(September 14, 1964)
The Japanese suffered a setback precisely because they first focused on Northeast China. At that time, a nationwide anti-Japanese salvation movement was in full swing—the “Seven Gentlemen” and others were actively involved—creating strong political momentum and laying the groundwork for our eventual resistance. Only later did Japan gradually reinforce its forces in North China and then move into Shandong; the pace was very slow. It was not until 1942 that they launched an offensive against Tang Enbo. Wuhan had already been occupied much earlier, yet it was only after 1942 that Japan began to advance toward the Changsha area in Hunan. It was only at this point that they finally mastered the strategy of a breakthrough through the enemy’s center.
[1]
This is part of the verbatim record of Chairman Mao Zedong’s remarks when he listened to a report on planning work from the leading group of the State Planning Commission.
[2]
Tang Enbo served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Nationalist Army’s First War Zone and also as Commander-in-Chief of the Border Region Command covering Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Henan provinces in 1942.