A SOLEMN OPENING SPEECH OUTLINE OF CHAIRMAN MAO'S SPEECH (AT THE SECOND
ALL-SOVIET CONGRESS)

22 January 1934

[Text]  Comrades!  On behalf of the Central Executive Committee I declare the
Second National Soviet Congress open.  (Band plays)

Comrades!  Today is the day the Second National Worker-Peasant-Soldier Soviet
Congress opens.  On behalf of the Central Executive Committee I give the
whole body of delegates the revolutionary salute!

Comrades!  It has been 2 years and 2 months since the First National Soviet
Congress.  Developments in the past 2 years have completely shown and proved
that the counterrevolutionary ruling classes are further shaken and collapsing, while the soviet movement and the nationwide revolutionary struggle
are developing greatly.

China is a country oppressed and invaded by imperialism, a country in which
the Kuomintang Government of the landlord - bourgeoisie carries out slaughter,
repression and enslavement.  The vast territory of the country is surrendered
by the Kuomintang to the imperialists, so that all China is being threatened
with partition and joint rule by imperialism and is rapidly approaching a
state of doom.  In such a situation China's toiling worker-peasant masses,
led by the Chinese Communist Party, have united and armed themselves and
created their own government and state.  Our First All-Soviet Congress
declared the inauguration of this state, which is our Chinese Soviet
Republic.  Since then there has been extremely acute opposition between
two governments in all China.

Developments of the revolution in the past 2 years have even more developed
the revolutionary situation throughout the country.  The broad workerpeasant masses, rallying around the banner of the Soviet, have been attacking our enemies, imperialism and the Kuomintang.  We have won great victories
in the past 2 years.  In the face of our victories imperialism and the
Kuomintang are trembling.  Following three "encirclement and suppression"
campaigns they have organized the 4th and even the 5th "encirclement and
suppression" campaigns.  But we have shattered the four "encirclement and

suppression" campaigns of the enemies, and have already won an initial victory in smashing the 5th "encirclement and suppression" campaign.  At
present we are in a battle of decision against the 5th "encirclement and
suppression" campaign and in a most crucial moment.

In the past 2 years the Red Army of the whole country has won a great victory in the bloody struggle.  In this many of our comrades have shed their
last drop of blood and gloriously sacrificed themselves for the soviet.
Many of those who led the revolutionary struggle in Kuomintang and White
areas have been murdered by the Kuomintang.  Among these comrades are
Huang Kung-lueh, Chao Po-sheng, Wei Pa-ch'un, Yun Tai-ying, Ta'ai Ho-sen,
Feng Ching-chia, Ch'iu Yu-tao, Lu I, Sheh Tse-tsain, Wang Ping, Hu A-lin,
Chang Hai-sung, and Kao Ch'un, Teng Fa, and others.  They gloriously
sacrificed themselves under the enemy's bullets and butcher's knife on
the fronts and various frontlines.  I propose that we show our grief and
respect for these comrades by observing a 3-minute silence.  (All delegates
stand up in silence for 3 minutes)

The task of the Second National Soviet Congress are to utterly smash the
enemy's 5th "encirclement and suppression" campaign, to push the Soviet
movement all over the country and to oppose the scheme and vicious plot
of imperialism and the Kuomintang to put China into extinction.  Our
Congress shoulders a great responsibility.  Our Congress should call upon
the toiling worker-peasant masses throughout the Soviet area and all China
to struggle for expansion of the Red Army into 1 million ironlike men.  We
should call upon the masses throughout the Soviet area and all China to arm
themselves, consolidate all forces and shatter the 5th "encirclement and
suppression" campaign to win the biggest, most thorough victory of the
revolutionary war and victory of the revolution in all China.

Our Congress is the supreme organ of state power of the whole country.  It
has immense strength to solve these problems.  We believe it certainly
can solve them and is fully confident of doing so.  Our Congress will make
the 5th "encirclement and suppression" campaign end in utter defeat, develop
the revolution in the whole country, extend the territory of the Soviet to
all regions ruled by the Kuomintang, and unfurl the red flag all over the
country.  Let us shout:

Long live the Second National Soviet Congress!

Long live the soviet new China!  (Overwhelming applause)

* Red China Special Edition for Second All-Soviet Congress, No 2,
24 January 1934.