On How to Prepare for Any Dark Circumstances
Given the Present International Situation¹

(October 25, 1940)

1. Germany is still preparing to attack England, and even if England is not
attacked, Egypt, Turkey, Arabia, and Iraq are certain to fall into the hands of the
German army, and Japan is certain to attack Hong Kong, Singapore, Rangoon,
and the Dutch East Indies. In short, Britain's luck is about to run out. Whether or
not the United States enters the war soon, Britain's luck has definitely run out.
Even if the United States enters the war soon, it will not save Britain from running
out of luck, and, for this reason, the Chinese pro-British and pro-American faction
will also be out of luck.
2. When the war between Japan and the United States becomes intense, there is
a possibility that Japan will give up Yichang and Wuhan, to allow the conflict
between the Guomindang and the Communist Party to reduce the anti-Japanese
forces.
3. The new anti-Soviet, anti-Communist movement that the Guomindang is
now starting is, on the one hand, a preparatory step toward abandoning the independent war and joining the Anglo-American alliance, and its objective is to clear
the road for joining the Anglo-American alliance and facilitate winning over the
national bourgeoisie and the upper stratum of the petty bourgeoisie. On the other
hand, it also has the function of demonstrating to Japan that the Guomindang is
willing to assume responsibility for suppressing the Chinese national revolution
on Japan's behalf, in the attempt to get Japan, in exchange, to make concessions to
the Guomindang. At the same time, frightening Japan with the threat of joining the
Anglo-American alliance is an attempt to get Japanese concessions. Thus the anti-Communist activities of He Yingqin et al. are especially intense, and Japan is seeking to win over Chiang and He.
4. We must be prepared for the fact that Chiang Kaishek may become a de
Gaulle or a Pétain. We must be prepared for his declaring us counterrevolutionary
and thereby starting an all-out anti-Communist campaign. We must be prepared to
deal with the darkest situation, and we are not afraid of any dark eventuality.

Our source for this telegram is Mao Zedong ji. Bujuan, Vol. 6, pp. 173-74, where it is
reproduced from Wannan shibian.
1. This was a telegram addressed to Zhou Enlai.