Talk with Tan Zheng[1]

(October 1942)

I have read your report at the senior cadres’ meeting, in which you made a self-criticism on the warlord tendency in the army and put forward the principles and requirements for correcting it. That is all very good. But that probably covers only one aspect of the army’s problems. My thinking is that all the erroneous ideological tendencies exposed in the rectification movement, as well as the problems raised in criticism at the meeting concerning the relations between the army and the Party, between the army and the government, between the army and the masses of the people, and, within the army itself, the relations between officers and men, between higher and lower levels, between military work and political work, and among the various units of the army—all existing shortcomings in these areas—should be exposed on the basis of the rectification movement through democratic inspection meetings, so as to correct undesirable phenomena, assuage feelings of discontent, foster an atmosphere of cordiality, friendship, and unity within the army, arouse the initiative of officers and men, enhance the combat effectiveness of the troops, and prepare to greet the coming climax of the great counter-offensive!

[1] The Northwest Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held a senior cadres’ meeting in Yan’an. At the meeting, Tan Zheng made a self-criticism on the warlord tendency in the army. Afterwards, Mao Zedong received him and had a talk with him. This is part of Mao Zedong’s talk with Tan Zheng.