日寇迅速投降，改变了整个形势。
#§The speedy surrender of the Japanese invaders has changed the whole situation.
蒋介石垄断了受降权利，大城要道暂时（一个阶段内）不能属于我们。
# §Chiang Kai-shek has monopolized the right to accept the surrender, and for the time being (for a stage) the big cities and important lines of communication will not be in our hands.
但是华北方面，我们还要力争，凡能争得者应用全力争之。
# §Nevertheless, in northern China we should still fight hard, fight with all our might to take all we can.
两星期来，我军收复大小五十九个城市和广大乡村，连以前所有，共有城市一百七十五个，获得了伟大的胜利。
#§ In the past two weeks our army has recovered fifty-nine cities of various sizes and vast rural areas, and including those already in our hands we now control 175 cities, thus winning a great victory.
华北方面，收复了威海卫、烟台、龙口、益都、淄川、杨柳青、毕克齐、博爱、张家口、集宁、丰镇等处，我军威震华北，配合苏军和蒙古军进抵长城之声势，造成了我党的有利地位。
# §In northern China, we have recovered Weihaiwei, Yentai, Lungkou, Itu, Tsechuan, Yangliuching, Pikechi, Po-ai, Changchiakou, Chining and Fengchen. # §The might of our army has shaken northern China and, together with the sweeping advance of the Soviet and Mongolian forces to the Great Wall, has created a favourable position for our Party.
今后一时期内仍应继续攻势，以期尽可能夺取平绥线、同蒲北段、正太路、德石路、白晋路、道清路，切断北宁、平汉、津浦、胶济、陇海、沪宁各路，凡能控制者均控制之，哪怕暂时也好。
# §In the coming period we should continue the offensive and do our best to capture the Peiping-Suiyuan Railway, the northern section of the Tatung-Puchow Railway and the Chengting-Taiyuan, Tehchow-Shihchiachuang, Paikuei-Chincheng and Taokou-Chinghua Railways; and also to cut up the Peiping-Liaoning, Peiping-Hankow, Tientsin-Pukow, Tsingtao-Tsinan, Lunghai and Shanghai-Nanking Railways. #§ We should gain control of whatever we can, even though temporarily.
同时以必要力量，尽量广占乡村和府城县城小市镇。
# At the same time, the necessary forces should be employed to take as many villages, county and higher administrative centres and small towns as possible.
例如新四军占领了南京、太湖、天目山之间许多县城和江淮间许多县城，山东占领了整个胶东半岛，晋绥占领了平绥路南北许多城市，就造成了极好的形势。
#§ For example, a highly favourable situation has been created because the New Fourth Army has occupied Nanking, Taihu Lake and the Tienmu Mountains and between the Yangtse and the Huai Rivers, because our forces in Shantung have occupied the whole of the Eastern Shantung Peninsula and because our forces in the Shansi-Suiyuan Border Region have occupied many cities and towns north and south of the Peiping-Suiynan Railway.
再有一时期攻势，我党可能控制江北、淮北、山东、河北、山西、绥远的绝对大部分，热察两个全省和辽宁一部。
#§ After another period of offensive operations, it will be possible for our Party to control most of the areas north of the lower Yangtse River and the Huai River, most of Shantung, Hopei, Shansi and Suiyuan Provinces, all of Jehol and Chahar Provinces and a part of Liaoning Province.
现在苏美英三国均不赞成中国内战，我党又提出和平、民主、团结三大口号，并派毛泽东、周恩来、王若飞三同志赴渝和蒋介石商量团结建国大计，中国反动派的内战阴谋，可能被挫折下去。
#§At present the Soviet Union, the United States and Britain all disapprove of civil war in China; at the same time our Party has put forward the three great slogans of peace, democracy and unityand is sending Comrades Mao Tse-tung, Chou En-lai and Wang Jo-fei to Chungking to discuss with Chiang Kai-shek the great issues of unity and national reconstruction, thus it is possible that the civil war plot of the Chinese reactionaries may be frustrated.
国民党在取得沪宁等地、接通海洋和收缴敌械、收编伪军之后，较之过去加强了它的地位，但是仍然百孔千疮，内部矛盾甚多，困难甚大。
# §The Kuomintang has now strengthened its position by recovering Shanghai, Nanking and other places, reopening sea communications, taking over the arms of the enemy and incorporating the puppet troops into its own forces. #§ Nevertheless, it is riddled with a thousand gaping wounds, torn by innumerable inner contradictions and beset with great difficulties.
