The Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army Should Adopt the Policy of Protracted Struggle

(July 18, 1941)

Comrade Shaoqi:

The telegram of the 12th has been received. (1) The slogan of counter-offensive is correct. The July 7 Declaration[1] already raised the slogan of active offensive, and in the future, a slogan of counter-offensive with strategic significance may be used. (2) However, large-scale operations by the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army are still inappropriate; the policy remains one of protracted struggle, biding our time. The reason is that our army's conditions are weak in all respects, and large-scale action would inevitably damage our vitality, which would be disadvantageous both to us and to the Soviet Union. (3) The overall situation hinges on the Soviet Union winning the war. The Soviet Union's millions of reserve troops have just now been committed, and perhaps within a few days there will be a decisive battle to halt the German offensive, which would be most favorable for the overall situation. If the cities of Leningrad and Moscow cannot be held, Japan will inevitably attack the Soviet Union, aggravating the Soviet Union's difficulties, and the war will become a protracted one. However, the British-Soviet agreement has already laid the foundation for final victory. Conflicts between the United States and Germany, and between the United States and Japan, are both unavoidable, and the overall situation remains unfavorable to the fascists. (4) Seizing opportunities to gain advantages, containing Japan, and containing the Communists—this is Chiang Kai-shek's[2] policy. Therefore, our policy toward Chiang remains one of neither yielding nor attacking. Yielding territory to Chiang is in fact impossible for us, and he will absolutely not fight it out with Japan. He is very opportunistic and very crafty. (5) Your previous telegram proposed using the two books, *The Communist Manifesto* and *On New Democracy*, as literacy textbooks for veteran cadres. This seems inappropriate, as they are too profound and difficult to understand. It would still be better to compile new textbooks; the Central Propaganda Department is undertaking this. (6) Your two articles are expected from Hong

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[1] The July 7 Declaration refers to the "Declaration of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in Commemoration of the Fourth Anniversary of the War of Resistance," issued on July 7, 1941.
[2] Chiang Kai-shek.