Mao: The Unknown Story

1 °Chief of Henan: Pan Fusheng, denounced by Mao, in Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, pp. 201, 205, 209–10; in Henan Ribao (Henan Daily), 4 July 1958; his successor Wu Zhipu, in XB, 1957, no. 15, pp. 19–20, Zhongzhou pinglun (Zhongzhou Comments), periodical, Henan, 1958, no. 1. Liu under attack: Bo Yi-bo 1993, p. 642. Mao’s notes: Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, p. 205; Bo Yi-bo 1993, pp. 642–3. Chou battered: Jin Chongji et al. 1998, p. 438. “entertainer”: interview with Chen Yi’s son, 2 Oct. 1994. “has to be a … cult”: Schram 1974, pp. 99–100 (10 Mar. 1958, Chengdu); Cong Jin, p. 116; cf. Mao 1998, pp. 424–5; Snow 1974, p. 174 (talk with Mao, 9 Jan. 1965). “blind herd”: Cong Jin, p. 117.

11 People’s Daily wrote: 26 May 1958. Mao at restaurant: Quan, pp. 87–9. Mao vetoed double: interview with the man who made the suggestion, 14 Oct. 1994.

12 “godlike language”: Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 133 (E: MacFarquhar et al., p. 412).

CHAPTER 40 The Great Leap: “Half of China May Well Have to Die”

1 Shortened to: 28 Jan. 1958. Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, p. 42; Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 90. “like an atom”: ibid. (E: Schram 1974, p. 92). “Great Leap” launched: Teiwes with Sun 1999, pp. 71ff; Schoenhals 1987; MacFarquhar 1983, pp. 51ff; Yang, D., pp. 33ff; Becker, pp. 58ff. “overtake all”: RR editorial, 29 May 1958. “Pacific Ocean”: Mao CCRM, vol. 11B, p. 80.

2 –419 “Earth Control Committee”: Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 131. Mao asserts enormous increase: Bo Yibo 1993, pp. 684–5. Provincial chiefs proclaim: ibid., p. 688. Henan Mao’s model: Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, p. 114; Wu Lengxi 1995, pp. 63–4; Domenach 1995. Potemkin fields: Chen Han, pp. 74–5; Wang Ding, in Xiao Ke et al., pp. 205–19. Transplanting stopped: Chen Liming, p. 337.

3 –420 “surplus food”: Qiu Shi, vol. 3, p. 235; RR, 11 Aug. 1958. 28 Jan.: Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, p. 44; Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 92. Guangxi “sputnik”: Wang Ding, in Xiao Ke et al., pp. 205–19. “When you order”: Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 129. Mao repeatedly accused: Mao CCRM, vol. 13, pp. 240, 253, 254.

4 “a big problem”: Mao 1987–98, vol. 8, p. 209. Yunnan report: Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, pp. 584–5. Earth compounds: Becker, pp. 206–7. Exports: Yang, D., p. 66; Lardy, pp. 373, 381; Hussain & Feuchtwang, p. 51; Price, pp. 593, 601. Mao — Khrushchev 1958: CWB nos. 12–13, pp. 250ff (minutes of talks, 31 July & 3 Aug. 1958); Li Yueran, pp. 149–50. Food as fuel: Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 168 (E: CWB nos. 6–7, p. 220); Dong Sheng, p. 493.

5 950 Suez Canals: Chi 1965, p. 50; cf. Becker, p. 78. “I think 30,000”: Jiang Weiqing, p. 421. Gansu: RR, 17 May 1958; Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, pp. 201, 205, 210. “Three Simultaneouslys”: Lo Fu speech, 21 July 1959, in Zhang Wentian 1990–5, vol. 4, 324; Qiu Shi, vol. 3, p. 224. One well-known project: Qiu Shi, vol. 3, pp. 222–32. Stupendous waste: Reminiscences about Tan Zhenlin, p. 418; Qian & Geng, pp. 771–8; Shapiro, pp. 63–4.

6 “human wave tactic”: Bo Yi-bo 1993, p. 683. “Reduce fertiliser imports”: Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 230. “country of pigs”: 31 Oct. 1959, Mao 1993c, p. 498. Pigs fell: Lardy, p. 373. “shit lakes”: Liu & Yi, pp. 144–5.

7 –423 Sparrows: Liu Zhende, pp. 80–1; Mao 1987–98, vol. 9, p. 81; cf. Shapiro, pp. 86–9. Sparrows from Russia: interview with a Russian insider June 1995. Dogs: SMMM, p. 271.

8 Interview with a Russian insider, June 1995.

9 –424 “Last year”: Bo Yibo 1993, p. 700. “bourgeois professors”: 22 Mar. 1958, Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, p. 118. “forced”: 23 Nov. 1958, Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 217 (E. MacFarquhar et al., p. 515); Li Rui 1989, p. 236. “samovar” furnaces: Khrushchev 1977, vol. 1, p. 504. “To hand in”: CCP Zhenyuan Committee, p. 53.