The Relationship Between the War of Resistance and Foreign Assistance
Preface to the English Edition of On Protracted War

(January 20, 1939)

Friends in Shanghai are translating my On Protracted War into English. I am naturally very happy to hear this, for China's great War of Resistance concerns not
merely China and the East but the whole world. In democratic countries such as
England, America, and France, the broad popular masses, including all the progressive people of various social strata, sympathize with China's War of Resistance and oppose the Japanese imperialist invasion of China. The only exception is
a portion of the diehard faction, which oppose China's War of Resistance. As regards the diehard faction, some are obstinate by nature and have all along been
sympathetic to the Japanese warlords. Others-because they do not understand
the ineluctable law that governs China's War of Resistance, according to which
Japan is doomed to failure and China is bound to win after traveling a difficult
road-have become pessimistic, have lost hope, and refuse to assist China. I think
there must be such people. It is, of course, my hope that my book will give them
the opportunity to understand the truth of the matter. Perhaps there are still some
even among those who are sympathetic to China's War of Resistance and who
make up the majority of the people who likewise do not understand the truth about
China's War of Resistance. They are sympathetic, but at the same time they feel
depressed. We are even more obligated to free these people of their sympathetic
depression. This little booklet of mine was written in May 1938. Because it covers
all the phases of the Sino-Japanese war, its significance is of a lasting nature. As to
whether the arguments put forth in the book are correct or erroneous, the entire
experience of our War of Resistance in the past has verified them, and our experience in the future will continue to verify them. After the fall of Wuhan and
Guangzhou, the War of Resistance is just now progressing to a new phase-one
that is favorable to us and disadvantageous to Japan. This is a stage of stalemate between the enemy and us. This time will come soon, because the enemy will be forced to terminate his strategic offensive and go over to the strategic defensive, while we, thanks to our resolute resistance and growth in strength, will put an end to our strategic retreat (of the main force, not of the guerrillas) and enter into strategic contention. In the new stage, our entire task consists in preparing for the counterattack. The preparation may take a long time, but we will devote all our courage and energy to carrying out these preparations, and we certainly will and definitely can drive Japanese imperialism out of China. In the great War of Resistance, it depends mainly on China's own strength to defeat the enemy; China's forces are being mobilized right now, and they will not only become an invincible force but will prevail over the enemy and expel him from our country. There is no doubt about that. At the same time, however, we need assistance and support from without. Our enemy is an international enemy, and our War of Resistance is also an international war of resistance. History has already shown that the idea of a separate war is erroneous. There are people in democratic countries, like England and America, who still harbor the idea of standing alone; they do not understand that, if China is defeated, England, America, and other such countries will no longer be able to rest in peace. This idea is completely wrong and out of date. To support China is to support themselves: this is the concrete reality at the present time. That is why I hope that this book will arouse some sympathy in the English-speaking countries, for the benefit of China and also of the world. China is fighting a war in the midst of difficulties, but the flames of a war among the great powers of the world are drawing closer day by day. No country can remain aloof from it, however much it may wish to. We are in favor of President Roosevelt's declaration in defense of democracy; we resolutely oppose Chamberlain's policy of making concessions to the fascist countries. To this day, Chamberlain is still timid and overcautious about Japan. I hope the popular masses of England and America will arise forcefully and demand that their governments adopt a new policy of opposition to wars of aggression, for the sake of China, and also for the sake of England and America themselves.

Our source for this text is Mao Zedong ji. Bujuan, Vol. 6, pp. 19-20, which reproduces it
from Balujun junzheng zazhi, no. 2, February 15, 1939. We have not been able to locate a
copy of a British or American edition of On Protracted War, in order to compare our translation with that previously published.