To Zhu De, Zhang Guotao and Others, Celebrating the Victorious Rendezvous of the Second and Fourth Front Armies (July 1, 1936)

Comrades Zhu De, Zhang Guotao, Xu Xiangqian, Chen Changhao, Ren Bishi, He Long, and Xiao Ke, and through you to all commanding officers and fighters of the Second Front Army and the Fourth Front Army:

With boundless ardor we celebrate your victorious rendezvous and welcome your continued heroic march northward out of Shaanxi and Gansu to coordinate with the First Front Army and eventually to join forces with it, so as to establish in northwestern China the great base camp of the Chinese revolution, to link it closely with the Soviet Union and Outer Mongolia, to build a united front of national salvation against Japan together with the anti-Japanese people, anti-Japanese armed forces, and anti-Japanese parties and groups throughout the country, to organize a people’s national defense government and an anti-Japanese allied army, to wage a sacred national revolutionary war against Japanese imperialism and its lackeys and traitors to the nation, to save China from peril and subjugation, and to liberate the Chinese nation from under the iron heel of Japanese imperialism.

Since the Central Committee and the First Front Army marched north last year and joined forces with the Red Army of Shaanxi-Gansu and the Red Army of Hubei-Henan-Anhui, we have first of all smashed the enemy’s encirclement and suppression campaigns against the Shaanxi-Gansu Soviet Area. Under the leadership of the Central Committee’s December Political Resolution and the resolution of the Seventh Congress of the Comintern, we organized the Anti-Japanese Vanguard Army of the People’s Red Army, which crossed the Yellow River on an eastern expedition, occupied the Tongpu Railway, routed the main forces of Yan Xishan, gave impetus to the forward development of the nationwide movement against Japan and against the traitors who sell out the nation, and awakened many Guomindang troops to sympathize with our stand of resisting Japan and saving the nation. The First Front Army has now turned toward the Gansu-Ningxia area to coordinate with your northward march, and has again won successive victories, capturing more than ten large and small cities and towns, including Dingbian County, Yanchi County, Yuwang County, Huan County, Ningtiaoliang, Quzi Town, Hongde City, and Tongxin City. We have wiped out many troops of Ma Hongkui and Ma Hongbin, opened up nine Soviet counties, seized salt areas with rich output, and established a good united front with the Mongol nationality beyond the Great Wall and the Hui nationality in Gansu and Ningxia.

Comrades, the political environment in the Northwest is very favorable. After the Second and Fourth Front Armies march north, we shall have still greater strength to bring about a grand union of all nationalities, all parties and groups, and all armed forces in the Northwest. At present the nationwide revolutionary situation has entered a new stage. Japan’s massive incursion into North China has already aroused and is continuing to arouse many major changes inside China. In Beiping, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Guangdong, the anti-Japanese people’s front is advancing by leaps and bounds like a raging fire under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. The people’s anti-Japanese allied armies in the three northeastern provinces are fighting heroically. The launching of the anti-Japanese national salvation army by the authorities in Guangdong and Guangxi has drawn the attention of the whole nation. In Guangxi the policy of alliance with Russia and the Communist Party is being carried out. In various provinces many anti-Chiang forces are brewing further action. Chiang Kai-shek’s consistent policy of selling out the nation has not only aroused nationwide opposition but has also pushed the forces within his own system onto the path of vacillation, disintegration, and shrinkage. Characteristics on all sides indicate that the Chinese revolution has developed to a new stage. Internationally, the Soviet Union has developed to a completely new position; it not only has the strength to defend itself against foreign aggressors but can also broadly assist all peace groups that oppose aggression and all weak nations and nationalities in the world. The Soviet Union is giving even more active assistance to the Chinese Red Army and the people’s anti-Japanese groups. Furthermore, the great victory of the People’s Front in France, the revolutionary victory in Spain, the expansion of the anti-aggression front in Europe, the growth of the peace movement in Britain and the United States, the unfolding of national struggles in Egypt, India, and the Arab countries, the impact of the heroic war in Abyssinia [1], the advance of revolutionary movements in the semi-colonial countries of Central and South America, and the extreme sharpening of the struggles among the various class camps and within the ruling camps of the major aggressor countries—Japan, Germany, and Italy—all these point to the fact that the world revolutionary situation has also advanced to a new stage. The Communist Parties and revolutionary forces throughout the world, including the Chinese Communist Party, the Red Army, the Soviets, and all revolutionary forces, are all steadily uniting day by day under the Comintern’s policy of a united front against aggressive war and against oppression and exploitation. The Chinese revolution and the world revolution are linked together, and victory in the revolution throughout China and the whole world is guaranteed.

Comrades: We are convinced that you will further inspire your boundless ardor, courage, and spirit of self-sacrifice, struggle for the liberation of the whole nation, struggle for the glorious banner of the Soviet Red Army, and struggle for the correct leadership of the Comintern and the Chinese Communist Party. We are preparing to celebrate your great victory in marching north to resist Japan.

Long live the grand rendezvous of the main forces of the Chinese Red Army!
Long live the great revolutionary union of the Northwest!
Long live the nationwide united front of resisting Japan and punishing the traitors!
Long live the Chinese revolution!

Lin Yuying, Zhang Wentian, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Bo Gu, Peng Dehuai, Wang Jiaxiang, Lin Biao, Kai Feng, Luo Mai, Lin Boqu, Xu Teli, Dong Biwu, Ye Jianying, Yang Shangkun, Luo Ruiqing, Zhang Yunyi, Zuo Quan, Nie Yunzhen, Zhu Rui, Deng Xiaoping, Xu Haidong, Cheng Zihua, Guo Shushen, Wang Shoudao, Zhou Kun, Yuan Guoping, Luo Ronghuan, Chen Geng, Huang Kecheng, Zhou Shidi, Song Shilun, Song Renqiong, Xiao Jinguang, Yan Hongyan, Cai Shufan, Wang Xiang, Feng Wenbin, Guo Hongtao, Ma Mingfang, Li Fuchun, Jia Tuofu, Zhu Lizhi, Nie Hongjun, Cai Chang, Deng Yingchao, Liu Qunxian, Liu Ying, Zhou Xing, Yang Sen, Gao Gang, Ma Xiwu, Cui Tianfu, He Jinnian, Zhang Dazhi, Huo Weide, Ma Yi, Liu Yingyong, Zhong Chibing, Wang Dacheng, Lai Dachao, Ma Pixun, Liu Zijiu, Liu Jingfan, Shi Xiuyun, Bai Aiyu, Cui Tianmin, Wang Shitai, and all the commanding officers and fighters of the First Front Army of the Chinese People’s Red Army and all the armies of the Chinese People’s Red Army of Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia, all the teaching staff and students of the Northwest Anti-Japanese Red Army University and the Communist University, the Soviet governments, Communist Party departments, and Youth League departments of the three provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia, and the anti-Japanese people’s organizations, the anti-Japanese Red Guards, and the anti-Japanese Young Vanguards, jointly extend their greetings.

July 1

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[1] I.e., Ethiopia.