January Storm (1967)
1월 폭풍 (1967)
The seizure of power in Shanghai in January 1967, in which rebels led by Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan and Wang Hongwen’s Workers’ General Headquarters overthrew the municipal party committee and government; also called the January Revolution. Mao’s endorsement made it the model for power seizures across the country, and the Shanghai People’s Commune founded on 5 February on the model of the Paris Commune became a revolutionary committee after 18 days.
In depth
In November 1966, when Wang Hongwen’s Workers’ Revolutionary Rebel General Headquarters stopped a train and held out at Anting station, Zhang Chunqiao accepted its demands, and on 30 December it fought the Scarlet Guards organised by the city authorities at Kangping Road. On 4–5 January 1967 the rebels seized Wenhui Bao and Jiefang Daily, and on the 6th, at a rally watched by a million people, brought down Mayor Cao Diqiu and First Secretary Chen Pixian. Mao called it on the 8th “one class overthrowing another, a great revolution”, and on the 11th the Central Committee, State Council, Central Military Commission and Cultural Revolution Group jointly sent congratulations.
Thirty-two rebel organisations proclaimed the Shanghai People’s Commune on 5 February, but Mao drew back, holding that a commune whose leaders were elected was incompatible with party leadership. On 23 February the commune became the Shanghai Revolutionary Committee under Zhang Chunqiao. The January Storm produced power seizures everywhere and revolutionary committees formed as a “triple alliance” of soldiers, cadres and mass representatives, but quarrels over who the true rebels were turned into the armed struggles of 1967.