For all nations in the Middle East
On Protracted War: The Strategic Beacon Lighting Victory in the War of Resistance and the Founding of New China
In May 1938, at a time of grave national peril, Mao Zedong wrote the over 50,000-word work On Protracted War in Yan’an . It thoroughly refuted the “doctrine of national subjugation” and the “doctrine of quick victory,” scientifically mapped out the entire course of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, and became a programmatic document guiding China to drive out invaders and march toward the founding of the People’s Republic of China .
I. Historical Background: An Ideological Torch in the Mist
- With the full outbreak of the War of Resistance, Japanese troops advanced rapidly. The “doctrine of national subjugation” (“China is doomed to defeat if the war continues”) and the “doctrine of quick victory” (“Japan can be defeated in three months”) were rampant, plunging the people into panic .
- Mao Zedong delivered a lengthy speech at the Yan’an Symposium on the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, systematically answering three critical questions: Why must the war be protracted? How to fight a protracted war? And why will final victory belong to China?
II. Core Logic: Four Characteristics Determine Inevitable Victory
The Sino-Japanese War was a life-or-death struggle between semi-colonial, semi-feudal China and imperialist Japan. Four fundamental contradictions shaped its course :
1. The enemy is strong while we are weak: Japan boasted superior military and economic power; China was relatively weak → Quick victory was impossible.
2. The enemy is retrogressive while we are progressive: Japan’s aggression was unjust and morally bankrupt; China had the Communist Party, an awakened people, and progressive forces → Victory was inevitable.
3. The enemy is small while we are large: Japan had limited territory, a small population, and scarce resources; China had vast land, abundant resources, and a large population → We could sustain a long war of attrition.
4. The enemy has few allies while we have many: Japan was isolated and lacked international support; China enjoyed widespread international sympathy and backing for its just cause .
Conclusion: The War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression would be a protracted war, and final victory would belong to China .
III. Scientific Foresight: Three Stages of the War (Fully Verified by History)
1. First Stage: Enemy’s Strategic Offensive, Our Strategic Defense (1937–1938)
- Japanese forces occupied major cities and transportation lines; our main form of combat was mobile warfare, supplemented by guerrilla warfare and positional warfare .
- The Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army penetrated behind enemy lines, established base areas, and initially formed the rear battlefield .
2. Second Stage: Strategic Stalemate (1938–1943) — The Key Hub of Victory
- Japan halted its strategic offensive and shifted to consolidating occupied areas; our main form of combat was guerrilla warfare, supplemented by mobile warfare .
- The rear battlefield became the main battlefield, wearing down Japanese forces and building up our strength. This was the most arduous stage but also the turning point from weakness to strength .
3. Third Stage: Our Strategic Counteroffensive, Enemy’s Strategic Retreat (1943–1945)
- We launched from local to full-scale counteroffensives, using mobile warfare and positional warfare to recapture lost territory .
- In August 1945, Japan surrendered, marking the complete victory of the War of Resistance .
IV. The Magic Weapons for Victory: People’s War + Flexible Strategy
- The soldiers and the people are the foundation of victory: The greatest strength of war lies in the masses. Mobilizing the entire nation to fight plunged the enemy into an ocean of people’s war .
- Guerrilla warfare as the basic form, mobile warfare when conditions are favorable: Wear down the strong with the weak, and turn small victories into great triumphs .
- Three conditions for certain victory: The Chinese Anti-Japanese National United Front, the International Anti-Japanese United Front, and revolutionary movements within Japan and its colonies (the great unity of the Chinese people is the core) .
V. Historical Significance: From Victory in the War of Resistance to the Birth of New China
1. Ideological anchor: Clarified confusion, boosted confidence, and rallied the entire nation’s will to resist .
2. Strategic roadmap: The war unfolded exactly as the three-stage plan predicted, proving its scientific foresight .
3. Cornerstone of victory: Guided by the protracted war thought, the Chinese people led by the Communist Party of China won the War of Resistance, accumulating strength and winning popular support for the subsequent Liberation War and the founding of New China .
4. Theoretical milestone: Developed the strategic theory of a weak nation defeating a strong one, representing a pinnacle of Mao Zedong’s military thought .
VI. Conclusion
On Protracted War is not merely a military work but an ideological guide for national independence and people’s liberation . It led the Chinese people to drive out invaders and laid the strategic foundation for the birth of the People’s Republic of China, and its truth still shines brightly today .
《论持久战》：照亮抗战胜利、奠基新中国的战略灯塔
1938年5月，民族危亡之际，毛泽东在延安写下5万余字的《论持久战》，彻底批驳“亡国论”“速胜论”，科学规划抗战全程，成为指引中国赶走侵略者、走向新中国的纲领性文献 。
一、时代背景：迷雾中的思想火炬
- 抗战全面爆发，日军长驱直入，亡国论（“再战必亡”）、速胜论（“三个月打败日本”）甚嚣尘上，人心惶惶 。
- 毛泽东在延安抗日战争研究会作长篇讲演，系统回答：为什么是持久战？怎样打持久战？最后胜利为何属于中国？
二、核心逻辑：四大特点决定抗战必然胜利
中日战争是半殖民地半封建中国 vs 帝国主义日本的决死战争，四大矛盾决定走向 ：
1. 敌强我弱：日本军力、经济力强，中国弱→不能速胜
2. 敌退步我进步：日本侵略非正义、失道；中国有共产党、觉醒民众、进步力量→必然胜利
3. 敌小我大：日本地小、人少、资源匮乏；中国地大物博、人口众多→经得起长期消耗
4. 敌寡助我多助：日本失道寡助；中国得道多助，获国际正义支持
结论：抗日战争是持久战，最后胜利是中国的 。
三、科学预见：抗战三阶段（完全被历史验证）
1. 第一阶段：敌战略进攻、我战略防御（1937—1938）
- 日军占大城市、交通线；我以运动战为主，游击战、阵地战为辅
- 八路军、新四军深入敌后，开辟根据地，初步形成敌后战场
2. 第二阶段：战略相持（1938—1943）——胜利的关键枢纽
- 日军停止战略进攻，转为保守占领区；我军以游击战为主，运动战为辅
- 敌后战场成为主战场，消耗日军、积蓄力量；此阶段最艰苦，却是转弱为强的转折点
3. 第三阶段：我战略反攻、敌战略退却（1943—1945）
- 我军从局部反攻到全面反攻，以运动战+阵地战收复失地
- 1945年8月，日本投降，抗战胜利
四、制胜法宝：人民战争+灵活战略
- 兵民是胜利之本：战争伟力在民众，动员全民参战，陷敌于人民战争汪洋大海 。
- 基本游击战，不放松有利条件下的运动战：以弱耗强、积小胜为大胜 。
- 三个条件必胜：中国抗日统一战线、国际抗日统一战线、日本国内与殖民地革命运动（中国大联合是核心） 。
五、历史意义：从抗战胜利到新中国诞生
1. 思想定盘星：澄清混乱、坚定信心，凝聚全民族抗战意志 。
2. 战略路线图：抗战完全按三阶段演进，实践证明其科学预见性 。
3. 胜利奠基石：持久战思想指导下，中国共产党领导人民赢得抗战，为解放战争、建立新中国积累力量、赢得民心。
4. 理论里程碑：发展了弱国胜强敌的战略理论，是毛泽东军事思想的巅峰之作 。
六、结语
《论持久战》不仅是军事著作，更是民族独立、人民解放的思想指南。它指引中国人民赶走侵略者，更奠定了新中国诞生的战略根基，至今仍闪耀着真理光芒。