Letter to Sun Ke[1]

(December 5, 1936)

Today, there is no one under heaven who does not place their hopes on the nation’s resistance against Japan. Yet if the Kuomintang cannot overcome its faction that advocates surrender to Japan and its faction that advocates compromise, resistance against Japan will be impossible. Therefore, there is no one under heaven who does not look with expectation toward the anti-Japanese faction within the Kuomintang to carry out a resolute struggle, in a planned and step-by-step manner, against those who advocate surrender and compromise. To carry out such a struggle, organized political forces are indispensable, and a leader is indispensable. Therefore, there is no one under heaven who does not place their hopes on Mr. Zhesheng.

[1] This is the main content of Mao Zedong’s letter to Sun Ke. Sun Ke (1891–1973), courtesy name Zhesheng, was a native of Zhongshan, Guangdong, and the son of Sun Yat-sen.