A Conversation with League Cadres

(March 1947)

Chiang Kai-shek fights wars to seize territory. When he occupies Yan’an, he can hold a meeting to celebrate, so we will give him the territory. We fight wars to capture his soldiers, seize his equipment, destroy his effective strength, and thereby strengthen ourselves. In this way, let him fight his fight, and we will fight ours. By the time Chiang Kai-shek reckons up this account, it will be too late for regret.

When Chiang Kai-shek occupies Yan’an, the "Double Tenth Agreement" will have been thoroughly torn up by him, and he will be cast aside by the people of the whole nation. Our withdrawal from Yan’an means that we will liberate Xi’an, liberate Nanjing, and liberate all of China! This is the turning point of the war.