The Present Situation and Our Tasks

In October 1947, after the people's Liberation Army turned into a comprehensive counter offensive, Mao Zedong submitted a written report to the meeting (also known as the "December Meeting") held by the CPC Central Committee in Yangjiagou, Mizhi County, Northern Shaanxi Province from December 25 to 28 of the same year. It was included in the Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Volume 4.

The main contents of the report include the following aspects:

(1) This paper discusses the great significance of the People's Liberation War turning into strategic counter offensive. "This is a turning point in history," the report said. It is the turning point from growth to extinction for Chiang Kai-shek's twenty-year counter-revolutionary rule. It is the turning point from growth to extinction for imperialist rule in China, now over a hundred years old.

“Chiang Kai-shek's superiority in military forces was only transient, a factor which could play only a temporary role, that U.S. imperialist aid was likewise a factor which could play only a temporary role, while the anti-popular character of Chiang Kai-shek's war and the feelings of the people were factors that would play a constant role, and that in this respect the People's Liberation Army was in a superior position. Patriotic, just and revolutionary in character, the war waged by the People's Liberation Army was bound to win the support of the people of the whole country. That was the political foundation for victory over Chiang Kai-shek.”

(2) Summarizing and listing the ten military principles of the People's Liberation Army.

“Our principles of operation are:

(A) Attack dispersed, isolated enemy forces first; attack concentrated, strong enemy forces later.

(B) Take small and medium cities and extensive rural areas first; take big cities later.

(C) Make wiping out the enemy's effective strength our main objective; do not make holding or seizing a city or place our main objective. Holding or seizing a city or place is the outcome of wiping out the enemy's effective strength, and often a city or place can be held or seized for good only after it has changed hands a number of times.

(D)In every battle, concentrate an absolutely superior force (two, three, four and sometimes even five or six times the enemy's strength), encircle the enemy forces completely, strive to wipe them out thoroughly and do not let any escape from the net. In special circumstances, use the method of dealing crushing blows to the enemy, that is, concentrate all our strength to make a frontal attack and also to attack one or both of his flanks, with the aim of wiping out one part and routing another so that our army can swiftly move its troops to smash other enemy forces. Strive to avoid battles of attrition in which we lose more than we gain or only break even. In this way, although we are inferior as a whole (in terms of numbers), we are absolutely superior in every part and every specific campaign, and this ensures victory in the campaign. As time goes on, we shall become superior as a whole and eventually wipe out all the enemy.

(E) Fight no battle unprepared, fight no battle you are not sure of winning; make every effort to be well prepared for each battle, make every effort to ensure victory in the given set of conditions as between the enemy and ourselves.

(F) Give full play to our style of fighting—courage in battle, no fear of sacrifice, no fear of fatigue, and continuous fighting (that is, fighting successive battles in a short time without rest).

(G) Strive to wipe out the enemy through mobile warfare. At the same time, pay attention to the tactics of positional attack and capture enemy fortified points and cities.

(H) With regard to attacking cities, resolutely seize all enemy fortified points and cities which are weakly defended. Seize at opportune moments all enemy fortified points and cities defended with moderate strength, provided circumstances permit. As for strongly defended enemy fortified points and cities, wait till conditions are ripe and then take them.

(I) Replenish our strength with all the arms and most of the personnel captured from the enemy. Our army's main sources of manpower and materiel are at the front.

(J) Make good use of the intervals between campaigns to rest, train and consolidate our troops. Periods of rest, training and consolidation should in general not be very long, and the enemy should so far as possible be permitted no breathing space.

The report stresses that these ten military principles are the main means by which the People's Liberation Army defeats Chiang Kai-shek.

They are the result of the tempering of the People's Liberation Army in long years of fighting against domestic and foreign enemies and are completely suited to our present situation. Although the United States and Chiang Kai-shek knew the PLA's military methods well, they could not save their fate of failure. The reason is that our strategy and tactics are based on a people's war; no army opposed to the people can use our strategy and tactics.

(3) Three economic programs of the New-Democratic Revolution are clearly put forward and expounded.

The report suggested to “Confiscate the land of the feudal class and turn it over to the peasants. Confiscate monopoly capital, headed by Chiang Kai-shek, Song Ziwen, Kong Xiangxi and Chen Lifu, and turn it over to the New-Democratic state.  Protect the industry and commerce of the national bourgeoisie. These are the three major economic policies of the New-Democratic Revolution.”

The report makes an in-depth analysis of the state monopoly capital, that is, the bureaucratic capital and the bureaucratic bourgeoisie (big bourgeoisie), who is the master of this capital, and the correct understanding of the national bourgeoisie, which is closely related to the correct understanding and protection of national industry and commerce.

The report also elaborates on the economic composition of New China and the guidelines for the New-Democratic national economy, pointing out that the economic structure of New China will consist of: (A) The state-run economy, which is the leading sector; (B) The agricultural economy, developing step by step from individual to collective; and (C) The economy of small independent craftsmen and traders and the economy of small and middle private capital.

The principles guiding the New-Democratic national economy must closely conform to the general objective of developing production, promoting economic prosperity, giving consideration to both public and private interests and benefiting both labour and capital.

(4) The People's Liberation Army issued a manifesto in October 1947 which stated in part: Unite workers, peasants, soldiers, intellectuals and businessmen, all oppressed classes, all people's organizations, democratic parties, ethnic groups, overseas Chinese and other patriots; form a national united front; overthrow the dictatorial Chiang Kai-shek government; and establish a democratic coalition government.

The report stresses that “without the broadest united front of the overwhelming majority of the population, it will be impossible to win victory in China's New-Democratic Revolution.” Moreover, this united front must be under the firm leadership of the Communist Party of China. Without the Party's firm leadership, no revolutionary united front can win victory. The decision of the meeting pointed out: "This report is a programmatic document in the political, military and economic fields for the entire period of the overthrow of the reactionary Chiang Kai-shek ruling clique and of the founding of a New-Democratic China.” The report further pointed out the direction for the victory and development of the People's Liberation War and outlined the blueprint for the founding and construction of New China.