The Rise

As a result of the purge of Peng Te huai during the Great Leap Forward Lin found himself Minister of Defence. In this post he began a characteristic process—he accumulated in the top positions immediately below him people who were personal favourites first and politically capable second.

Many of these people were to make severe political mistakes in the future. The coup attempt itself was planned by people Lin had helped to bring to power.

Lin's style of work also became clear early on. It was only through the medium of his followers that the outside world impinged upon him. In particular all information, reports and people were vetoed by Lin's wife before they could reach Lin. Lin remained aloof and accepted this state of affairs and consequently became increasingly divorced from the Chinese people and the rest of the leadership of the Party. Right from the beginning Lin's style of work encouraged the formation of a revisionist faction centred around himself.