Grow Our Strength and Prepare for the Counteroffensive[1]

(March 4, 1942)

Dear Comrades:

First of all, we extend our warmest regards to all of you, fighters, commanders, and political workers. Looking back over the four years since the main force of our Eighth Route Army marched to the North China front after the War of Resistance began, you have achieved great successes in guarding the Border Region. You have victoriously defended the rear of our entire army, consolidated public security in the Border Region, and shielded the whole Northwest. Over these four years, you have grown considerably and have made progress in military technique, in political and cultural studies, and in internal work. Moreover, through arduous and tireless efforts, you have widely carried out the production campaign, overcome numerous difficulties in livelihood, and laid the foundation for self-reliance. These achievements should be attributed first and foremost to the united efforts of all of you.

Now the ice has melted and the rivers have opened, and spring is arriving; this marks the beginning of a new year for us. The Soviet Red Army of workers and peasants is to defeat Hitler’s bandit forces this year, and the people of all the democratic countries in the world are working intensely and assiduously to overthrow the fascist bandit forces of Germany, Italy, and Japan. We, for our part, are preparing for the counteroffensive in coordination with the world war against fascism, and we aim to overthrow Japanese imperialism in the coming two or three years.

Today we still face manifold difficulties. The burdens on our shoulders remain very heavy.


Although the enemy has been weakened, he is still quite strong and is extremely cunning, vicious, and ruthless; the pro-Japanese elements at home have not yet been purged and are constantly seeking to sabotage the War of Resistance, sabotage our army, and sabotage the Border Region. Therefore, we must never permit empty optimism or carelessness. We must heighten our vigilance, hold fast to our posts, strictly guard against sabotage and disruptive activities by enemy bandits and traitors, strengthen unity with friendly armies, and maintain close ties with the masses, so as to make the Border Region even more consolidated and staunch.

Secondly, our level of military technique and culture must still be greatly raised. All fighters and commanders must train their bodies well, intensify practice in marksmanship, grenade throwing, bayonet thrusting, and the use of all kinds of weapons, study various combat movements, and raise their tactical level. We must devote great efforts to organizing cultural education, strive to overcome illiteracy, and overcome the weakness of the low cultural level in our army, especially among the cadres.

We must also redouble our efforts in the production campaign, which is our most effective method for smashing the enemy’s economic blockade, overcoming material difficulties, and improving the supply of our troops. We must plant more vegetables, raise pigs and sheep, develop cotton and wool spinning and weaving, and organize transport work. Our slogan is: Let everyone set to work to solve the problems of food and clothing and attain the goal of complete self-sufficiency.

Dear comrades, the tasks before us are very weighty. To fulfil these tasks, we must rely on still greater unity among all of us, a hundredfold stronger, and on the development of a fighting will that endures hardship and toil and never flags. We should earnestly strengthen relations of unity, friendship, and mutual care between higher and lower levels, between commanders and fighters, and among all personnel, and overcome any phenomena of coldness and heartlessness, lack of friendship, estrangement, and disunity among them. With such steel-like unity and hard, bitter struggle, no difficulty will be impossible to overcome, no obstacle impossible to surmount, and no task impossible to fulfil.

All fighters, commanders, political workers, all comrades! This year is a year for us to grow our strength and prepare for the counteroffensive. We hope that through the active efforts of all of us, the counteroffensive can be launched at an early date. When that time comes, we shall sweep the vile enemy clean from the soil of our motherland and plant the banner of our nation’s independence, freedom, and liberation throughout the country. The bright light of victory is already in sight, and that day is not far off. At the beginning of this great year, we extend our comradely regards to all of you. We hope you will unite still more closely and exert yourselves with still greater vigour. We wish you beforehand new and tremendous victories and advances this year in fighting, study, production, and all your work.

With salutations!

Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Wang Jiaxiang

March 4, the 31st year of the Republic