Our Propaganda Blitzkrieg Has Already
Yielded Results
(July 13, 1943)
Our propaganda blitzkrieg has yielded results. Not only did foreign reporters
question Zhang Daofan1 one after another on the seventh. It also caused the
ambassadors from Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union to hold
meetings. In accordance with Zhu [De]’s telegram to Chiang [Kaishek] and Hu
[Zongnan], they warned Chiang not to start a civil war, otherwise, they would
stop assistance. Moreover, Chiang was frightened by the urgent mobilization in
Yan’an and had to change his plan. On the tenth, he ordered Hu to stop his
action. On the eleventh, Chiang and Hu both sent telegrams to Zhu stating that
they had no intention of attacking. On the twelfth, Hu ordered the withdrawal of
one division and two army headquarters (the First and Ninetieth armies). It seems
that the crisis of a civil war can be overcome. The rapid failure of Chiang’s
conspiracy this time should be credited to our taking the opportunity and seizing
the two important points of opposing civil war and opposing insults to the
Communist Party. We struck a surprise blow at them when they were not
expecting it. The foreigners in Chongqing received the telegram from
Commander-in-chief Zhu at the same time (on the fifth) that Chiang and Hu
received it. As a result, it led to questioning on the July 7 memorial day and
interference by the various ambassadors. This is not the right time to strike at Liu
Jin2 in the south of the Taihang mountains. Please try by every possible means to
overcome difficulties and preserve peace between the Guomindang and the
Communists for a year. Then our Party will be able to achieve an extremely
favorable position.

Notes
Our source for this document is Mao Zedong xinwen gongzuo wenxuan, pp. 106–7.
1. Zhang Daofan (1897–1968) was at this time head of the Propaganda Department of the Central
Committee of the Guomindang.
2. Liu Jin was at this time the commander of the Guomindang’s Twentieth Army, stationed in the area
south of the Taihang mountains.