Deng Xiaoping and the Cultural Revolution

In Mao's last 18 months, who could tell for sure how his thought process worked, he was in his 80s. He didn't even weigh 80 pounds. No one ever saw him except his aides. Joe and Marshall yet tried to talk some sense to Deng and let him know fixing the country wasn't chairman Mao's priority. In November, December 1975, Deng was given his last chance to recant and agree with Mao's 70% deal. The way Mao was hearing things from his nephew, Deng was continuing to challenge him. And so for this reason, Deng Xiaoping needed to be taken down.