Lin Liguo (first from left) accompanied Lin Biao, Ye Qun, Wu Fa Xian and others on their inspections
Three chapters in the memoirs of Wu Fa Xian, published by Hong Kong’s North Star Press in 2006, are devoted to Lin Biao’s son Lin Liguo, which shows how deeply Lin Liguo impressed Wu Fa Xian. Lin Liguo arrived in the Air Force in 1967 and died on September 13, 1971. He was under the command of Air Force commander Wu Fa Xian for more than four years, from feathered wings to riding on Wu Fa Xian’s neck. Wu Faxian had to admit that he did not dare to offend Lin Liguo because he had Lin Biao and Ye Qun above him (Wu Faxian’s Memoirs, p. 851). As for those things about Lin Liguo, Wu Fa Xian said he did not know, and there was no record of Lin Biao’s knowledge, so it could not be inferred from Wu Fa Xian’s Memoirs that Lin Biao connived at his own son’s political activities.
Wu Fa Xian suggests keeping Lin Liguo around
In early 1967, Ye Qun told Wu Fa Xian that he wanted to put Lin Liguo, who was studying in the Physics Department of Peking University, as a staff officer in the Air Force Command of Beijing Military Region. Wu Faxian understood Ye Qun’s intention, as the Cultural Revolution was suspending classes in schools, and Ye Qun did not want Lin Liguo to go around in tandem, so it was better to put him in the army and control him than to let him participate in some social activities. Wu Fa Xian suggested: “Put into the Beijing Military Air Force, it is better to put directly into the Air Force Command. Lin Doudou is now in the Air Force Political Department, if you put Lin Liguo in the Northern Air Force, it is a notch below his sister, can he be willing? Why not put it in the Air Force Command, I can also directly manage and take care of, and say closer to you.” Ye Qun was very happy and said, “That’s good, let’s put it in the Air Force Command. But what is the best thing to do?” Wu Fa Xian said, “As a staff officer can also be, as a secretary can also be. As a secretary can be placed in the Air Force Party Committee office.” Ye Qun said, “Then it’s better to be a secretary. But Liguo is not familiar with the business, can not do the job what to do?” Wu Fa Xian said, “That is easy to do, the ‘Party Office’ has old secretaries, I can designate one or two people to specifically train Liguo.” (Wu Fa Xian’s Memoirs, pp. 708-710) At this time Lin Liguo was not yet a member of the Party, how could he be placed in the Air Force Party Committee office? Ye Qun does not understand, Wu Fa Xian also does not understand?
According to Wu Fa Xian, Lin Liguo joined the army because he and Ye Qun discussed it, while the arrangement of Lin Liguo in the office of the Air Force Party Committee was decided by Wu Fa Xian and had nothing to do with Lin Biao. Some people do not believe that Lin Biao did not interfere, but in fact Lin Biao is such a person, except to talk about work and then have nothing to say, do not eat the fire of the world. When Lin Biao saw his baby daughter, Lin Doudou, screaming with hunger in Yan’an, it was Ye Qun who got the milk powder, and Lin Biao was surprised and praised. As Wuhan was about to fall, Lin Biao’s family fled to Yan’an on foot for fear of reprisals from the Japanese because of Lin Biao’s famous victory at Pingxingguan. As long as Lin Biao gave an explanation, the 8th Route Army office in Wuhan would have sent his family to Yan’an, and his parents would not have suffered for more than 5 years from spring 1938 to winter 1943, including Lin Biao’s mother, at the age of 70. Lin Biao could only shed tears when he learned that his parents had fled without news, but he could do nothing. When Lin Biao’s father saw that his family was going to die on the road, he sent a telegram to Yan’an from the post office in Dushan, Guizhou, and was then transferred to Chongqing, where he arrived in Yan’an (Shu Yun, Lin Biao’s Pictorial Biography, Spiegel Press, 2006, pp. 192-206).
