Chapter 85 Faith in victory is derived from struggle[1]

(October 20, 1965) You have fought well, both South and North.People all over the world support you, including those who have already awakened and some who have not.The world today is not a peaceful world.This is not that you Vietnamese are going to the United States to carry out aggression, nor is it that the Chinese are going to the United States to carry out aggression. Not long ago, Japan's "Asahi Shimbun" and "Yomiuri Shimbun" published several reports by Japanese journalists who had returned from South Vietnam. American newspapers said that these reports were unfair, and a dispute arose.I am not talking about the "Red Flag" of the Japanese Communist Party, but a newspaper of the Japanese bourgeoisie.This shows that the direction of public opinion is not conducive to the United States.Recently, demonstrations by the American people against the U.S. government's policy toward Vietnam have developed.At present, it is mainly American intellectuals who are making trouble.

However, these are external conditions.In fact, the solution to the problem is still up to you to fight, and of course you can also negotiate.There have been talks in Geneva in the past, but after the talks, the Americans don't have to count.We have talked with Chiang Kai-shek and the United States.Rusk [2] said that the United States and China have negotiated the most times.However, we have to gnaw at one point, it must be withdrawn from Taiwan, and other problems can be easily resolved.It does not agree to this.China and the United States have been negotiating for ten years[3], and they are still repeating old sayings.We cannot relax on this one.The United States tried to exchange press delegations with us.It says that starting with small things, big problems are easy to solve.We say that small problems can be solved by starting with big problems.

It turns out that you have withdrawn all your armed forces in the south in accordance with the Geneva Agreement[4].As a result, the enemy killed people there, and you resumed armed struggle.In the beginning, you focused on political struggle, supplemented by armed struggle, and we agree.In the second stage, you are carrying out political and armed struggles at the same time, and we agree with that.In the third stage, you will focus on armed struggle, supplemented by political struggle, and we agree again.In my opinion, the enemy is gradually escalating, and you are also gradually escalating.In the next two or three years, you may have some difficulties, but it is hard to say, or it may not be the case, but this should be taken into account.Isn't it great that you have made all the preparations so that even if the most difficult situation occurs, you will not deviate too far from the original estimate? So, the fundamentals are these two: one is to strive for the most favorable situation; the other is to prepare Prepare for the worst.

Algeria's experience can be used as a reference for you.Probably when they hit their fourth or fifth year, some leaders became a little sad.At that time their Prime Minister Abbas came to talk to us.They said that the population of Algeria was very small, only ten million, and one million had already died; the enemy's army had eight hundred thousand, while their regular army was only thirty to forty thousand, and the guerrillas included were less than one hundred thousand.I told them at the time that the enemy must be defeated, and the population will increase after they persist until they are victorious.Later, after negotiations, France withdrew its troops, and now the withdrawal has been completed, leaving only a small naval base.Algeria is a national democratic revolution led by the bourgeoisie.You are Communists like us, and you differ from us in Algeria when it comes to mobilizing the masses and waging a people's war.

Some of the people's wars I mentioned in my article are specific issues that happened a decade or two ago.Now, you have some new situations, and many of your methods are different from ours in the past, and should be different.We also gradually learned to fight, and we lost some battles at the beginning, not as smooth as you. I haven't noticed what issues you talk about with the United States.I only pay attention to how to beat the Americans and how to drive them out.Negotiations are also possible at a certain time, but always don't lower the tone, but raise the tone a bit.Be ready for the enemy to deceive you.

We support you in your final victory.The belief in victory is forged, and it is obtained in the middle of the struggle.For example, Americans can fight. This is a piece of experience.This experience can only be obtained by fighting.The Americans can be fought, and they can be defeated.It is necessary to break the myth that Americans are unbeatable and unbeatable.We all have a lot of experience.You and we fought the Japanese, you fought the French, and now you are fighting the Americans. Americans trained and educated the Vietnamese, educated us, and educated people all over the world.In my opinion, it is not good without Americans, and this teacher is indispensable.To defeat the Americans, one must learn from the Americans.Marx did not teach us how to beat Americans, nor did Lenin.This is mainly because we learn from the Americans.

The Chinese people and people all over the world support you.The more friends the better. According to the "Mao Zedong Diplomatic Selected Works" published in 1994 by Central Literature Publishing House and World Knowledge Publishing House. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] This is the main part of the conversation between Mao Zedong and the party and government delegation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. [2] Rusk, then US Secretary of State. [3] Refers to the Sino-US ambassadorial talks.See note [8] on page 64 of this volume.

[4] Geneva Agreement, see note [33] on page 416 of this volume.