Chang and Halliday also claim that Mao talked the other leaders (including Russian diplomats at the Soviet consulate in Changsha who, Chang and Halliday claim, had been controlling much of the CPC activity) into striking only at Changsha, then abandoning it.
Chang og Halliday hævder også at Mao overtalte andre ledere (inklusive russiske diplomater i det sovjettiske konsulat i Changsha der, ifølge Chang og Halliday, havde kontrolleret en stor del af KKP's aktiviteter) til at slå til i Changsha og herefter at forlade den.