Work Issues of the Work Committee for the Northeast Army[1]

(July 28, 1936)

The work committee has made great progress during this period and can be regarded as an excellent model. Comrade Enlai is requested to write an article on this. The work policy we established in the past was: first, establish base areas in the west; second, develop guerrilla warfare in the east; third, establish a united front. The work policy for the future will still consist of these three items, but the order must be changed, placing the establishment of a united front in the first position. Work committees must be established for the Northeast Army, for Yang Hucheng’s troops, and for the Nanjing troops. The most important area is Qingyang, where there are many enemy troops, and we should go and unite with them extensively. In the work of establishing a united front, everyone should go into action; we should not work behind closed doors. We should not only pay attention to the upper levels but also grasp firmly the work among the middle levels. The actions of the Red Army should coordinate with this work. At present, we must pay attention to Chiang Kai-shek’s offensives.

[1] This is part of Mao Zedong’s speech on the work issues of the Work Committee for the Northeast Army at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.