Therefore, Lin Liguo’s joining the army had nothing to do with Lin Biao. Ye Qun, who took care of Lin Biao’s food, clothing and accommodation, contacted Wu Fa Xian and agreed to send Lin Liguo to the Air Force in 1967, when the national recruitment was stopped. Wu Fa Xian would never have imagined that this decision would have such serious consequences later (Wu Fa Xian’s Memoirs, p. 709)!
Lin Liguo joined the party was Ye Qun and Wu Fa Xian to facilitate
When Lin Liguo came to the Air Force, Wu Fa Xian put him in the office of the Air Force Party Committee and assigned Zhou Yuchi, the head of the “Party Office”, to help him, and later added Liu Peifeng. Zhou Yuchi and Liu Peifeng had both served as Liu Yalou’s secretary, especially Zhou Yuchi, who soon gained Lin Liguo’s trust, and they were almost inseparable.
Wu Fa Xian recalled: the first period of time, Lin Liguo performance is not bad. After six months, Ye Qun proposed: “Liguo is not a member of the Party, can you train him to join the Party.” I said, “Yes, Zhou Yuchi is an old party member, so he should train Lin Liguo to join the party.”
Then, Ye Qun asked Wu Fa Xian to give an explanation to Wang Fei, the director of the Party Office, asking Wang Fei to take care of Lin Liguo. Wu Fa Xian told Wang Fei: “We should take care of and train Lin Liguo. He is the only son of Vice President Lin, Vice President Lin gave us Lin Liguo, this is the trust of our air force, must be Lin Liguo cultivated into a talent.”
Soon, Zhou Yu Chi reported to Wu Fa Xian: “It is possible to develop Lin Liguo into the Party.” Wu Fa Xian said, “Lin Liguo in politics is certainly no problem, now to see other aspects of performance, mainly to see his ideological awareness, how the work situation.” Zhou Yu-chi thought that Lin Liguo was qualified in all aspects and had no problems. So, by Wu Fa Xian and Zhou Yu Chi as the introducer, the branch assembly of all party members unanimously passed Lin Liguo’s application for membership, the preparatory period of one year.
Ye Qun was very happy that Lin Liguo had joined the Party. She said to Wu Fa Xian: “The Air Force can be trusted, and it is very right to put Lin Liguo in your place.” “With Liguo in the Air Force, it will also help you, he can support your work and can report directly to General Lin.” Wu Fa Xian said, “This is very good, and Liguo can reflect any problems to you. The Air Force has the support of General Manager Lin and you, and the work is sure to be done well.”
Wu Fa Xian obviously felt that Ye Qun treated Lin Doudou and Lin Liguo differently. For Lin Liguo’s affairs, Ye Qun not only often asked questions, but also from time to time asked Wu Faxian and the others to do this and that for him, and sometimes directly intervened in the affairs of the Air Force through Lin Liguo, which Wu Faxian felt very difficult to do (Wu Faxian’s Memoirs, pp. 709-710). In his memoirs, Wu Fa Xian complained about Ye Qun’s meddling, but never about Lin Biao’s meddling. On the issue about Lin Liguo, Wu Fa Xian only dealt with Ye Qun, and Lin Biao and his men never talked about things other than work.
Lin Biao did not know about Lin Liguo’s unprecedented promotion
In chapter 12 of his memoirs, Wu Fa Xian has a section dedicated to “Lin Liguo’s posting and the “report on use””.
In October 1969, Ye Qun said to Wu Fa Xian, “The situation on the Sino-Soviet border is tense and the war preparations are tight, and you are too busy to report directly to ‘101’ (Lin Biao) on a regular basis. But the Air Force has many problems, including operational and construction problems, that need to be studied frequently. There was also a need for continuous improvement in science and technology, and the aviation industry had to gradually catch up with the world’s advanced level. In the opinion of ‘101’ (Lin Biao), in addition to his office work, if Liguo could also take up some operational work, he could study and learn the tactics and techniques of the Air Force. In addition, through Liguo’s reporting on some issues, ‘101’ (Lin Biao) could also help consider many issues in building a modern air force, which could also be helpful to you.”
