On Guerrilla Warfare (Mao Zedong book)

On Guerrilla Warfare (simplified Chinese: 抗日游击战争的一般问题; traditional Chinese: 抗日游擊戰爭的一般問題; pinyin: Kàngrì yóu jí zhànzhēng de yībān wèntí) is Mao Zedong's case for the extensive use of an irregular form of warfare in which small groups of combatants use mobile military tactics in the forms of ambushes and raids to combat a larger and less mobile formal army. Mao wrote the book in 1937 to convince Chinese political and military leaders that guerrilla style-tactics were necessary for the Chinese to use in the Second Sino-Japanese War. Despite its international fame, the book was not included in the canonical Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung.

Overview

Chapter 1: What is Guerrilla Warfare?

Mao states that guerrilla warfare is "a powerful special weapon with which we resist the Japanese and without which we cannot defeat them." Mao explains how guerrilla warfare can only succeed if employed by revolutionaries because it is a political and military style. According to Mao, guerrilla warfare is a way for the Chinese to expel an intruder that has more arms, equipment, and troops.

Chapter 2: The Relation of Guerrilla Hostilities to Regular Operations

"A primary feature of guerrilla operations is their dependence upon the people themselves to organize battalions and other units." In Chapter 2, Mao explains the differences and the relationship between guerrilla and regular troops. Guerrilla warfare needs to be decentralized to allow quickness and detachment. However, orthodox troops can temporarily adopt guerrilla strategy and vice versa.

Chapter 3: Guerrilla Warfare in History

Mao refers to a bevy of wars from different continents to support his belief that guerrilla warfare is necessary to expel more powerful potential conquerors.