893.00/14288
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 23.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit, as of possible interest to the Department, a digest42 of the text of the resolutions said to have been adopted at the Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Central Executive Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, which was held at Yenan, Shensi, with practically all the important leaders of the Party in attendance, in late September and early October of this [Page 398] year. These resolutions were published in the November 23 edition of the Hsin Hua Jih Pao, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party which is now established at Chungking.
The importance of these resolutions is believed to lie in the fact that they appear to commit the Chinese Communist Party categorically to a vital compromise of political policy vis-a-vis the Kuomintang. In other words, the Chinese Communist Party has come to the conclusion that the vital task of today lies in the defeat of the Japanese, and they have accordingly committed themselves to an almost complete reorientation of policy in order to achieve the united front which they consider to be essential to the achievement of the final victory. It is essential to note, however, that they maintain the right to preserve their independent political organization—a fundamental tenet of that group; and that their ultimate aspiration is a San Min Chu I democracy, under which the Chinese Communist Party will be enabled to pursue an independent, free existence without let or hindrance.
Competent Chinese and foreign observers at Chungking are generally of the opinion that the resolutions, as set forth above, genuinely reflect the present day attitude of the Chinese Communist leaders, who are sincerely desirous, even at the expense of fundamental principles, of cooperating with other anti-Japanese elements in the task of expelling the Japanese from Chinese territory.
In the interest of timeliness, this despatch is being sent to the Department by airmail. A complete translation of the resolutions is in the course of preparation and will be forwarded at an early date.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