‘History shows that wars are divided into two kinds, just and unjust. All wars that are progressive are just, and all wars that impede progress are unjust. We Communists oppose all unjust wars that impede progress, but we do not oppose progressive, just wars. Not only do we Communists not oppose just wars, we actively participate in them. As for unjust wars, World War I is an instance in which both sides fought for imperialist interests; therefore the Communists of the whole world firmly opposed that war. The way to oppose a war of this kind is to do everything possible to prevent it before it breaks out and, once it breaks out, to oppose war with war, to oppose unjust war with just war, whenever possible.’
On Protracted War (May 1938) – Selected Works (Volume II-Page 150)
‘Quotations From Chairman Mao Zedong’ (Mao’s Little Red Book) – Chapter 5 – War and Peace – Pages 117-118
A gongfu student of mine visited China in the early 2000s – and managed to acquire for me a copy of Mao’s Little Red Book! It is a small, pocket-sized bilingual (Chinese-English) edition published during November, 1948. This book is entitled ‘Quotations From Chairman Mao Zedong’ – although the title uses the old (now out of date) Wade-Giles transliteration of ‘Mao Tse-Tung’. It is comprised of 17 Chapters (containing numerous referenced quotes) and has 317 pages. The Chapters are 1) The Communist Party, 2) Classes and Class Struggle, 3) Socialism and Communism, 4) The Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People, 5) War and Peace, 6) People’s War, 7) The People’s Army, 8) The Mass Line, 9) Political Work, 10) Relations Between Officers and Men, 11) Relations Between the Army and the People, 12) Serving the People, 13) Patriotism and Internationalism, 14) Revolutionary Heroism, 15) Criticism and Self-Criticism, 16) Communists and 17) Study.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 