Lin is a very important figure on the Chinese political scene not only because of his role in the events of the last year but also because of his innate political strength, his background, and his recent experiences and responsibilities. Yet we know very little about the man. He rarely appears in public. He is said to be chronically ill. His personality draws a near blank for the Western expert on China. It is true that his biography and chronology are fairly well known, but even here there are large empty spaces. His writings are very few in comparison to such other Chinese Communist leaders as Mao and Liu Shao-ch'i and even those examples that we have are mostly administrative orders issued under his name or general propaganda statements with little unique content.

First published in 1975, this book is concerned with the facts and implications of the case of Lin Piao and his army, as well as with the broader question of military intervention in the authoritarian polity of developing countries. A wide range of materials is presented, including "top-secret" documents of the CCP Central Committee, Lin Piao’s own writings and speeches from the 1966-1970 period, pertinent material from the Tenth Party Congress, and press criticism. In their introduction, the author provides a thorough critical analysis of the case of Lin Piao and of the dynamic of power politics that emerged from the Cultural Revolution in the late 1960s.