TNAG-0743-FCO40-947-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 137

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Those who signed this poster included Chungnanhai workers and guards and Chinese Communist senior leaders such as Kang Sheng and Hsien Fu-chih. However, Lin, Chiang and company would not show kindness. The roaring loudspeakers for the "Front to drag out Liu" were directed at Chou's residence to deprive him of rest day and night. The plan of the "16 May Corps" for "Big chaos in August and seizure of power in September" was put into effect ahead of schedule.

The Red Guard stormed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 1 August and dragged out and struggled against Chen I.

Wang Li gave an interview on 7 August, supporting the "Revolutionary Action" of the little generals and babbled that Chou En-lai had asked him to take care of some more Ministry of Foreign Affairs matters.

The "Criticism of Chen I Liaison Station" held a rally on 11 August in the people's hall to criticise Chen. Aided and abetted by Lin and Chiang, the person presiding over the rally broke his promise to Chou. He organised a sudden attack, put up the slogan of "Down with Chen 1," shouted this slogan and even wanted to drag out and struggle against Chen I. Chou fought every inch of the way, angrily left the rally and ordered the guard to escort Chen I from the hall.

Supported by Lin and Chiang, "Red Diplomatic Fighter" Yao Teng-shan seized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the middle of August for 2.5 days. Chou ordered Yau to hand the power back.

There was a new development in the Hong Kong "anti-atrocity struggle." The Wenchintu incidents occurred on 5 and 24 August. Lin, Chiang and company instructed Red Guards to lodge an ultimatum to the Office of the British Charge d'Affaires. Red Guards set fire to the Office of British Charge d'Affaires on 21 August.

Lin and Chiang instructed a group of people on 26 August to encircle and attack Chou En-lai because of the Chen matter and deprive Chou of food and rest for 18 hours. They babbled that they wanted to intercept Chen I's car and rush to the People's Hall to drag out and struggle against him. Chou sadly and angrily said that if they wanted to intercept Chen's car, he would stop their cars with his body and allow himself to be run over. If they went to the People's Hall to drag Chen I out, he would stand at its entrance and force them to step over his body!

A decisive war began. What people saw was no longer the humble and tolerant Chou En-lai but a fierce, cooly defiant and militant Chou En-lai as he was when he struggled against the Kuomintang. Chou completely understood that what he was saving was not Chen I or himself but Chinese Communist traditions and the Revolutionary Forces which were persecuted or would be persecuted. He knew that instead of several hoodwinked Red Guards, he faced evil forces of political upstarts like Lin and Chiang. Of course, he did not stand alone. He knew there were hunreds of millions of revolutionary cadres and people at his back.

Downfall of the "16 May Corps"

In the 10 days from 27 August to 5 September, we do not know what happened in the Chinese Communist hierarchy. What happened might be revealed in the future. One point we are sure was that Mao eventually interfered and accepted Chou's opinion. On 5 September Chiang Ching hurriedly went to the Conference of Anhwei provincial delegates who had come to Peking and announced that the Peking "16 May Corps" was a counterrevolutionary organization. This organization "appeared to have an ultra-leftist outlook" and "concentrated its opposition to Premier Chou." Meanwhile, she announced that the slogan of "Dragging out a handful from the army" was incorrect and had been corrected.