January 20, 1939

[Extracted from Mao's Preface to the English edition of ‘On Protracted
War', dated 20 January 1939.]


... The great war of resistance now being waged by China is not merely the
affair of China it is also the affair of the world. In the democratic countries
such as England, America, and France, there are broad popular masses including
all the progressive people from the various social strata who sympathize
with China's war of resistance and oppose the invasion of China of Japanese
imperialism. It is only a reactionary faction that opposes China's war of
resistance. . . In this great war of resistance we rely first of all on China's
own strength to vanquish the enemy... But at the same time, we need outside
aid. Our enemy is a world-wide enemy, and the war of resistance waged by
China is a war of resistance of a world-wide character. History has already
shown that a viewpoint attempting to isolate this war is erroneous. In all
the democratic countries, such as England and America, there still exists
an isolationist viewpoint whose adherents do not understand that if China
is defeated, England, America, and the other countries will not be able to
go on enjoying their own tranquility. This erroneous viewpoint is not attuned
to the needs of the times. For the others, to aid China is to aid themselves
-- this is the only concrete verity at the present time... China is pursuing
her war amidst many difficulties, but the flames of a war among the great
powers of the world are coming closer every day and no country can remain
aloof. We are in agreement with President Roosevelt’s proclamation regarding
the defence of democracy. We are, on the other hand, resolutely opposed to
the policy of concessions to the fascist states in the West, practiced by
Chamberlain. Up to this day, Chamberlain has also displayed a cowardly attitude
towards Japan. I hope that the popular masses of England and America will
arise and act positively to admonish their governments and make them adopt
a new policy of resistance to wars of aggression — for the good of China
and also for the good of England and America themselves.


Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project.