Cultural Revolution OTD 1976

THE END

10/10/76 Deng Xiaoping writes to Hua Guofeng, congratulating him effusively on defeating the Gang of Four and pledging his loyalty to "Chairman Hua".

9/10/76 Militia and air defences are raised to combat readiness in Shanghai. Leaders finally get through to Ma Tianshui who pretends that all's well.

9/10/76 Another trades unionist declares "I didn't die in the Cultural Revolution. Now I'm ready to die" to stop revisionism taking over the Party.

9/10/76 A Shanghai trades unionists tells the meeting that Beijing's "palace coup" is "more Khrushchev than Khrushchev" who at least waited longer.

9/10/76 Shanghai militia leaders meet and propose strikes, marches and civil defence because "something big has happened in the Central Committee".

9/10/76 The decision on Mao's Selected Works uses the phrase "the Central Committee headed by Comrade Hua Guofeng" publicly for the first time.

9/10/76 At midnight, radio announces yesterday's decisions on Mao's memorial hall and Selected Works Vol 5. Today's newspapers carry the directives.

8/10/76 Shanghai cadres in Beijing use a pre-arranged code word to alert leaders back home, who meet and gradually deduce that there has been a coup.

8/10/76 City leaders instruct Shanghai's media to stop carrying Xinhua reports and enhance their security. They speculate about events in Beijing.

8/10/76 Shanghai leaders trying to call Ma Tianshui in Beijing are told his gastroenteritis has flared up (which Ma's wife confirms he doesn't have).

8/10/76 The Politburo also formalises the decision to publish Mao's Selected Works Vol 5 soon, plus more volumes to follow and his Complete Works.

8/10/76 Various organs of Party and State agree the decision to build a memorial hall for Mao, where his body will be displayed in a crystal coffin.

7/10/76 Hua Guofeng says that while Deng Xiaoping deserved criticism, the Gang of Four used the campaign to try and "get at" today's leaders too.

7/10/76 Senior PLA and regional leaders are invited to see Hua Guofeng and other Politburo members, to be briefed on the Gang of Four's arrest.

7/10/76 Deng Xiaoping's son in law hears about the Gang of Four and rushes to Deng's home. In case of bugs, they run a bath while he tells the news.

7/10/76 One-by-one, veteran cadres are gradually informed about the Gang of Four's arrest. Hua Guofeng tells General Wang Zhen. Wang tells Chen Yun.

7/10/76 Wang Dongxing briefs Politburo members outside Beijing (Xu Shiyou, Li Desheng, Wei Guoqing and Saifuddin) by phone. They all express support.

7/10/76 Hua Guofeng tells the Shanghai cadres that handling the Gang of Four slowly would have been unacceptable: "the national economy cannot wait".

7/10/76 Ma Tianshui says that arresting the Gang of Four is a "palace coup" and self-criticism would be sufficient for the offences actually proven.