To Be Attacked by the Enemy Is Not a Bad Thing, But a Good Thing

#PUBLICATION NOTE

This edition of To Be Attacked by the Enemy Is Not a Bad Thing, But a Good Thing has been prepared and revised for digital publication by the Institute of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism under the Central Committee of the Communist Party in Switzerland on the basis of the following edition: To Be Attacked by the Enemy Is Not a Bad Thing, But a Good Thing, in the Selected Readings From the Works of Mao Zedong, First English Edition, Foreign Languages Press, Beijing, 1971.

#INTRODUCTION NOTE

This is a speech delivered by Comrade Mao Zedong in Yan'an, Shaanxi, China on the 26th of May, 1939. It was first published in the Xin Zhonghua Bao (30th of May, 1939).

#Workers and oppressed people of the world, unite!

#TO BE ATTACKED BY THE ENEMY IS NOT A BAD THING, BUT A GOOD THING

#IN COMMEMORATION OF THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S ANTI-JAPANESE MILITARY AND POLITICAL COLLEGE

#Mao Zedong

#26th of May, 1939

#★

Why is it that the Anti-Japanese Military and Political College has become famous all over the country and even enjoys some reputation abroad? Because, of all the anti-Japanese military institutes, it is the most revolutionary, the most progressive, and the best fighter for national liberation and social emancipation. This, I think, is also the reason why visitors to Yan'an are so keen on seeing it.

The College is revolutionary and progressive, because both its staff members and teachers and its courses are revolutionary and progressive. Without this revolutionary and progressive character, it could never have won the praise of revolutionary people at home and abroad.

Some people attack the College; they are the country's capitulationists and Far Right elements. This only goes to show that the College is a most revolutionary and progressive one, or otherwise they would not attack it. The vigorous attacks by the capitulationists and Far Right elements testify to its revolutionary and progressive nature and add to its lustre. It is a glorious military institute, not only because the majority of the people support and praise it, but also because the capitulationists and Far Right elements strenuously attack and slander it.

I hold that it is bad as far as we are concerned if a person, a political party, an army, or a school is not attacked by the enemy, for in that case, it would definitely mean that we have sunk to the level of the enemy. It is good if we are attacked by the enemy, since it proves that we have drawn a clear line of demarcation between the enemy and ourselves. It is still better if the enemy attacks us wildly and paints us as utterly black and without a single virtue; it demonstrates that we have not only drawn a clear line of demarcation between the enemy and ourselves, but achieved a great deal in our work.

In the past three years, the Anti-Japanese Military and Political College has made a great contribution to the country, to the nation, and to society by training tens of thousands of promising, progressive, and revolutionary young students. It will certainly go on making its contribution to the country, the nation, and society, because it will continue to train such young students in large numbers. In speaking of the college, people often compare it to the Huangpu Military Academy¹ before the Northern Expedition. In fact, there are points of both similarity and difference between the two institutes. The similarity is the presence of Communists among the teachers and students in both. The difference is that, while the main directors and the majority of the students at the Huangpu Military Academy were members of the Nationalist Party, the entire leadership of the Anti-Japanese Military and Political College is in the hands of the Communist Party, and the vast majority of the students are Communists or Communist sympathizers. For this reason, the Anti-Japanese Military and Political College of today cannot but be more revolutionary and more progressive than was the Huangpu Military Academy of the past, and it will certainly make a greater contribution to national liberation and social emancipation.

The educational policy of the College is to cultivate a firm and correct political orientation, an industrious and simple style of work, and flexible strategy and tactics. These are the three essentials in the making of an anti-Japanese revolutionary soldier. It is in accordance with these essentials that the staff teach and the students study.

The progress and development of the College over the past few years have been accompanied by certain shortcomings. It has grown, but difficulties have arisen, too. The main difficulty is the shortage of funds, teachers, and teaching materials. But led by the Communist Party, the College does not fear any difficulties and will certainly overcome them. There are no such things as difficulties for Communists, for they can surmount them.

It is my hope and the hope of the people of the whole country that the College will eliminate its shortcomings and become still more progressive after its third anniversary.

#TEACHERS, STAFF MEMBERS, AND STUDENTS OF THE COLLEGE, LET US REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS!