Telegram to Zhou Enlai[1]

(April 14, 1941)

The Japan-Soviet treaty has enabled the Soviet Union to thoroughly remove the threat of attack, enhancing its voice internationally and with regard to China, and has finally shattered the illusions of Britain and the United States about using the Tripartite Pact as an anti-Soviet instrument. It has a positive effect in checking the danger of China’s capitulation and anti-communism. We are prepared to publicly expose Chiang Kai-shek’s plot to attack Yan’an, but we still intend to observe for a while. If Chiang recognizes the difficulties and backs down, we will let him off this once so as to avoid provoking a tense situation.

[1] This is the main content of Mao Zedong’s telegram to Zhou Enlai concerning the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact and Chiang Kai-shek’s preparations to attack Yan’an, among other issues.