To Feng Yuxiang1
(December 5, 1936)
15 sent to the Chinese Guomindang. We previously sent someone to deliver it to
you. We would be honored if you would look it over and offer any criticisms or
suggestions.
It gives us great pleasure to report that your former subordinate, Dong
Zhentang,2 and the other gentlemen have made great progress. I have much more
to say than I can write in this letter.
Respectfully wishing you well-deserved good fortune,
Mao Zedong, by his own hand
Mr. Huanzhang:
We have translated this letter from Mao Zedong shuxin xuanji, pp. 91-92, where it is
reproduced from a copy in the Central Archives.
1. Feng Yuxiang (1882-1948), zi Huanzhang, was a native of Anhui. Regarding his
early career, see the note on p. 241 of Volume II. After cooperating with Chiang Kaishek
in 1927-1929, and rebelling against him in 1930, he was reinstated as a member of the
Guomindang Central Executive Committee in December 1931, though he never
subsequently enjoyed real power in the National Government. In May 1933 he appointed
himself commander-in-chief of the People's Allied Anti-Japanese Army, but was forced
to retire in August of the same year and went into seclusion for two years. In January
1936 he became vice chairman of the Military Affairs Commission in Nanjing and made
many speeches urging resistance to Japan.
2. Dong Zhentang (1895-1937), a native of Hebei, had been a divisional commander
under Feng Yuxiang. In 1931, having been sent to Jiangxi by Chiang Kaishek in the
context of the First "Encirclement and Suppression," he rebelled at Ningdu and went over
to the Red Army. As indicated above, in a note to the text of December 27, 1935, he was
at this time commander of the Fifth Army
I have learned from the newspapers, from broadcasts, and from friends in Shanghai and Nanjing that your breast is filled with righteous anger directed toward
resisting Japan and national salvation. Although I have never met you, sir, I feel
as if I had.
Faced with the tragic disaster of losing our country, the great crisis falls on
people of all parties, factions, and beliefs alike. Thus, cooperation to save the
nation is in harmony with the principles of heaven and earth.
To this day, however, Mr. Chiang Kaishek insists upon acting alone on his
own ideas, has shown no determination to resist Japan, and instead is mobilizing
for a large-scale domestic campaign of three hundred regiments to "suppress the
Communists." Most recently the military policy of our humble army has been to
return fire when attacked, and one brigade of Hu Zongnan's army has been
defeated, while another brigade has been destroyed. The core of his army is
already badly shaken, but he himself seems unaware of this.
In the present emergency there is nothing more urgent than to bring a halt to
the civil war. If you, sir, will but give one shout from on high, all the mountains
will reply together. The war will stop today, and tomorrow the Red Army and
the "Communist suppression" armies of the Northwest can immediately move
toward the Suiyuan battlefield. Otherwise, the precedents of the Great Wall and
Shanghai campaigns show us that Japan will drive deep into the country, and it
will be too late to do anything about it! Although you and I stand in different
places, our hearts are not really separated. It would be greatly appreciated if you,
sir, would be so kind as to give your advice and offer your suggestions! Our
program for resisting Japan and national salvation appeared in a letter of August
forces in January 1937.