Wu Fa Xian recalls: Since Ye Qun was playing the name of Lin Biao, after she raised this issue, I thought it should be considered. Before Ye Qun raised this issue, the central government had already appointed Mao Yuanxin as the deputy director of the Liaoning Provincial Revolutionary Committee, and Li Na had also become the deputy chief editor of the PLA Daily. I think the reason why Ye Qun made such a request might be related to Mao Yuanxin’s and Li Na’s postings. In this way, I considered whether Lin Liguo, the son of Lin Biao, could also serve in the Air Force in a similar, but somewhat lower level position than Mao Yuanxin and Li Na.
Wu Fa Xian studied with the Air Force Party Committee, and he said, “Vice President Lin gave us Liguo, which is the trust of our Air Force and support for the work of the Air Force. We must train Liguo well.” Everyone unanimously agreed to appoint Lin Liguo as Deputy Director of the Office of the Air Force Command and Deputy Director of the Operations Department.
On October 17, 1969, signed by Wu Fa Xian and Wang Hui Qiu, three people were simultaneously appointed Liu Shiying, Zhou Yu Chi and Lin Liguo as Deputy Director of the Office of the Air Force Command, and Lin Liguo was also appointed as Deputy Director of the Operations Department of the Air Force Command (Wu Fa Xian’s Memoirs, pp. 769-770).
Was Lin Biao aware of Lin Liguo’s unprecedented promotion?
Lin Biao’s secretary Zhang Yunsheng recalled: Lin Liguo’s promotion was told to me by Guo Liankai, who was on duty in Beijing, by telephone. We were both very surprised by this. I was too naive at the time, thinking that even if Ye Qun had acquiesced to this kind of thing, Lin Biao, who always spoke of “modesty”, would have stopped it. Since this was reflected in the Air Force documents, I had the opportunity to poke it to Lin Biao and Ye Qun.
Ye Qun had a rule that nothing could be reported directly to Lin Biao; it had to be reported to her first, and then she would decide which things could be reported to Lin Biao. Zhang Yunsheng said to Ye Qun, “I know from an Air Force document that Tiger (Lin Liguo) has been appointed Deputy Director of the Air Force Party Office and Deputy Director of the Operations Department.” He did not comment, wanting to see how Ye Qun would react. Ye Qun, who obviously knew, said, “This means that our Tiger (Lin Liguo) is doing a good job in the Air Force! This promotion is entirely a matter for the Air Force, and I didn’t give them any hints.” Ye Qun asked uneasily, “Have you told the chief (Lin Biao)?” Zhang Yunsheng said, “Not yet.” “You won’t have to tell. It is the head’s (Lin Biao’s) intention to cultivate the tiger (Lin Liguo). But you should not tell him about the promotion of Tiger (Lin Liguo), so as not to embarrass him; I will just tell him” (Mao Jiawan Chronicle – Memoirs of Lin Biao’s Secretary, Spring and Autumn Publishing House, July 1988, p. 328).
Wu Fa Xian recalled: I thought that Ye Qun had conveyed Lin Biao’s opinions until I met Lin Doudou in April 1989, when she told me that Lin Biao did not know that Lin Liguo had become the vice minister of the War Department, and that this matter was manipulated by Ye Qun and Lin Liguo behind Lin Biao’s back. After she said this, I remembered that Lin Biao had never directly mentioned to me that Lin Liguo was the deputy head of the War Department, or that he knew about it (Wu Fa Xian’s Memoirs, p. 770).
