Gao Gang - The "Gao Gang Affair"

The "Gao Gang Affair"

The so-called “Gao Gang Affair” was Gao Gang's attempt to displace Liu Shaoqi and Zhou Enlai from their key posts in government and to try to increase his own personal standing within the Party. Gao thought he had Mao Zedong's approval for such a move and he began to approach senior cadres asking for support in the summer of 1953. His activities were revealed to Mao by Chen Yun and Deng Xiaoping and the Chairman informed Gao that his actions were out of order. Efforts were then made to deal with the risk to Party unity that Gao's attempts had provoked. Under considerable pressure, Gao took his own life in August 1954.