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How did Lin Biao’s death affect people who had supported Mao during the Cultural Revolution?

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Lin Biao, Zhou Enlai, and other Chinese officials stand in uniform, holding up Little Red Books during a 1967 Red Guard rally in China. — Lin Biao At a 1967 Red Guard rally, Lin Biao (left) and Zhou Enlai publicly display copies of *The Little Red Book*.

The death of Lin Biao in 1971 had a profoundly disillusioning effect on many people who had supported Mao Zedong during the Cultural Revolution.12

As the high priest of the Mao cult, Lin had been instrumental in the movement's efforts to elevate Mao's chosen successor and purge "revisionist" challengers. Millions of supporters had engaged in extreme actions to further this cause, including:12

Attacking and torturing teachers.12
Abusing elderly citizens.12
Humiliating veteran revolutionaries.12
Engaging in violent, bloody confrontations with former friends.12

When the details of Lin’s purported assassination plot against Mao and his subsequent flight emerged, these supporters were forced to view their past actions in the light of traditional, unprincipled power struggles. Consequently, vast numbers of Chinese people concluded that they had been manipulated for personal political purposes, leading to widespread disillusionment.12