Several Issues the Eighth Route Army Should Pay Increased Attention to in the New Stage
May 6, 1939

Over the past year and a half of the War of Resistance, the Eighth Route Army, under the leadership of Chairman Chiang and the war-zone commanders, under the leadership of Commanders Zhu and Peng and commanders at all levels as well as the Communist Party, has coordinated with various friendly forces to carry out heroic resistance. It has implemented the correct strategic policy of "primarily guerrilla warfare, but not letting slip mobile warfare under favorable conditions," persisted in and developed guerrilla warfare in North China, established numerous anti-Japanese base areas behind enemy lines, reduced the enemy's occupied territory, pinned down a large number of enemy troops, coordinated with the main frontline forces in the war of resistance, delayed the enemy's advance toward the northwest, inspired the hearts of the people nationwide, and shattered the erroneous views of those national defeatists and pessimists who believed that "persisting in resistance behind enemy lines is impossible." It has exposed the baseless slanders of the Chinese Trotskyite reactionaries, Wang Jingwei's doomsday faction, and certain domestic diehard conservatives.

Furthermore, a portion of the Eighth Route Army—the rear garrison troops—has also safeguarded the river defenses and is actively preparing to coordinate with friendly forces in the northwest to counter the enemy's offensive in the northwest during this phase of the war. These achievements of the Eighth Route Army are evident to all and are unanimously recognized, except by the Trotskyite reactionaries, Wang Jingwei's doomsday faction, and certain diehard conservatives. On the enemy's side, far from daring to underestimate the Eighth Route Army, there is growing fear of it, as fully evidenced by their actions and attitudes. The loyalty and invincibility of the Eighth Route Army in its arduous struggle to defend the motherland are manifest before the entire nation and the world. No one denies this except the reactionaries, the doomsday faction, and certain diehard conservatives. Chinese and foreign journalists have observed several issues that the Eighth Route Army should pay increased attention to in the new stage.