The National Political Council Convenes; Chiang Kai-shek’s Speech Is Improper and Is Refuted by Lin Hu[1]

(September 6, 1944)

[Yan’an, September 6, via Xinhua News Agency] The Third Session of the Third National Political Council opened in Chongqing on the morning of the 5th, with 164 councilors registered, fewer than in any previous session. Chiang Kai-shek attended and delivered an address, first describing the recent military developments in the China theater: “We absolutely do not deny the military setbacks of the past six months, still less can we deny that this period in China’s War of Resistance is particularly arduous and bitter.” He then asserted: “(1) The final decisive battle in the China theater has only just begun… (2) No matter what, the Japanese bandits can never, amidst the all-round brightness of the entire anti-aggression war, luckily escape their tragic doom of destruction… Their delusion of luckily succeeding in the China theater is truly impossible. (3) … I can guarantee that fundamentally there is absolutely no danger militarily, because the danger has long since passed.” Regarding the causes of the current military setbacks and economic difficulties, Chiang stated: “Today’s military or economic difficulties are truly the inevitable trend for our agricultural country in seven years of protracted war, because our country has always lacked a foundation; such phenomena are really nothing remarkable. Militarily speaking, since the beginning of the War of Resistance, we have had such facts of setbacks every year, and the degree of those setbacks may sometimes have been even greater than today’s.” From this political philosophy that it is “an inevitable trend, truly nothing remarkable,” that defeats in the war occur every year, and that there were more in previous years than this year, Chiang drew

[1] This is a Xinhua News Agency commentary. The title was added by Mao Zedong. The final part of the original manuscript (beginning from “Lin Hu said”) has been lost and is supplemented here based on newspaper publication. The text printed in Song typeface was added and rewritten by Mao Zedong.

The National Political Council Convenes; Chiang Kai-shek’s Speech Is Improper and Is Refuted by Lin Hu

the conclusion: “It must be understood that no matter how frantically the enemy bandits struggle henceforth, they can absolutely no longer pose a danger to our country as they did in the past seven years; the danger the enemy inflicted upon us has truly become a thing of the past today.” Using arbitrary rhetoric, he sought to gloss over the current military crisis. It is truly astonishing that the holder of state power should utter such remarks. Chiang further stated: “One point upon which our nation’s future safety or peril, success or failure depends, a point of tremendous importance whether for the War of Resistance or for national reconstruction, is that our nation absolutely needs unification.” He then loudly sang the tune of unconditional unification, even claiming that Sun Yat-sen “revolutionized for decades, and the goal of his lifelong struggle was national unification.” According to Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Will, “I devoted myself to the National Revolution for forty years, the aim being to seek China’s freedom and equality.” Chiang has forgotten this Will. Chiang also stated, “Today’s war of resistance against Japan is also for national unification,” not for national liberation. This unification theory, which seeks to unify everything under the Kuomintang, under oligarchic politics, stands in sharp opposition to the democratic unification theory urgently demanded by the people nationwide—realizing national unification on the basis of national independence and democratic freedom—and contains a sinister, chilling murderous intent. Chiang further stated, “Only with national unification can there be national independence; only with national independence can there be national freedom; only with national freedom can we speak of freedom of civil rights and freedom of people’s livelihood.” This puts the cart before the horse and is entirely fascist theory. With such a theory, a pretext for civil war is also found, which the people of the whole country and anti-fascist personages worldwide cannot but pay deep attention to. It is recalled that the editorial of *Moscow News* on October 10 last year touched upon this point: “Civil war, or any group or political party attempting to force others to carry out its will, thereby placing its narrow self-interests above the national interest, only allows China’s enemies to reap the benefits.” Chiang’s oligarchic unification theory is unfortunately precisely such a thing. Regarding the urgently needed reforms in military, political, economic, and other spheres, Chiang either avoided the topic or repeated empty platitudes, such as the so-called “convening of the National Assembly within one year after the war.” The phrases “concealing the sickness for fear of treatment” and “empty promises” aptly describe it. Looking at Chiang’s lengthy speech as a whole, it attempts to cover up the grave situation on the China battlefield with frivolous, self-deceiving, empty phrases, the result of which will be to blur the people’s vigilance against the enemy,

weaken the people’s will to resist, and paralyze the people’s mobilization for resistance. The reason he emphasized his murderous oligarchic unification theory at this juncture reflects the nationwide indignation and demand for thorough political reform and the abolition of one-party dictatorship following the defeats in Henan and Hunan, demonstrates Chiang’s obstinate refusal, and strongly hints at the threat of preparing for civil war. Chiang is hinting: Whoever dares to touch a single hair of my oligarchic dictatorship, I will massacre you. As for the lofty assertion that “the Japanese bandits can no longer harm our country,” it is particularly thought-provoking; no appropriate explanation can be found other than that he is serving as a voluntary propagandist for the national enemy.

Chiang’s speech has already aroused adverse reactions among the councilors. This can be seen in the reply speech delivered by veteran councilor Lin Hu on behalf of all councilors. Lin Hu expressed deep dissatisfaction with Chiang’s whitewashing of the situation, frivolous optimism, refusal of criticism, and rejection of reform.

Lin Hu said: “Looking back at the domestic situation and contemplating the future, we not only dare not be the slightest bit optimistic, but also harbor the worries of a paranoid. Because at this critical juncture of national rise or fall, survival or extinction, if we can exert ourselves, thoroughly cleanse old filth, and eliminate accumulated abuses, that will be the opportunity for national rejuvenation. Otherwise, if the current state of affairs is allowed to drag on, the future is unimaginable. This is not us deliberately making alarming statements to sensationalize; all sorts of facts are laid before us, seen and heard by all, and there is no need to conceal them, nor to list them one by one. Just consider, among the troops fighting on various domestic battlefields, while many indeed obey orders and fight the enemy loyally and bravely, how terrible have some of the bad ones become? In the personnel administration of governments at all levels, while many indeed fulfill their functions reasonably, what have those derelict and muddle-headed ones turned into? These circumstances all cause us hidden worry about the future of the War of Resistance and national reconstruction. From the 27th year to today, this is already the tenth session of our National Political Council. Reviewing the past, we have indeed made some contributions to the government’s various endeavors in the War of Resistance and national reconstruction. But while the Allied forces are achieving victory after victory in Europe and the Pacific, the European war may hopefully end this year, and the Allied forces in the Pacific are preparing to launch powerful offensives, victory in the entire war situation is already in sight. Yet we have been resisting for eight years, and the sacrifices in manpower and material resources are already incalculable. Amidst this victory in the entire war situation, we should make extra efforts to strive for the position of a leading protagonist,

The National Political Council Convenes; Chiang Kai-shek’s Speech Is Improper and Is Refuted by Lin Hu

and only then can we reap the value of all our sacrifices; we must absolutely not rely solely on the victories of our allied nations as our victory, thereby bringing shame upon our Chinese nation.” Hitting the nail on the head, Lin Hu thoroughly refuted Chiang Kai-shek’s erroneous views.

Mao Zedong’s manuscript revising the Xinhua News Agency commentary “The Kuomintang National Political Council, Chiang Kai-shek’s Speech Is Improper and Is Refuted by Lin Hu” (partial).

Mao Zedong’s revised manuscript of the Xinhua News Agency news commentary on Chiang Kai-shek’s opening speech at the Third Session of the Third National Political Council.