Chen Yi Made Contributions During the
Civil War and the War of Resistance
(March 15, 1944)
Comrade [Rao] Shushi1 and for transmittal to all comrades in the Central China
Bureau and the Branch Military Committee:
Comrade Chen Yi2 has arrived at Yan’an, and we now know about the
development of work in Central China. We are much comforted. The dispute
between Comrades Chen and Rao is only part of their work relationship; they
talked things through face to face before Chen left, and things now are fine. The
Central Committee entirely believes that, under the leadership of Comrades Chen
and Rao and all the comrades in the Central China Bureau and the Branch
Military Committee, you can unite as one to carry out the line of the Central
Committee and strive for victory in the war. With regard to the dispute in
western Fujian during the Civil War, this debate was in the realm of a few
individual problems; it was not about the general line. It also has already been
resolved correctly. As for the work in southern Anhui and southern Jiangsu
during the War of Resistance: Comrade Chen carried out the line of the Central
Committee. He cannot be lumped together with Comrade Xiang Ying.3 During
both the Civil War and the War of Resistance, Comrade Chen made
contributions, and he did not make mistakes of line. If some comrades are not
clear about the two points mentioned above, we request that Comrade [Rao]
Shushi explain things to them.
Mao Zedong

Notes
Our source for this document is Mao Zedong wenji, Vol. 3, pp. 104–5, where it is reproduced from the
manuscript.
1. Rao Shushi was at this time acting secretary of the Central China Bureau and the acting commissar of
the New Fourth Army. See above, note to the text of January 5, 1943.
2. Chen Yi was at this time acting commander of the New Fourth Army. See above, note to the text of
January 5, 1943.
3. On Xiang Ying, see above, note to the text of October 5, 1943.