Lin Biao

Lin Biao was a Chinese Communist military commander and politician who served as defense minister and was designated Mao Zedong’s successor before dying in a 1971 plane crash.

Mao Zedong: Mao Zedong was a Chinese Communist revolutionary and the founder of the People’s Republic of China. Mao promoted Lin, designated him successor, and later accused him of plotting against the leadership.
Chinese Civil War: The Chinese Civil War was the prolonged conflict between the Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist government, ending with Communist victory in 1949. Lin’s battlefield reputation and command authority grew during the Communist victory.
People’s Liberation Army: The People’s Liberation Army is the armed force of the People’s Republic of China and the military wing of the Chinese Communist Party. Lin’s authority rested heavily on his leadership within the army and its political system.
Project 571: Project 571 was the name given to an alleged 1971 plot against Mao Zedong, attributed by Chinese authorities to Lin Biao’s circle. The alleged plan became the principal documentary basis for the accusation that Lin plotted a coup.
Historical revisionism: Historical revisionism is the reinterpretation of established historical accounts through new evidence or different analytical frameworks. Later historians have reassessed the official explanation of Lin’s flight and alleged conspiracy.
Ye Jianying: Ye Jianying was a Chinese Communist marshal and senior political figure who helped restore party leadership after Mao’s death. As a senior military leader, he became central to the party’s account of Lin’s alleged conspiracy.
Liaoshen Campaign: The Liaoshen Campaign was a 1948 military campaign in northeast China that ended with a decisive Communist victory. Lin commanded Communist forces in this campaign, which secured control of Manchuria.
Chinese Communist Party: The Chinese Communist Party is the ruling political party of the People’s Republic of China. Party congresses and leadership decisions determined Lin’s formal status as Mao’s successor.
Lin Biao incident: The Lin Biao incident is the 1971 political crisis surrounding Lin’s flight from China and death in a plane crash in Mongolia. It names the disputed sequence of events that ended Lin’s political career and life.
Oral history: Oral history is the collection and study of recorded testimony about past events. Witness accounts and later testimony offer evidence beyond the official Chinese narrative.

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