The consequences of Wu Fa Xian’s “two everything”
Wu Fa Xian recalled: Soon after Lin Liguo’s posting order was announced, Wang Fei and Zhou Yu Chi brought Lin Liguo to see me. Lin Liguo said, “Thank you, Commander Wu, for training and educating me.” I said, “It is your own efforts and your work level has improved greatly. You should also thank the comrades in the Party Office, they have put in a lot of effort.” I said, “In the future, you can let go of your work, and you can report directly to Vice President Lin on anything related to air force construction, scientific research and technology, and the aviation industry, and you can mobilize everything and command everything in the air force.” Once these words were out, I felt a little presumptuous, but it was impossible to take them back. I said this because he could report directly to Lin Biao and receive direct instructions from Lin Biao, so I did not think twice to say “two everything”. I never imagined that these words would turn the Air Force upside down.
Lin Liguo and Zhou Yuchi after they went down to squat, engaged in two investigation reports, proposed the construction of the Air Force ten investigation reports, recommended the development of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and short takeoff and landing aircraft. Reported in the name of the Air Force Party Committee, and got Mao Zedong’s consent. The General Office of the Standing Committee meeting was devoted to this discussion and appointed Zhou Yuchi to the meeting for explanation, and Zhou Yuchi introduced the situation at the meeting by saying, “Commander Wu spoke very highly of Lin Liguo, saying that Lin Liguo could command everything and mobilize everything in the Air Force.” Wu Fa Xian did not attend the meeting because he was afraid of offending Lin Biao, so he did not appear to make a statement.
To show his encouragement to Lin Liguo, Wu Fa Xian gave him a pocket watch. It was a trophy captured during the fight against Huaiyin after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War in 1945. Soon Ye Qun called and said happily, “Commander Wu, you value Lin Liguo so much! We Liguo said that we will always be Commander Wu’s junior soldier.” Wu Fa Xian could not have imagined that Lin Liguo would later do so many things behind his back, even with some people from the Air Force Party Office, together with his materials (Wu Fa Xian Memoirs, pp. 771-772)!
Later, Wang Fei, after Lin Liguo spoke with the report, and propagated the “two everything” Wu Fa Xian said. Afterwards, Wu Fa Xian asked Wang Fei why he had propagated “two everything” everywhere without his consent. Wang Fei explained that he didn’t think much about it at that time, but thought it was just a praise for Lin Liguo, saying that Lin Liguo’s level was high and would not have any influence. Wu Faxian asked him to immediately delete the paragraph of “two everything” on the recording and forbid it to spread again (“Wu Faxian’s Memoirs”, p. 773).
Before and after the introduction of Lin Liguo’s report
Lin Biao’s secretary Zhang Yunsheng recalled: Ye Qun said to Guo Liankai, secretary of the branch of the Forestry Office, that Tiger (Lin Liguo) had recently made a speech in the Air Force, and he wanted to ask him to make a speech in the Forestry Office beforehand, so you could help him to keep the gate. Ye Qun to Lin Liguo speak with the report heart is not sure, afraid that he “loose cannon”, arranged for him to speak in Maojiawan a trial. And Ye Qun spoke a few times, Guo Liankai are not moving. Ye Qun fire, Guo Liankai argued that it is not difficult to open the branch assembly, but Lin Liguo is not our forest office branch …… Ye Qun said: “Anyway, he is the head of the son, you are his uncle, still afraid that he is not convinced? You quickly convene the branch assembly, I also personally listen.” In late July, Lin Liguo did not want to be manipulated by Ye Qun, but did not dare to confront Ye Qun, so he had to agree to a trial lecture in Maojiawan. When Lin Biao did not show up and Ye Qun came, Lin Liguo stammered and read. Ye Qun interrupted him: “You read from the script, we can not stand it. You’d better refer to the manuscript, according to the general idea of speaking to us, so that we also feel more natural. In addition, you should also give us a title before speaking formally, so that we have an impression of the outline.” Lin Liguo had to speak again, speak for 30 or 40 minutes, and was interrupted by Ye Qun, said “can not listen to”, “all dry arguments, not a vivid example. On this level, can still get the Air Force to speak with?” Lin Liguo explained that the preparation of a lot of material, specific examples are also a lot, but afraid of time is not enough, they are omitted. Then Lin Liguo spoke for another hour. Ye Qun was tired of listening, tired of sitting, and did not say a word. As soon as people dispersed, Lin Liguo cursed behind his back: “Ye old fat fucking is not enough friends, we’ll see!” (Maojiawan Chronicle, pp. 391-393)
Wu Faxian recalled: Ye Qun told me that the “Lin Office” people reflected strongly on this “report on the use of”, and all thought it was a good speech. I said, Lin Liguo is a cadre of the Air Force, since the “Lin Office” comrades reflect very good, then ask Lin Liguo in the Air Force cadre meeting also speak once. Then, I told Wang Huiqiu this idea.
