On November 28th, 1966 it was announced at a Peking rally of “revolutionary workers in the field of literature and art” that the Peking opera-arid ballet companies, together, with the Philharmonic Orchestra, had been incorporated into the army, and that Chiang Ching (Mao’s wife – Ed.) had been appointed adviser to the army on cultural work.
On January 12th, 1967 anew committee was set up to take responsibility for the ”cultural revolution” in the army. It was headed by Marshal Hsu Hsiang-chien, and included General Yang Cheng-wu (Acting Chief of Staff), General Hsaio Hua (head of the army’s political department), and Chiang Ching.
On January 13th, 1967, the newspaper “Jiefangjun Bao” (Liberation Army Daily) called for a “purge” in the army.
On February 8th, following widespread strikes in the province of Szechwan said to have been “encouraged by the local authorities”, Peking Radio denounced the Chengtu military district, commanded by Marshal Ho Lung (a member of the Military Commission of the “Central Committee”) as a “den of reactionary forces”.
On February 10th a poster attributed to Lin Piao appeared in Peking accusing another member of the Military Commission, Marshal Chu Teh, of “ambition” and of being “an associate” of Peng Teh-huai.
On February 11th it was announced In Peking that Marshals Ho Lung and Chu Teh had been dismissed from the Military Commission.
And on April 16th it was announced that Marshal Hsu Hsiang-chieh had been removed from his post as director of the “cultural revolution” in the armed forces, for having opposed Lin Piao at a recent meeting of the Military Commission and having ignored Chiang Ching (Mao’s wife) in her role as “adviser” to the army on “cultural work”.