. 110. Cambridge, Massachusetts:Harvard University Asia Center.doi:10.1163/9781684170944.ISBN978-0-674-26022-1.JSTORj.ctv15vwhz6.
- ^Rene, Helena K. (2013).China's Sent-Down Generation: Public Administration and the Legacies of Mao's Rustication Program.Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press.ISBN9781589019881.
- ^Gao, Wenqian;Rand, Peter; Sullivan, Lawrence R. (2007).Zhou Enlai: the last perfect revolutionary a biography.New York:PublicAffairs.p. 160.ISBN978-1-58648-415-6.Retrieved6 June2023.
- ^abMacFarquhar, Roderick; Schoenhals, Michael (2009).Mao's Last Revolution.Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. pp.276.ISBN9780674023321.
- ^"Nhiều duy lịch sử: Trần phi hiện thân thuật hai tháng nghịch lưu chân tướng".Duowei News.August 8, 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 2016-03-04.Retrieved2014-11-06.
- ^abcdefgGuoyou, Wu; Xuemei, Ding (2020). Zheng, Qian (ed.).An Ideological History of the Communist Party of China.Vol. 3. Translated by Sun, Li; Bryant, Shelly. Montreal, Quebec: Royal Collins Publishing Group.ISBN978-1-4878-0392-6.
- ^Denhardt, Janet Vinzant; Denhardt, Robert B. (2007).The New Public Service: Serving, Not Steering.Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. p. 101.ISBN978-0765605696.
