Mao: The Unknown Story

10 –425 Work-days lost: MacFarquhar 1983, p. 119. “We must make it!”: Bo Yibo 1993, p. 706. “only 40 percent”: 21 Nov. 1958, Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 204 (E: MacFarquhar et al., p. 495); cf. MacFarquhar 1984, p. 128. Russian alloys: Doumkova, p. 133. “No good at”: Li Rui 1989, p. 88. Wasted much from Russia: Brezhnev, pp. 59ff. “slaves”: 16 May 1958, Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, p. 231. Zasyadko: Khrushchev 1977, vol. 2, pp. 324–5, 81; Vereshchagin, p. 114.

11 “grey-beard”: Bo Yibo 1993, p. 713. Quality problems: Huang & Zhang, p. 401; Contemporary Chinese Biographies team, pp. 546–65. “Communist spirit”: 30 Aug. 1958, Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 147 (E: MacFarquhar et al., p. 434). “Change from 1 Jan.”: Mao CCRM, vol. 13, pp. 176–7.

12 Days off: Mao CCRM, vol. 13, pp. 138, 180 (E: MacFarquhar et al., pp. 418, 443ff, 449, 455); Chayashan Commune Charter, in

ZDJC vol. 22, p. 500. Typhoid: Li Rui, in Han Taihua, p. 583. “labouring every day”: 30 Aug. 1958, Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 151. “easier to control”: 21 Aug. 1958, Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 133. First commune: 19 Aug. 1958, Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 130; Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, pp. 345–7; Chen Han, pp. 158–61; Chayashan Commune Charter, ZDJC vol. 22, pp. 497–501. Rid of names: interview with Wang Guangmei, 27 Sept. 1994. See photo.

13 1,415 abodes: Liu & Yi, pp. 75–7. “This won’t do”: 26 Sept. 1961, Mao 1993c, p. 552. “people were slaves”:

Wang Gengjin et al., p. 199; Becker,p. 144.

14 –428 “people roaming”: 19 Aug. 1958, Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 130 (E: MacFarquhar et al., p. 407). Orders banning peasants from leaving their villages include those on 2 Mar. & 18 Dec. 1957, 9 Jan. 1958, 25 Feb. 1959, in PRC Encyclopaedia vol. 2; 31 Mar. 1959, in ZDJC vol. 23, pp. 17–18. “four have died”: Wang Gengjin et al., p. 195. Brutality: Wang Gengjin et al., pp. 202–3; Becker, pp. 144–6. “Production first”: Yun & Bai, p. 7. “chimneys”: Mrs. Liang Sicheng, Li Yong et al., p. 271.

15 –429 Keep seventy-eight: Terzani, pp. 27–8; Kordon, p. 11 (Mao to Kordon, Dec. 1962). “I am delighted”: 28 Jan. 1958, Mao CCRM, vol. 13, p. 91; also pp. 80–1. “I can’t stand”: Jan. 1958, Li Rui, in Han Taihua, pp. 560–1. Qingdao and Changchun “the best”: Mar. 1958,

Mao CCRM, vol. 11B, p. 46. Hold 10,000 people: interview with a chief architecture manager, 16 Oct. 2002. “biggest square”: Ma Ju, Peng Zhen’s secretary, ZDZ, no. 76, p. 64.

16 Life in “slow motion”: Rowinski, p. 89. Meat ration: Cong Jin, p. 272. Daily calorie intake: Ashton et al., pp. 622–3; Han 1982, p. 361; Banister, pp. 866–7. Auschwitz ration: museum at Auschwitz. Cannibalism: Wang Gengjin et al., p. 195; Fu Shanglun et al., p. 26; Becker, pp.212–13.

17 Polish student: Rowinski, p. 89. Liu said 30m dead: Chervonenko interview, 28 Oct. 1998. Grain exports: Yang, D., p. 66.

18 Yang Zihui et al., pp. 1522, 1610–12; China Statistics Bureau, p. 103; China Today

1988, p. 9; Dong Fu; cf. Yang, D., p. 38.

19 –431 “in favour of death”: 20 May 1958, Mao 1987–98, vol. 7, p. 201; Mao CCRM, vol. 11B, p. 68. Fengyang county: Wang Gengjin et al., pp. 194–5. “Deaths have benefits”: Mao CCRM, vol. 11B, p. 148; Wang Gengjin et al., p. 194. “prepared to sacrifice”: Sidikhmenov MS, p. 215; cf. Kapitsa 1996, p. 60; Bonsov 1982, p. 72. “Don’t make a fuss”: Mao CCRM, vol. 11B, p. 64; Mao CCRM, vol. 8, p. 44. “half of China”: Mao CCRM, vol. 13, pp. 203–4 (E: MacFarquhar et al., pp. 494–5).

CHAPTER 41 Defense Minister Peng’s Lonely Battle