1955, he was decorated as Da Jiang, or General of the Army, the highest rank of general in the People's Liberation Army. At the Eighth National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in 1956, he was elected a member of the Central Committee and its Secretariat, and Secretary-General of the Central Military Commission. He was also elected a Vice-Premier of the State Council in 1959. After Huang Kecheng was removed from his posts along with Peng Dehuai in 1959, Luo replaced him as chief of the Joint Staff. However, his reluctance to follow Mao's idea of emphasizing political education in the army and his rifts with Lin Biao led to his dismissal in December 1965, although he remained a vice premier. During the early stages of the Cultural Revolution, he was branded as part of the "Peng-Luo-Lu-Yang Anti-Party Clique" (with Peng Zhen, Lu Dingyi, and Yang Shangkun). After the criticism sessions, he attempted suicide by jumping from the third floor of a building in the Jingxi Hotel, surviving with both legs broken. This was seen as proof of his guilt, and he received further public criticism after he recovered. He was hospitalized several times in the following years and had his left leg amputated in 1969. Luo was rehabilitated by Mao during a meeting of the Central Military Commission in 1975, when Mao realized that Lin Biao had fabricated a case against the former general. In 1977, Luo was elected to the 11th Central Committee and regained his post as CMC Secretary-General. Luo died on August 3, 1978, while in West Germany for medical treatment. See also Campaign to Suppress Counterrevolutionaries External links High Tide of Terror, a strongly critical article about Luo Ruiqing published on March 5, 1956, by Time Magazine Biography of Luo Ruiqing, Xinhuanet 杨成武谈揭批罗瑞卿实情, ("Yang Chengwu discusses the true facts about the campaign to expose and criticise Luo Ruiqing"), Yanhuang Chunqiu magazine, Beijing, 2005 Vol. 10. General Yang Chengwu, who took part in the campaign against Luo, recalls the events. 1906 births 1978 deaths Politicians from Nanchong People's Liberation Army generals from Sichuan People's Republic of China politicians from Sichuan Chinese Communist Party politicians from Sichuan Victims of the Cultural Revolution Ministers of Public Security of the People's Republic of China People's Liberation Army Chiefs of General Staff Burials at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery