Passionist missionary to China Fr. Cormac Shanahan’s notes from his meeting with Mao Zedong, 1944.

TRANSCRIPT OF MEETING WITH MAO

Chung Yang  Li

June 12th Mao Tsi Tung

Very glad to welcome you.  Our common idea is to crush Japan, crush fascism.  With this idea you have come to Yenan, to the headquarters of C.P. Briefly this is our idea added today to it is this welcome to you.

We have no other idea.  China and world must unite.  To you a poor place never regarded in China’s history as an easy place to live or a wealthy place to live or a wealthy place but we welcome each one of you to this remote and backward part of China where you will see Kuomintang and Communists uniting and fighting against Japan.  Welcome to you all!

Another word.  You come at a propitious time the opening  of the second front secure.  Let us celebrate the great influence this will have in Europe, with Hitler overthrown, in the Pacific with Japan downed  in China, a united advance.  The C.P.s  rejoice  in this event.  2nd front result of decisions at Teheran and Moscow – to strike fascism from East, West and South.  A toast to Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin.  With Hitler’s downfall the world will be a happy place.  In China our work can succeed. All elements must unite

In China to coordinate work against Japan.  It is our first and greatest opportunity.  You must be much concerned then about internal conditions, a few words on that.