王洪文以工人造反派的身分，在「文化大革命」中迅速崛起。1966年11月6日，王洪文被推選為「工總司」司令。11月9日，在「工總司」成立大會後，爆發了造成滬寧線鐵路中斷31小時的「安亭事件」，引起中共高層的注意。在「安亭事件」中，張春橋代表中央文革小組簽署了「五項條件」，承認了「工總司」，使其具有合法地位，也促成了王洪文與張春橋的第一次結盟。之後，「工總司」與「赤衛隊」之間的爭鬥，稱為全國第一個武鬥的「康平路事件」，從中也可看到兩人合作的影子。 1967年，依毛澤東指示發表的元旦社論，宣示「1967年是全國全面展開階級鬥爭的一年」，上海「一月革命」，「工總司」等造反派成功向上海市委奪權，引發全國性的奪權風暴，也獲得了毛澤東的支持。最後，以符合毛澤東宣示的「大聯合」、「三結合」的原則，成立了「上海市革命委員會」，在權力的轉移下，王洪文成為上海最具實權的人物。 1967年1月23日，發布〈支左決定〉，軍隊正式介入「文化大革命」，局勢卻更加混亂，「文攻武衛」的號召，造成武鬥的升級，王洪文藉機發動「八．四事件」，以消滅與「工總司」對立的「上柴聯司」，藉此穩固了王洪文在上海的權力地位，形成其進入中央的基礎。 ;As a working class insurrectionist, Wang Hongwen arose very quickly from the “Cultural Revolution”. In November 6th of 1966, Wang Hongwen was elected to be the commander of the “Workers’ General Headquarters”. In November 9th, right after the conference for the establishment of the “Workers’ General Headquarters”, the “Anting Event” broke out and caused the interruption of Shanghai Nanjing Railway transportation for 31 hours, which has drawn the attention from the high rank of Chinese Communist Party. In “Anting Event”, Zhang Chunqiao has signed up the “Five Requirements” document on behalf of Central Cultural Revolution Group, which granted the legal status of the “Workers’ General Headquarters” and led to the first alliance between Wang Hongwen and Zhang Chunqiao. Afterward, the fighting between the “Workers’ General Headquarters” and the “Red Guards” occurred – the “Kangping Road Event” was regarded as the first factional battle in the country. From this event the hint of their cooperation could be found as well.
In 1967, Mao Zedong has instructed the publication of New Year’s Day editorial to announce that “1967 is the year for starting overall class struggles all over the country”. In Shanghai’s “January Revolution”, the insurrectionists belonging to the “Workers’ General Headquarters” have successfully seized the power from Shanghai Municipal Committee and that has consequently led to a nationwide power-seizing storm , which was under the support of Miao Zedong, too. In the end, the “Shanghai Revolutionary Committee” was founded by following the principals of the “Great Alliance” and “Three-in-One Combination” policies raised by Mao Zedong. The shifting of power has made Wong Hongwen the person who had the biggest real power in Shanghai.
In Jan. 23rd of 1967, the “Support the Left Policy” was announced. The army formally started its intervention in the “Cultural Revolution”. The situation was even more chaotic. Following the slogan “attack by reasoning and defense by force”, the factional battles were uplifted into a even higher level of fighting while Wang Hongwen took this opportunity to wage the “August 4th Event” to destroy the “Union of Shanghai Diesel Oil Factories” – the rival of the “Workers’ General Headquarters”. By this way Wang Hongwen’s has consolidated his status of power in Shanghai and has formed the foundation for entering the center of regime.
