Speech at the Agricultural Products Exhibition of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region[1]

(January 25, 1939)

The opening of the Border Region Agricultural Products Exhibition today is of great significance. Now, in fighting the war against Japanese imperialism, efforts are needed on many fronts. At the front, there must be heroic resistance by the officers and soldiers, and these officers and soldiers need to eat and need to be clothed, which must be resolved by relying on diligent production efforts in the rear. The Border Region has already achieved some results in past production campaigns, and this agricultural exhibition is a representative display of those results. If the front fights diligently and the rear produces diligently, by persevering in this struggle, we can certainly defeat Japan. In our Border Region, not only must the common people act in this way, but others, such as schools, Party and government organs, and military units, must also participate in the production campaign.

[1] On January 25, 1939, Mao Zedong attended the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region Agricultural Products Exhibition held in Yan'an and delivered a speech. This is an excerpt from Mao Zedong's speech.