On July 31, 1970, Air Force Political Commissar Wang Huiqiu summoned the cadres of the Air Force Command and Political Department above the second level of ministers to a meeting in the seventh floor conference room of the Air Force Office Building to listen to Lin Liguo’s “report on the use of”. Lin Liguo lecture report is divided into three parts, the first part is to study the writings of Mao Zedong, the second part is to “grasp the revolution, promote production” problem, the third part is China to strengthen the problem.
Wu Faxian recalled: after the “report on the use of”, Wang Huiqiu asked his secretary to inform Chen Suiqi (Wu Faxian’s wife and director of Wu Faxian’s office) to attend the meeting. When Chen Suiqi arrived at the Air Force compound from Xishan, Lin Liguo’s report had already started for an hour. In the middle of the meeting, Zhou Yuchi said to Chen Suiqi that after Lin Liguo finished his speech, should he ask her to say a few words as well. Chen Suiqi, who had not prepared beforehand, said she would not speak. Then Zhou proposed, “How about leading everyone to shout a few slogans?” Chen Suiqi couldn’t push any further, so he let him help draw up some slogans. Lin Liguo’s “report on the use” is very long, almost a whole day. After the speech, Wang Huiqiu spoke first, and then Wang Fei spoke again, both of them gave very high praise to Lin Liguo’s report. Finally, Chen Suiqi led everyone to shout a dozen slogans, and the meeting was over.
Wu Fa Xian did not participate in Lin Liguo’s speech with the report, afterwards transferred to the recording to listen to it once, feeling that Lin Liguo’s speech is too big. It was the third part, which would have been more appropriate if it had been spoken by Lin Biao. But from the mouth of Lin Liguo, it seems too much. However, Wu Fa Xian called Ye Qun and said that Lin Liguo was trained and educated by Lin Biao and her, and that Lin Liguo had made great progress in all aspects since he came to the Air Force, and that his report was very good and was a “political satellite” in the Air Force. Ye Qun was very happy to hear my words and said, “It’s all because of your training, Commander Wu. In the future, we must be strict with Liguo, so that he does not cock his tail.”
Wu Faxian clearly expressed his disagreement with the great propaganda of Lin Liguo’s “report on the use of” and did not agree to issue it, and Ye Qun also said, “Do not issue it.” But it could not be stopped, and various versions were printed. In the late Second Plenary Session of the Ninth Central Committee, even Zhou Enlai mentioned this matter, and Wu Fa Xian strictly ordered to stop this wind, but it did not completely work. Later, this “report on the use of” not only spread widely in the Air Force, but also spread to the whole army and the whole country. (Wu Fa Xian’s Memoirs, pp. 772-774).
The story of Lin Liguo’s “small fleet
In the summer of 1968, Wang Fei and Zhou Yuchi from the Air Force Party Office proposed to Wu Fa Xian that Lin Liguo had been in the Air Force for almost a year, he had studied hard and worked actively, and now he wanted to go down there to do some research, to collect some materials and provide some opinions for the Air Force leadership. Wu Fa Xian said: “These are very good. He is the secretary of the Air Force Party Office, to do something for the Air Force Party Committee, should let him go to work, is also a good exercise for him. To be able to go down, do some research, make suggestions, is also a little achievement!”
