[frank ballenger]

Sorry but not proven in any place in my 150 plus books on him.
He was never a Mao guy. Song had an old folk melody and he said the idea was a piece of paper blowing on the ground and someone picks it up and reads it but then sets it back blowing on the ground again.

In Paris he was angry about the anti-American talk due to the Vietnam protests so he took time to locate an enormous American flag that stretched across the stage behind him and revelled in the boos against him for doing it.

Sing Out magazine interview said “All of you against the war
......” and he abruptly said “What gives you the idea I am as you say against the war. Who told you I was against it?”

[Songcraft]

This is just a brief side note, which those who also like Dylan's music, might find interesting.

Brian Wilson, who co-wrote this great old song which was done a long time ago by "The Beach Boys" (as well as many other great old songs, in a completely different style of music than Dylan), turned 80 in recent weeks, and has been suffering from some serious medical issues in recent years.

Bob Dylan (who is now 81) sang this other old classic song to Brian Wilson a few weeks ago.

(I thought it was great!)

[Tellurian]

revelled in the boos against him

IIRC, from a movie about him, his switch from folk instruments to rock instruments was also a rebellion against fans who thought they had him pegged. Also, IIRC, seems like the same movie implied he left Joan Baez because she thought he was something in particular. He isn't one to be put in a box.

[Fiji Hill]

He was never a Mao guy.

Maybe so, but his mentor was the old Stalinist Comrade Pete Seeger and his early recordings definitely leaned left.