(Yan’an, Xinhua, August 9) In view of the changes brought about by the Soviet Union’s declaration of war against Japan, Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, issued the following statement: On August 8, the Soviet Government announced that it was entering the war against Japan, a move which has been warmly welcomed by the Chinese people. Thanks to this action by the Soviet Union, the duration of the war against Japan will be greatly shortened. The war against Japan has now entered its final stage, and the time has come to deliver the final blow to the Japanese aggressors and all their lackeys. Under these circumstances, all anti-Japanese forces in China should launch a nationwide counteroffensive, coordinating closely and effectively with the Soviet Union and other Allied powers. The Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, and other people’s armed forces should, wherever conditions permit, conduct extensive attacks against all aggressors and their collaborators who refuse to surrender, annihilating their remaining military strength, seizing their weapons and supplies, vigorously expanding the liberated areas, and shrinking the occupied territories. They should also organize armed teams—hundreds, even thousands—and send them deep behind enemy lines to rally the people, disrupt the enemy’s communications, and support the operations of the regular army. Furthermore, they should mobilize the millions of civilians in the occupied areas, immediately establish underground armies, and prepare for armed uprisings to cooperate with the forces advancing from outside and destroy the enemy. At the same time, efforts to consolidate the liberated areas must continue. This winter and spring, in the newly liberated regions already home to over 100 million people, it is essential to develop production, organize people’s governments and people’s armed forces, strengthen the militia, tighten military discipline, uphold the united front of all sectors of the population, and prevent the waste of human and material resources. In certain areas—for example, some coastal regions—it will still be necessary, for the time being, to thwart the enemy’s “sweeping” operations. All these measures are aimed at intensifying the offensive against the enemy. The entire nation must remain vigilant in averting the danger of civil war and strive to bring about the establishment of a democratic coalition government. A new stage has now dawned in China’s national liberation war. The people of the whole country should strengthen their unity and fight resolutely for final victory.