在内外压力下，可能在谈判后，有条件地承认我党地位，我党亦有条件地承认国民党的地位，造成两党合作（加上民主同盟等）、和平发展的新阶段。
#§ It is possible that after the negotiations the Kuomintang, under domestic and foreign pressure, may conditionally recognize our Party's status. # §Our Party too may conditionally recognize the status of the Kuomintang.
假如此种局面出现之后，我党应当努力学会合法斗争的一切方法，加紧国民党区域城市、农村、军队三大工作（均是我之弱点）。
# § In that event, our Party should strive to master all methods of legal struggle and intensify in the Kuomintang areas in the three main spheres, the cities, the villages and the army (all weak points in our work there).
在谈判中，国民党必定要求我方大大缩小解放区的土地和解放军的数量，并不许发纸币，我方亦准备给以必要的不伤害人民根本利益的让步。
#§During the negotiations, the Kuomintang is sure to demand that we drastically reduce the size of the Liberated Areas, cut down the strength of the Liberation Army and stop issuing currency.
无此让步，不能击破国民党的内战阴谋，不能取得政治上的主动地位，不能取得国际舆论和国内中间派的同情，不能换得我党的合法地位和和平局面。
# § We on our side are prepared to make such concessions as are necessary and as do not damage the fundamental interests of the people. #§Without such concessions, we cannot explode the Kuomintang's civil war plot, cannot gain the political initiative, cannot win the sympathy of world public opinion and the middle-of-the-roaders within the country and cannot obtain in exchange legal status for our Party and a state of peace.
但是让步是有限度的，以不伤害人民根本利益为原则。
#§But there are limits to such concessions; the principle is that they must not damage the fundamental interests of the people.
在我党采取上述步骤后，如果国民党还要发动内战，它就在全国全世界面前输了理，我党就有理由采取自卫战争，击破其进攻。
#§If the Kuomintang still wants to launch civil war after our Party has taken the above steps, it will put itself in the wrong in the eyes of the whole nation and the whole world, and our Party will be justified in waging a war of self-defence to crush its attacks.
同时我党力量强大，有来犯者，只要好打，我党必定站在自卫立场上坚决彻底干净全部消灭之（不要轻易打，打则必胜），绝对不要被反动派的其势汹汹所吓倒。
#§Moreover, our Party is powerful, and if anyone attacks us and if the conditions are favourable for battle, we will certainly act in self-defence to wipe him out resolutely, thoroughly, wholly and completely (we do not strike rashly, but when we do strike, we must win).
但是不论何时，又团结，又斗争，以斗争之手段，达团结之目的；有理有利有节；利用矛盾，争取多数，反对少数，各个击破等项原则，必须坚持，不可忘记。
# § We must never be cowed by the bluster of reactionaries. #§But we must at all times firmly adhere to, and never forget, these principles: unity, struggle, unity through struggle; to wage struggles with good reason, with advantage and with restraint; and to make use of contradictions, win over the many, oppose the few and crush our enemies one by one.
在广东、湖南、湖北、河南等省的我党力量比华北、江淮所处地位较为困难，中央对于这些地方的同志们深为关怀。
#§In Kwangtung, Hunan, Hupeh, Honan and some other provinces our Party forces are in a more difficult position than in northern China and the area between the Yangtse and the Huai Rivers. # §The comrades in those places are much in the thoughts of the Central Committee.
但是国民党空隙甚多，地区甚广，只要同志们对于军事政策（行动和作战）和团结人民的政策，不犯大错误，谦虚谨慎，不骄不躁，是完全有办法的。
#§ But the Kuomintang has many weak spots and its areas are vast; our comrades will be fully able to deal with the situation, provided they make no big mistakes in military policy (movements and operations) and in the policy of uniting with the people, and provided they are modest and prudent, not conceited or rash.
除中央给予必要的指示外，这些地方的同志必须独立地分析环境，解决问题，冲破困难，获得生存和发展。
#§ Besides receiving the necessary directives from the Central Committee, the comrades in these areas must use their own judgement to analyse the situation, solve their problems, surmount difficulties, maintain themselves and expand their forces.
待到国民党对于你们无可奈何的时候，可能在两党谈判中被迫承认你们的力量，而允许作有利于双方的处置。
# §When the Kuomintang becomes unable to do anything with you, it may be compelled in the negotiations between the two parties to give your forces recognition and agree to arrangements advantageous to both sides.
但是你们绝对不要依靠谈判，绝对不要希望国民党发善心，它是不会发善心的。
#§ But you must definitely not rely on the negotiations, must definitely not hope that the Kuomintang will be kind-hearted, because it will never be kind-hearted.