July 8, 1927

Dear Vyacheslav!

1) When I sent my long coded message about China, I knew neither about Tang Shengzhi's machinations nor about the behavior of the Wuhan government in connection with this. (I also had no materials on the disarming of the workers' guard in Wuhan.) It is clear that, having all these materials, you had grounds to adopt new directives. We used the Wuhan leadership as much as it was possible to use it. Now it must be discarded. An attempt must be made to take control of the Guomindang periphery and counterpose it to the present leadership. The fact that the Guomindang periphery is being persecuted by the military upstarts suggests that this task has a real basis. Therefore, if possible, it would be advisable not to link for now the withdrawal from the national government (which is now necessary) with withdrawal from the Guomindang (which may become necessary in the near future).

2) The situation within the group does not frighten me. Why — I will explain when I arrive.

3) When exactly should I come?

Regards. July 8, 1927. J. St.

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Source: Letters of J.V. Stalin to V.M. Molotov. 1925–1936. P. 108–109.

RGASPI. F. 558. Op. 1. D. 5388.

NOTE

On July 8, 1927, the Politburo issued a decision: "Adopt the following directives for the CCP, submitting them for approval to the CI:

"1) Despite our advice, the national government in fact not only does not support the agrarian revolution but has untied the hands of its enemies. The disarming of workers, expeditions against peasants, attacks on workers' organizations in Wuhan, and the shooting of revolutionaries in Changsha by Tang Shengzhi are a direct expression of counterrevolution.

"The main armed forces of Wuhan, headed by Tang Shengzhi, have in fact become an instrument of counterrevolutionaries who are in a semi-bloc with Chiang Kai-shek, and perhaps in a direct alliance. The national government and the upper stratum of the GMD cover all this and thereby pass into the camp of the enemies of the workers and peasants.

"Under these conditions the Communists cannot remain in the government. We consider Tang Pingxiang's (Tang Pingshan's. - Ed.) statement about taking leave mistaken and cowardly: by formally remaining in the government and not removing responsibility from the party, Tang thereby not only fails to expose the advancing counterrevolution but covers it. A demonstrative withdrawal of the Communists from the national government is necessary, with a declaration motivating this step by the above-mentioned attitude of the national government toward the agrarian revolution and the workers' movement and putting forward precise demands for Communist participation in the Wuhan government: full freedom for the workers' and peasants' movement, severe punishment of all those guilty of repressions against workers' and peasants' organizations, support for the agrarian revolution, fulfillment of the urgent demands of the workers' and peasants' masses, arming of the workers and peasants, etc. Withdrawal from the national government does not mean withdrawal from the GMD. It is necessary for the Communists to remain in the GMD and wage a decisive struggle in all GMD organizations and among the masses supporting it for a change in the policy of the GMD and in the composition of its leading organs.

"The declaration must indicate the tasks that the CCP set itself when entering the national government and demand a GMD congress with genuinely democratic elections, with discussion of the policy of the national government, etc., with the question of support for the agrarian revolution and workers' demands posed there point-blank and, on this basis, a change in the leadership of the GMD. It is necessary already now to begin corresponding preparation in all local and lower GMD organizations, to pass there resolutions protesting against the actions of the CC of the GMD and the national government, with demands for the agrarian revolution and workers' demands, as well as with the slogan of a GMD congress on the basis of these demands.

"2) The Chinese Communist Party must convene (preferably illegally) the Fifth Extraordinary Conference in order to correct, on the basis of ECCI directives, the fundamental mistakes of the party leadership. It is necessary to take all measures to preserve the party, for which purpose, also on the territory of Wuhan, an illegal party apparatus must be organized and the most endangered workers transferred to an illegal position.

"Take account of the new situation: a) in Wuhan the counterrevolution has the upper hand; b) the upper stratum of the GMD and the Wuhan government are trailing behind the generals, covering counterrevolution; c) the Communist Party must in fact and in the person of its leading organs become the center of the revolutionary movement of the workers' and peasants' masses.

"Otherwise it will destroy itself as a revolutionary force, being not only smashed but also losing its authority among the masses ..."