To All Units in North China and Shandong:

Under the current circumstances, major domestic incidents are imminent. Meanwhile, the enemy’s winter “mopping-up” operations this year will become even more brutal.

The tasks for all units in North China this winter are as follows:

1. Persist in the War of Resistance and struggle against the enemy’s winter “mopping-up” operations.

2. Conduct a winter troop expansion campaign to replenish troop numbers to their authorized strength. It would be even better if supplementary battalions or similar units could be established. However, troop expansion efforts should take into account the manpower resources of the base areas, with recruitment conducted primarily in border regions and densely populated areas.

3. Make every effort to seize opportunities for rest and military consolidation. Carry out military consolidation while continuing combat operations, and ensure that all or most units receive rest and reorganization during intervals between counter-“mopping-up” operations. It is imperative that our main force units remain capable of sustained combat while also conserving their strength and building up their energy, so as to be prepared for possible sudden incidents.

4. Strengthen political work and thoroughly convey the Central Committee’s assessment of the situation and its policies in all respects. Ensure that all officers and soldiers are united as one, and guard against feelings of pessimism, despair, or hopelessness arising from the increasing difficulties of resistance behind enemy lines and the tensions in KMT-CPC relations. At the same time, prevent possible Japanese spies and KMT special agents from exploiting opportunities to create disturbances within our forces, and guard against the recurrence of excessively leftist errors.

5. Strengthen unity among cadres and within the Party. In times of hardship, maintain proper relations with cadres. Those who genuinely fail to fulfill their duties due to irresponsibility should, of course, be criticized and disciplined. However, those who fail to complete tasks due to objective difficulties or limitations in ability should not be subjected to punitive measures. Firmly bear in mind the lessons from the Central Soviet Area’s fifth counter-“encirclement and suppression” campaign, when many cadres who were unable to complete their tasks due to objective difficulties were subjected to punitive measures and consequently felt they had no way forward. Now that difficulties are increasing, it is essential to emphasize the spirit of sharing life and death, and enduring hardships together among cadres.

Mao, Zhu, Wang, Tan
16th

Note

--- Notes

1. Zhu refers to Zhu De. Wang refers to Wang Jiaxiang, then Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission and Director of the General Political Department. Tan refers to Tan Zheng, then Deputy Director of the General Political Department of the CPC Central Military Commission.