Increase Strength, Prepare to
Counterattack1
(March 4, 1942)
Dear Comrades,
First, we would like to express our warmest appreciation to all of you, soldiers,
commanders, and political personnel. Looking back over the four years since the
beginning of the War of Resistance and the relocation of the main force of our
Eighth Route Army to the North China front, you have been very successful in
garrisoning the border region. You have victoriously protected the rear area of
our entire army, consolidated the security of the border region, and shielded the
entire Northwest. Over the four years, you have made great strides, achieving
progress in the study of military techniques and political and cultural matters, as
well as in internal work. Furthermore, you have diligently and broadly carried
forward the production movement, overcoming numerous difficulties in daily
life, and have laid the groundwork for self-reliance. These achievements first and
foremost should be attributed to all of your united efforts.
Now the ice is already melting, and the rivers are flowing. Spring is here, and
we are starting a new year. This year, the Soviet Red Army of the Workers and
Peasants will defeat Hitler’s bandit troops, and the people of all the democratic
countries in the world are working urgently and arduously to vanquish the
German, Italian, and Japanese bandit forces. Consequently, in order to coordinate
our actions with the worldwide anti-Fascist war, we, for our part, should prepare
a counterattack and defeat Japanese imperialism within the next two to three
years.
Today we are still facing all kinds of difficulties, and the weight on all our

shoulders is still very heavy. Even though the enemy has been weakened, he is
still quite powerful, and moreover he is extremely cunning and vicious. The pro-Japanese groups within the country that have yet to be eliminated still attempt to
destroy the War of Resistance, to destroy our armies, and to destroy the border
region. Consequently, empty optimism and negligence can absolutely not be
tolerated. To further consolidate and strengthen the border region, we must
heighten our vigilance, stick to our posts, strictly guard against sabotage and
harassment by enemy aggressors and traitors, enhance our unity with friendly
armed forces, and forge a closer relationship with the masses.
Furthermore, we must greatly improve our military technology and cultural
level. All soldiers and commanders must exercise and keep fit, intensify training
in targeting, hand grenade throwing, knife and bayonet fighting, and the use of
other weapons, and study all kinds of acts of combat to improve our fighting
skill. Cultural education should be organized energetically to overcome illiteracy
and the shortcomings of low educational levels in our army, especially among
cadres.
We should also double our efforts in the production movement, which is the
most effective method for smashing the enemy’s economic boycott, overcoming
financial and material difficulties, and improving provisions and supplies to the
troops. We should plant more sunflowers, raise more pigs and sheep, develop
textiles, and organize transportation. Our slogan is that everyone participates in
solving the problems of food and clothing in order to reach the goal of complete
self-sufficiency.
Dear comrades, the tasks we shoulder are extremely heavy. To fulfill these
tasks, we must rely on the unity of our entire force, increased a hundredfold, and
carry on the spirit of bearing hardship and an indomitable fighting will. Between
superiors and subordinates, commanders and soldiers, and among all personnel, a
relationship of unity, friendship, and mutual assistance should be earnestly
strengthened to overcome all occurrences of cruelty, ruthlessness, unfriendliness,
detachment, and disunity. With such steel-like unity and hard-working efforts,
there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome, no obstacle that cannot be
surmounted, and no task that cannot be completed.
Soldiers, commanders, political workers, and all comrades! This is the year for
us to increase our strength and prepare to counterattack. We hope that due to all

of our active efforts, we will soon be able to counterattack, and at that time we
will wipe out the evil enemies from our nation and raise our flag of national
independence, freedom, and liberation all over China. We can already see the
light of victory, and that day is not far away. At the start of this great year, we
send a comradely salute to you all. We hope that you will unite even more as one
and redouble your efforts. We wish you even greater success during this year in
combat, study, production, and all of your work, leading to new and greater
victories and progress.
Salute!
Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Wang Jiaxiang
March 4, the 31st Year of the Republic
Notes
Our source for this text is Mao Zedong, Mao Zedong junshi wenji (Beijing: Junshi kexue chubanshe and
Zhongyang wenxian chubanshe, 1993), Vol. 2, pp. 677–79, where it is reproduced from Jiefang ribao, March
19, 1942.
1. This text is a letter of solicitude to the garrison troops and public security forces of the Yan’an region
from Mao, Zhu De, and Wang Jiaxiang.