Notice on the Recent Shape of the
Current Political Situation1
(July 15, 1944)
Comrades:
This notice is intended to inform you of the recent shape of the political situation.
1. Because the soldiers of Chiang [Kaishek]’s army are obtained through either
kidnapping or purchase, the officers are extremely corrupt, and because there is
no national and democratic education at all, only promotion of anti-Communist
education, most of the army is filled with sentiments of defeatism and has lost
the will to fight. During the battles in Henan and Hunan, most of Chiang’s troops
either collapsed without a fight or collapsed at the first engagement, causing over
400,000 losses. The enemy forces that invaded Henan only had four divisions,
whereas Chiang’s forces numbered almost 400,000. With the exception of a few
assorted troops, who had poorer weaponry and had received worse treatment but
had fought relatively well, almost all of them fled at the sight of the oncoming
wind. Hu Zongnan had ten divisions that marched from Shaanxi and Gansu into
western Henan to participate in the battle, but only one or two divisions could
fight a bit, while the others collapsed at the first engagement. Under the brutal
oppression of Chiang’s troops, people in Henan were generally antagonistic
toward them, leading to a mass insurrection to capture the army’s weapons.
Early on, the Communist Party in these places was wrecked by the Guomindang.
Still, after losing hope in the Guomindang, the people in these localities have
fervent hope that the Communist army will come and resist the enemy.
2. Hu Zongnan has transferred ten divisions to join the battle in Henan,
lightening the threat to the border region, but the troops that directly surround

the border region have not been reduced. The blockade remains, and all actions
against the Communist Party continue.
3. Journalists from England, the United States, and the Soviet Union have been
in the border region for more than a month. They are very excited. But Chiang
arranged anti-Communist propaganda on their trip here and sent some people to
watch them and to carry out activities against the Communist Party. But they did
not achieve their goal. They have left the border region and might carry out
destructive propaganda after they leave. The main journalists from England, the
United States, and the Soviet Union, however, are still staying in the border
region. They are willing to see more and will go to northwestern Shanxi for a
visit. Their news reports to England, the United States, and the Soviet Union will
be advantageous to us.
4. [U.S. president Franklin] Roosevelt telegraphed Chiang three times
requesting that a U.S. military delegation be sent to Yan’an; these requests were
all refused by Chiang. This time, when [U.S. Vice President Henry A.] Wallace
came to China, he led all relevant U.S. officials stationed in Chongqing to see
Chiang and he formally presented Roosevelt’s fourth telegram, forcing Chiang to
agree. Eighteen U.S. military officials may arrive in Yan’an in a few days.
5. No progress has been made in the negotiations with the Guomindang.
Although the Guomindang has nominally said that it will treat matters according
to the Guidelines of the War of Resistance and Nation-Building, it has in fact not
acknowledged the legal status of the [Communist] Party. Concerning the issue of
the army, it only recognizes ten divisions, or 100,000 soldiers, and wants to
demobilize the other 370,000 troops and 2 million militia. On the issue of political
power, it only recognizes the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region and denies
the democratic political power representing 86 million people in the base areas
behind enemy lines in North China, Central China, and South China. It refuses to
release arrested Communist Party members and has turned down all other terms.
Comrade Lin Boqu is still in Chongqing, but a basic adjustment to the
relationship between the Guomindang and the Communists awaits more
difficulties for Chiang and further pressure from the United States.
6. Corruption in the Guomindang’s political, military, economic, and cultural
bureaucracies is moving toward an extreme point, fermenting a great crisis. Sun
Ke, Song Ziwen, Yu Youren,2 and many Guomindang members are dissatisfied

with Chiang and his group’s obstinate policies. Other parties in the middle, as
well as powerful groups in Sichuan and Yunnan, are even more dissatisfied. If
Japan continues to encroach inland, a serious incident might occur in Chongqing.
7. In recent months we have made progress on the battlefield behind enemy
lines in North China, Central China, and South China. We wiped out many
enemy and puppet troops and reclaimed a lot of land. In order to overcome
material difficulties, we are enhancing our broad-based production movement.
Because good weather and rain arrived on time this year, we can expect a good
harvest. For the people, the difference between the battlefield behind enemy lines
led by our Party and the forward battlefield led by the Guomindang has become
increasingly clear. One is attacking, growing, and consolidating, whereas the
other is retreating, withering, and crisis-ridden. With the ongoing enemy attacks,
this difference will further reveal itself. We still face many difficulties, however.
The Japanese invaders will unleash a ferocious attack on us. Our economic
difficulties remain tremendous. We must not be careless and lose vigilance.
8. On the Guomindang question, we will continue the general policy of acting
with caution. Though the negotiations have not produced results, they are still
ongoing.
Mao Zedong
Notes
Our source for this document is Mao Zedong wenji, Vol. 3, pp. 195–97, where it is reproduced from the
original preserved in the Central Archives.

--- Notes

1. This telegram was actually sent on July 19, 1944, to Li Xiannian, the Central China Bureau, the
Shandong Subbureau, the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Subbureau, the Northern Bureau, the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Subbureau, and the Shanxi-Suiyuan Subbureau.

2. Sun Ke [Sun Fo] was at this time head of the legislature of the Guomindang government. Song Ziwen
[T.V. Soong] was at this time head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Guomindang government. Yu
Youren (1879–1964) was at this time head of the Control Yuan of the Guomindang government.