This plaque, depicting a procession of soldiers, bearing red flags and accompanied by female workers, emphasizes the essential role the People’s Liberation Army played in establishing the success of the Communist Party. The inscription on the side exhorts viewers to adhere to Mao’s “May 7th Directive,” a letter the Chairman wrote to Lin Biao regarding improvements to the army. Mao believed that the army needed to engage in agricultural or industrial work, while workers in both industry and agriculture, on the other hand, should learn about military affairs. The directive, which illustrates the importance of the PLA in Chinese political and social affairs, was the inspiration for the foundation of “cadre schools,” where party officials were reeducated by working closely with the masses (i.e. factory workers or farmers in rural areas) and studying Mao Zedong thought.
