Keep what is good and discard what is bad. Whether it is native or foreign, it is all the same—it can only be accepted critically, not dogmatically or by copying mechanically. Only in this way is there hope.

The military schools are being run in a complete mess and are now being straightened out. In the past, there were no military schools, and that was just fine. We fought wars for several decades, and there were simply no military schools. Over ninety percent of our army are illiterate or have only an elementary school education. The Guomindang ran military schools all over the place, graduating from the Army University and whatnot, yet it was us, these unlettered soldiers, who overthrew them. The commanders of our various military regions were all rough fellows in the past.

The time spent in military schools is too long. The Huangpu Military Academy run by Chiang Kai-shek had five months of induction training and four months to graduate from the school. The main forces of Chiang Kai-shek’s army were precisely these people, who could still fight somewhat; those who graduated from the Army University really could not fight.

Do we have an Army University? (×××: There is a Higher Military School.) Then that would be dangerous.

(×××: Now the time is to be shortened. At present, we are generally implementing the policy of the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University, graduating in four to six months. For engineering and technical schools, where technical skills must be learned, the time may be longer.)

One can read a few books, but reading too many is harmful—truly harmful.

It is revolutionary struggle that trains cadres.