When was Lin Biao named Mao Zedong’s designated successor?

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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*.

Lin Biao was first named as Mao Zedong’s successor in August 1966, when he replaced Liu Shaoqi in that role. This position was subsequently formalized in April 1969, when Lin was officially designated as Mao’s successor by the new constitution during the Ninth Party Congress.12