HT This Day: December 28, 1937 -- “Our strength is your strength”

“We here in China have read in news dispatches that you called mass meetings in a number of Indian cities in support of our war log liberation. Allow me to thank you in the name of the Chinese people and in the name of the Eighth Route Army (the Chinese Red Army) in particular.”

The following is the translation of a letter in Chinese from General Chu Teh, Commander-in-Chief of the Eighth Route Army, to Pandit Nehru. The letter is dated November 26 and la from Shansi, China (a brief summary of which appeared in a previous issue of the “Hindustan Times”).

HT This Day: December 28, 1937 -- “Our strength is your strength”

“We here in China have read in news dispatches that you called mass meetings in a number of Indian cities in support of our war log liberation. Allow me to thank you in the name of the Chinese people and in the name of the Eighth Route Army (the Chinese Red Army) in particular.

“You’ know that the Japanese have occupied many cities and our main railways in China. Our Eighth Route Army, the revolutionary army of the Chinese masses, is organizing and arming the people for prolonged Warfare that Will end in ultimate victory and liberation for us. This work of ours is difficult because we are a poor army. We are able to help the peasant partisans wherever we operate throughout the north, and they are rapidly becoming an organic part of our army. But there is one problem that we cannot solve, and it is of this I write to you now.

“In those regions under actual Japanese occupation, such as along the railways in the northern part of Shansi, in Sutyu, in and Chabar provinces, and in western Hotel, thousands of workers, peasants and students have spontaneously arisen, have captured arms, and are fighting in volunteer bands against the imperialist army of invasion.

“These volunteers have arms, but they have no winter clothing, no blankets, no shoes, and little and often no food. Recently, one group of 2,000 of them met and united with a unit of our army in the northern part of this province. We were able to give them but one thousand Chinese dollars-which is only 50 cents per man. This money will suffice for one meal a day for about a week for them. Our problem is so gigantic that we are unable to help the volunteers as they require. It is a problem ways before us, and we are trying a raise money here in China and foreign countries for them.

“Miss Smedley has said that we could approach you and that she le-ls certain the Indian National Congress, of which you are President, would donate a sum which our Army could give to the volunteers. You may know that every I anna which you could give would be deeply welcomed and would I reach the volunteers and enable I them to continue their struggle.

“Perhaps you could form a committee to collect money in the name of the Chinese volunteers. If so. do so at once. We know there are millions of people in your country who sympathize with us in our struggle and would be willing to give something to help.

‘CHINA NOT SUBJECTED’

“As Commander-in-Chief of the Route Army of the Chinese people I wish to tell you and the Indian National Congress, and the whole Indian people, that China is not subjected, not defeated, and that we cannot and will never be subjected.

“Our army will never retreat from North China.

“We will remain with the people, organising and arming them and waging a ceaseless warfare upon the Japanese Imperialist armies, of invasion. until the last of them are driven from our country, including that from Manchuria.

“Do not be deceived by any lies or propaganda put out by the Japanese. Our struggle has only begun. The regular Chinese Government armies are fighting. Ours will never be defeated because we are the army of the people and increasingly tens and thousands of our people are rallying around us, fighting with us.

“We are well-disciplined, well trained. iron army, and all our soldiers. from the new volunteers to the Commanders, have a high political training. We are fully and deeply conscious of the role that we play in Asia to-day and in the future.

FIGHTING BATTLE OF PEOPLE OF ALL ASIA

“We know that we are fighting not only the battle of the Chinese nation and the Chinese people, but we are fighting the battle of the people of all Asia, and that we are a part of the world army for the liberation of oppressed nations and oppressed classes. It is with this consciousness that we feel Justified in asking you, one of the great leaders of the great Indian people, to help us in our struggle by any and all means. We would welcome it financial help in the name of the Chinese volunteers we would welcome medical supplies and surgical instruments, we would welcome volunteers who might wish to express their solidarity with us in our fight by fighting in volunteer units our army.

“We ask you to consider this question in all seriousness to intensity your campaign to help us, to broaden and deeper your movement for the boycott of Japanese goods. and to educate year people about the facts of our war of liberation.

“If the Japanese were successful in subjecting China. none of the peoples of Asia could gain their liberation for many years and perhaps decades. Our struggle is your ‘struggle.

Once more our army thanks you from the depths of our heart for all you have so far done on behalf of our country.”