To Luo Ronghuan and Others[1]

(April 5, 1944)

Recently, Japan returned the rights to Sakhalin to the Soviet Union, making peace with the Soviet Union in the north while resisting America and Britain in the south, attacking China (opening up the Beiping–Hankou Railway and even the Canton–Hankou Railway), and "mopping up" the enemy's rear areas. This policy of Tojo[2] has become even more evident. Therefore, the conflict between Japan and Chiang Kai-shek will inevitably intensify this year. Hence, striving for domestic calm and preparing to draw Chiang into resisting Japan is the centerpiece of current policy.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram from Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Peng Dehuai to Luo Ronghuan, Li Yu, Xiao Hua, and Li Zuopeng, with information sent to Teng Daiyuan, Deng Xiaoping, and others. Li Zuopeng was then serving as Chief of the Staff Division of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army and concurrently of the Shandong Military Region.

[2] Tojo, namely Tojo Hideki, was then serving as Prime Minister of the Japanese Cabinet.