K. This is the 1st working draft of vol. VI. It still ... - From Marx to Mao

190 MAO TSE-TUNG
which should be more or less as described below:
(a) For theoretical instruction one can employ the method
of giving suggestions and the method of questions and answers.
All methods of teaching that adopt the style of speechmaking
and injecting [ideas into the students’ heads] should be eliminated
in so far as possible.
(b) When explaining actions, we should pay attention to linking
our talks with the living reality, so that it will be easy for
the soldiers to understand us.
(c) We should devote more time to concrete demonstrations
of actions and less time to talking about empty theories. Conse-
FROM MARX
TO MAO
quently, the greatest effort should be made to diminish the dura-
⋆
tion and number of classroom sessions and the numbers of practical
exercises should be increased.
(d) All explanations in the classroom should in so far as possible
correspond to the exercises outside.
(e) All demonstrations of actions should be carefully prepared
in advance before they are executed. All negligent and
perfunctory behaviour — doing things any old way — must absolutely
be eliminated.
(f) With respect to all activities, we should devise a way to
incite the officers and NOT soldiers to FOR carry out a competition, in order
to increase the spirit of initiative and the positive attitude
they manifest in their work, and to speed up the work.
(g) Increase COMMERCIAL
applied training, diminish training according
to a fixed pattern, and correct the erroneous idea that training
according to a fixed pattern is useful in maintaining military discipline.
(h) The DISTRIBUTION
plan of training should be suited to the circumstances,
time, and place in which it is to be carried out. The
training plan must absolutely not be rigid; we must seize every
occasion and strive to give training adapted to the circumstances.
This is done more or less as indicated below:
i. We utilize the time when the army is on the march to
carry on direction finding, recognizing differences in terrain,
estimating distances, reconnaissance action, and designating
objectives and the utilization of terrain.
ii. When we are in camp, we utilize preparations for se-