The Tasks of the New Fourth Army's
Political Work
(March 19, 1940)

Comrade Guoping:¹

1. We have taken note of your telegram dated the 10th and received much
comfort from it. We hope that you will send us telegrams more often in the future
to tell us how the Central Committee's line is being carried out with regard to the
various aspects of the political work.
2. Please notify us one by one how you propose to ensure that the most important political tasks from a positive standpoint are effectively carried out, including
the resolute and extensive establishment of independent, self-reliant, anti-Japanese
democratic governments in the enemy's rear; the establishment of financial organs; the collection of contributions and taxes for resisting Japan; the establishment of economic organs; the development of agriculture, industry, and commerce;
the founding of various kinds of schools; the training of large groups of cadres; the
carrying out of the plan to expand our forces, so as to expand the first, second, and
third detachments to approximately 100,000 men and rifles within one year, and
expand the fourth, fifth, and sixth detachments and Li's detachment² to 150,000
men and rifles within one year; develop united front work so as to win over various middle forces and isolate the forces of the diehards; expand the work of carrying out sabotage against the enemy and actively disintegrating the enemy and
puppet.

Wang [Jiaxiang] Tan [Zheng]³

Our source for this text is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 2, pp. 530-31, where it is reproduced from Mao's original manuscript preserved in the Central Archives.
1. This telegram is addressed to Yuan Guoping (1905-1941), a native of Hunan, who
joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1925. During the Jiangxi Soviet period, he participated in the struggle against the five campaigns of "Encirclement and Suppression," and he
was a veteran of the Long March. At this time, he was head of the Political Department of
the New Fourth Army.
2. The reference is to the advance column commanded by Li Xiannian. Li Xiannian
(1909-1992), a native of Hebei, joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1927. During the
Jiangxi period, he was part of the Fourth Front Army under Zhang Guotao and arrived in
Yan'an in 1937 only after enduring great difficulties. At this time, he was commander of the
Hubei-Henan Assault Column of the New Fourth Army. On Li Pinxian, see the relevant
note to the text of March 16, 1940.

3. For a biography of Tan Zheng, see above, the text of February 19, 1939. Although this
telegram is signed by Wang and Tan, it was, according to the Junshi wenji, drafted for them
by Mao.