A Yan'an Commentator Says the Fireside Chat Has a Dual Character (May 30, 1941)

This talk has a dual character, namely, to force Germany to compromise and to prepare for participation in the war. The present imperialist war has developed to a crucial juncture in history, and every imperialist country is confronted with the question: either a protracted war, the result of which may be the destruction of capitalism and the possibility of sparking a world revolution, or an imperialist peace, which may transform the present war into an anti-Soviet war. Since Hess’s flight and the defeat of the anti-Soviet faction within Germany, the anti-Soviet intrigues of British and American imperialism have suffered a major setback. But these intrigues have by no means died out. The aim of Britain and the United States remains to consolidate naval supremacy, recover air supremacy, and pressure Hitler to turn the flames eastward. They know that what Hitler fears is the United States, hence Roosevelt delivered this talk and declared a state of emergency to intimidate him. The talk contains the phrase, "cannot tolerate Hitler dominating the world, nor can tolerate the world of the 1920s," which means that so long as Hitler does not attack the British Isles and does not seek naval supremacy, he may be permitted to dominate Europe, cast off the shackles of Versailles, and achieve an imperialist peace in order to attack the Soviet Union; otherwise, war will be declared on Germany. This is the function of forcing Germany to compromise. But Hitler not only fears the United States, he especially fears the Soviet Union. After Hess’s flight, a new understanding already exists between Germany and the Soviet Union. The Mediterranean war is exceptionally fierce, the British Isles face the possibility of invasion, and Churchill’s telegrams pleading for help must be falling like snowflakes. The President of the United States cannot but plan to prepare for participation in the war should the attempt to force peace fail. Hence Roosevelt’s talk also has the function of preparing for participation in the war. Roosevelt’s talk also harbors a Far Eastern Munich conspiracy. According to Domei News Agency, Roosevelt said in his talk regarding Japan-U.S. relations that "no study has yet been made," and also said, "The scope of the talk is unexpectedly narrow, in order to concentrate on Germany," and so on—all of which leaves room for Japan and in fact contains the enormous conspiracy of sacrificing China through a Japanese-American compromise, which is deeply worthy of attention. In the statement issued by our Foreign Minister Wang on the 28th, he repeatedly "expressed gratitude" to Roosevelt, entirely lacking in vigilance, which is truly inappropriate. Before the United States has given final proof of abandoning the Far Eastern Munich conspiracy, our task is to guard against being betrayed; as for "gratitude," there is no hurry whatsoever.