(October 3, 1957)
We have not yet established a socialist foundation; industry is underdeveloped, and as a result our national defense is not solid. We rely on politics. In the past, it was through political means that we defeated our enemies, even though they were very powerful then. Today, our adversaries are even stronger, for our enemy is U.S. imperialism.
Stalin made certain mistakes in his later years, but these were localized and temporary. We should distinguish between such local, transient phenomena and the overall, long-term trends. Errors and shortcomings will naturally cause dissatisfaction, and we too have experienced unpleasantness. Nevertheless, the October Revolution, socialist construction, the defeat of fascism, and assistance to the international proletariat remain the principal achievements. Seen from this perspective, one can understand the situation. Despite the Soviet Union’s shortcomings, it remains the main force opposing imperialism and safeguarding peace. I agree with what you [2] said: only the socialist camp can ensure the development of socialism. China has a large population, yet it is a weak country in the face of imperialism. They possess [1] This section consists of parts of Mao Zedong’s remarks during his meeting with the Polish military delegation.
[2] Refers to General Spychalski, Minister of National Defense of Poland and head of the Polish military delegation visiting China.

hydrogen bombs; they are bent on invading us, leaving us no choice but guerrilla warfare. They seek to annihilate not only us but also Poland and the Soviet Union.
The situation is far from easy. In our countries, the revolution has yet to achieve final victory, and it will take quite a long time before this issue is resolved. From now on, we ourselves must bear responsibility for what lies ahead. How things will unfold—whether our policies and guidelines are correct—will only become clear in ten or fifteen years. Future generations will judge us; perhaps we shall still be alive to settle our own accounts. Therefore, we must proceed with utmost caution and constantly draw lessons from experience. We welcome you to visit China so that you may examine the situation firsthand and engage in a thorough analysis. We should fully acknowledge China’s shortcomings and errors, while at the same time giving due recognition to its sound and advantageous aspects. We, too, are studying your experiences. However, our own experience is far less extensive than that of the Soviet Union, which spans forty years; we need to study it carefully. If we set aside individual grievances and maintain a calm, rational attitude, it becomes much easier to get things done and to work harmoniously with our Soviet comrades. In our countries, the contest between socialism and capitalism has yet to be decided, and this is even more true on the international stage. We firmly believe that socialism will ultimately triumph—this conviction is unshakable—but possibility and reality are two different matters. What we need above all is peaceful time. If there is no war for twenty years, conditions will greatly improve: China will be able not only to conduct guerrilla warfare but also regular operations, and by then it may become exceedingly difficult for imperialism to prevail.