In Memory of Norman Bethune

This article was written by Mao Zedong on December 21, 1939, and was firstly titled as "Learning from Bethune", and included in the album book jointly published by the Political Department and the Health Department of the Eighth Route Army, in 1940.

It was included in the Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Volume 2, and this time the title was changed as “In Memory of Norman Bethune.”

Norman Bethune was a member of the Communist Party of Canada and a world-famous expert in thoracic surgery.

After the outbreak of China's Anti-Japanese War, he was sent by the Communist Parties of Canada and the United States to China to lead a medical team composed of Canadians and Americans, and traveled thousands of miles to China to help the people in the revolutionary base areas behind the enemy lines.

Soon after visiting Yan'an he went to work in the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei border base area in April 1938.

On November 12, 1939, he died a martyr at his post in Huangshikou Village of the Tangxian County, within the Hebei Province due to an infection that occurred when he treated a wounded.

This article highly praised Bethune and called on every Communist Party member: “We must all learn the spirit of absolute selflessness from him. His example is an excellent lesson for those people who wish to change their work the moment they see something different and for those who despise technical work as of no consequence or as promising no future.”

Mao Zedong pointed out: We must unite with the proletariat of all the capitalist countries, because this is the only way to overthrow imperialism, to liberate our nation and people and to liberate the other nations and peoples of the world. This is our internationalism, the internationalism with which we oppose both narrow nationalism and narrow patriotism.

“It is the spirit of internationalism, the spirit of communism, from which every Chinese Communist must learn. His utter devotion to others without any thought of self, was shown in his great sense of responsibility in his work and his great warm-heartedness towards all comrades and the people.”

With this spirit everyone can be very useful to the people. A man's ability may be great or small, but if he has this spirit, he is already noble-minded and pure, a man of moral integrity and above vulgar interests, a man who is of value to the people.

The article also criticized narrow nationalism and narrow patriotism, as well as those who despise technical work as of no consequence or as promising no future. There are not a few people who are irresponsible in their work, passing the burdensome tasks on to others and choosing the easy ones for themselves. When they make some small contribution, they swell with pride and brag about it for fear that others will not know. They feel no warmth towards comrades and the people but are cold, indifferent and apathetic. The publication of this article, aroused warm repercussions among the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people.