On February 16, 1969, Lin Biao wrote a note to Zhou Yuchi and Liu Peifeng: “Comrades Zhou Yuchi and Liu Peifeng: In the past two years, Tiger (Lin Liguo) has made progress in his ability with your help, so in the future, Tiger can be allowed to act alone more often in order to train his ability to work independently. I salute you and thank you for the help you have given him in the past. Lin Biao, February 16.” (CCP Central Committee Document [1972] No. 24, no more punctuation throughout except for a colon)
This note was written by Lin Biao at the request of Lin Liguo, otherwise how would Lin Biao know about Zhou Yuchi and Liu Peifeng? Lin Biao was willing to write such a note for “independent work”. However, Lin Biao would never write a “note” for Lin Liguo’s promotion, otherwise he would not have taken out such a note that did not explain anything as a “target” when criticizing Lin Biao. As for Lin Biao’s visit to Zhangjiakou in 1969, Lin Liguo took Lin Liguo to the mountain in 1970 under the banner of the Secretary of the General Office of the Military Commission, which was arranged by Ye Qun, without Lin Biao’s knowledge.
Lin Biao’s secretary, Zhang Yunsheng, recalled: in March 1970, Lin Biao asked his secretary Yu Yunshen to call Maojiawan, asking Zhang Yunsheng and others to prepare “strips” for his speech at the Fourth National People’s Congress. Lin Biao instructed that Zhang Yunsheng, Li Chunsheng, two secretaries and Tiger (Lin Liguo) to form a research team to study the topic of how to improve the grasp of revolution and promote production. Yu Yunshen conveyed, “This investigation and research group will be led by Secretary Zhang, so we should hurry up and try to make a head start sooner.” Zhang Yunsheng asked, “Chief this instruction, Ye Qun know?” Yu Yunshen said, not yet reported Ye Qun. Zhang Yongsheng said, “You do not report, I and Li Chunsheng together to conduct research, but do not involve the tiger (Lin Liguo). What he is willing to do research, that is his business. If you report the director again, it’s asking for trouble.” Yu Yunshen said, “These are the words sent by the chief himself!” “The chief sent more words, it depends on what matters. Think about it, if the director intervenes again, how can I cope? If the tiger (Lin Liguo) does not listen to me, what can I do? Besides, can I lead this tiger?” Zhang Yunsheng asked Yu Yunshen to report to Ye Qun that the chief had asked to conduct a survey and research on grasping the revolution and promoting production, while he also informed Lin Liguo, but kept his mouth shut about the “lead”. Lin Liguo was pleased to hear this and said, “You do your work, I’ll do mine, we’ll work in parallel.” (I was Lin Biao’s secretary during the Cultural Revolution, by Zhang Yunsheng and Zhang Congkun, China Children’s Press, 2003, pp. 582-583)
Zhang Yunsheng knew very well the intricacies of personnel relations in Mao’s Bay, that Lin Biao was nominally supreme, but Ye Qun was actually in charge, and Lin Liguo was involved, which was even worse. Afterwards Lin Biao did not inquire whether they had organized an investigation and research team, he only needed the results, not the process. Because of his experience, Zhang Yunsheng dared to “modify” Lin Biao’s instructions.
Wu Fa Xian recalled: about October 1970, Ye Qun said to me: “Liguo this child, to do in the Air Force to continue, you have to learn something business, from the technical development. This time he saw something on Mount Lushan, and was no longer willing to engage in politics. He was willing to go to the flying units of the Air Force to squat, to do a little research, to study the training of the flying units and issues related to safety.” I asked, “Why did you want to go to Guangzhou? What if Guangzhou is so far away and not well taken care of?” Ye Qun said, “He wanted to go on his own.” When I heard that, I said, “Since you agreed to it, I have no problem with it.”
