Central Committee Decision to Launch
a Propaganda Counteroffensive1
(July 8, 1943)
1. Taking advantage of the dissolution of the Communist International, the
Guomindang is preparing a military offensive against the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region to force us to yield. Meanwhile, they want to create anti-Communist public opinion by starting a propaganda attack.
2. The Central Committee has decided to launch a propaganda
counteroffensive and, at the same time, prepare militarily in order to defeat any
possible attacks.
3. Every region should respond to the propaganda from Yan’an, mobilize local
opinion in July, and organize public meetings. Create a high tide that overpowers
the reactionary bluster and assists in the self-defense struggle in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region by sending telegrams to the headquarters of the
New China News Agency to broadcast the demands that the National
Government stop the Civil War and punish elements that provoke the Civil War.
The orientation of your propaganda should be based on the content and slogans
of the open telegram sent from the Yan’an mass meetings.
4. In order to use this opportunity to enforce education within the Party and
among the people, documents published in Yan’an and in the localities should be
published in booklet form for cadres to read and discuss.
5. The Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region is mobilizing the Party,
government, military, and civilians in every subregion and county.
Notes

Our source for this document is Mao Zedong xinwen gongzuo wenxuan, pp.104–5.
1. This telegram, drafted by Mao, was sent to the bureaus and subbureaus of the Central Committee of the
Chinese Communist Party.