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

WE ARE FOR ROOSEVELT
AND AGAINST CHAMBERLAIN*
January @), !(#(
FROM MARX
TO MAO
. . . The great war of resistance now being waged by China is not
merely the affair of China it is also the affair of the world. In the
⋆
democratic countries such as England, America, and France, there
are broad popular masses including all the progressive people from
the various social strata who sympathize with China’s war of resistance
and oppose the invasion of China of Japanese imperialism. It
is only a reactionary faction that opposes China’s war of resistance.
. . . In this great war of resistance we rely first of all on China’s
own strength to vanquish the enemy. . . . But at the same time, we
need outside aid. Our enemy is a world-wide enemy, and the war of
resistance waged by China is a war of resistance of a world-wide
character. History has NOT already shown FOR that a viewpoint attempting to
isolate this war is erroneous. In all the democratic countries, such
as England and America, there still exists an isolationist viewpoint
whose adherents COMMERCIAL
do not understand that if China is defeated, England,
America, and the other countries will not be able to go on
enjoying their own tranquility. This erroneous viewpoint is not attuned
to the needs DISTRIBUTION
of the times. For the others, to aid China is to
aid themselves — this is the only concrete verity at the present time.
. . . China is pursuing her war amidst many difficulties, but the
flames of a war among the great powers of the world are coming
closer every day and no country can remain aloof. We are in agreement
with President Roosevelt’s proclamation regarding the defence
of democracy. We are, on the other hand, resolutely opposed to the
policy of concessions to the fascist states in the West, practiced by
Chamberlain. Up to this day, Chamberlain has also displayed a cow-
* Extracted from Mao’s Preface to the English edition of “On Protracted War”,
dated January 20, 1939.
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