For the sake of work convenience and Lin Liguo’s safety, I want Wang Fei and the others to set up a research team and let them use the name of this research team to go down to activities. The main task I gave them was: to investigate the situation of flight training of the troops below, the accident situation and the problems that existed. I also specifically instructed Wang Fei and Zhou Yuchi to go down, first, to pay attention to confidentiality, and second, to pay attention to safety, do not have any problems, otherwise we would be sorry Lin Biao. Later, I was really too busy because of various aspects of the work, has not been specifically asked about the research team. I did not know how many people there were in this research group and what activities they carried out. “After the “September 13 incident,” some people linked the research group with the “small fleet” and said that I had approved the establishment of this “small fleet. In fact, I approved the establishment of only a research group, and the “small fleet” was created by Lin Liguo and the others behind my back, which I did not know at all. It was only after the “September 13 Incident” that I learned of this “small fleet” (Wu Fa Xian’s Memoirs, p. 769).
Soon after Lin Liguo went to Guangzhou, he made a material “Summary of the experience of flight training and safety of the 9th Air Division”. After reading this material, Wu Fa Xian felt good and thought it had some convincing power, so he reported it to the General Staff. This material was later approved by Mao Zedong and Lin Biao and issued, and a site meeting was held in the 9th Air Division.
Wu Fa Xian recalls: After this, Lin Liguo and Zhou Yu Chi came back to Beijing to see me, saying that they wanted to learn to fly helicopters, so as to grasp a little first-hand material, so that when they went down there, they would say less amateurish things. I strongly disagreed with this. I said: “Lin Liguo is not a pilot, learn what to fly a helicopter? In case of an accident, how can I stand up to Vice President Lin! Understand a little bit of the laws of flight, know a little bit of flight technology can be, do not learn to fly the aircraft themselves.”
For this matter, I called to tell Ye Qun again, Ye Qun also disagreed. Under my firm opposition, Lin Liguo later did not learn to fly the helicopter, but later it turned out that Zhou Yuchi still secretly learned to fly the helicopter without my knowledge. At that time, I totally thought that Lin Liguo and Zhou Yuchi were really doing research and learning flying techniques, but I never thought that they were doing something else underneath (Wu Fa Xian’s Memoirs, p. 847).
Wu Fa Xian recalled: I did not know until after the “September 13 incident” that after the Lushan meeting, Ye Qun and Lin Liguo, behind my back, had gotten together with a few people in the Air Force and had done many things that I did not know about. After “September 13” and before I was arrested, I learned through the public’s revelations and the garrison’s searches that there were houses dedicated to Lin Liguo not only in Guangzhou and Shanghai, but also in the Air Force Guest House, the West Suburban Airport, the Air Force Academy, and the Air Force Second High School in Beijing. These were called Lin Liguo’s strongholds, but I didn’t know anything about them at that time. All these things of Lin Liguo and others were done behind my back. I was so distracted by what was going on at Lushan that I could not care about these things in the Air Force (Wu Fa Xian’s Memoirs, pp. 850-852).
In summary, Lin Biao knew nothing about what Lin Liguo did in the Air Force, and Lin Biao never gave orders on Lin Liguo’s problems, so Wu Faxian’s “two everything” had nothing to do with Lin Biao. As for the “Project 571” document, there is no evidence that Lin Biao was involved, nor is there any evidence that Lin Biao knew about it. In the “September 13” incident, Lin Biao was not at fault, let alone at fault in a thousand ways. To use an inappropriate analogy, Malaysia Airlines MH370 disappeared in the South Pacific, and its whereabouts are still unknown, but we cannot hold all the 200 passengers on board responsible, right? Lin Biao said he was going to Dalian, not the Soviet Union, and there is no evidence to prove that Lin Biao knew he was going to the Soviet Union. In short, Lin Biao and Lin Liguo are biological father and son, but at the same time, they are two separate individuals. If the son broke the law and had to punish the father, there would be nothing to say about this “king’s law”.
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