(13th June 1949)
Top Secret
To Comrade Molotov, V.M.
I submit to you the letter written by Jiang Ching – wife of Mao Zedong, addressed to Mao Zedong.
The letter should be delivered to the recipient through the employee of the Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff who is leaving for China in the near future
Deputy Chairman
On the envelope
“Please convey personally to Chairman Mao from Jiang Ching”
My Dear,
Today again I am going to the hospital, where I will have my tonsils out. Maybe I will get out of the hospital only in ten days. It is not decided yet where I will be treated afterwards. These days I often think about you. How is your health? You must be very busy. I know that Wuhan, Shanghai, Qingdao, Ningbo have been liberated. I do not know more and really miss (you -Tr.). When will you open a GLM? I would have liked to have come home by this time very much and to the best of my strength to help you.
I have not found that stimulant that you asked about as Dr. Melnikov was busy. I found a chocolate stimulant for you in the Kremlin hospital. Dr. Melnikov said that this chocolate is better than those white tablets, since it has no side-effects. I am sending it to you. The dose is two or three pieces and you can have a sleep for three hours. It can be taken two or three times per day. You cannot use it in large pieces or very often. After Li Na has got her tonsils out, she feels well, remembers you and your friends all the time, sometimes cries for you, behaves naughtily. About the survey results of my health I wrote in a letter that was sent to you with Qian Tszyunzhuy. My health is OK. I take a walk, swing in a hammock every day. On my way home I will bring one to you.
Now about something else. Our international propaganda is set not quite right. It is true, just have a look yourself: our position in relation to Tito. The Soviet Communist Party largely did not understand our position, and the article of Liu Shaoqi arrived most recently after which the situation became clearer. It is said that instructions have been given to publish the article in the printed media of the Cominform. On the other hand one cannot underestimate the significance of the Anglo-American imperialists’ propaganda. As for Yugoslavia, an article appeared there in which the Yugoslavs drag out things which are most profitable for them. The most important thing is that Tito declares that the CPC is the follower of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia on the question of “communism”. Is that not ridiculous? However, this reactionary propaganda has some temporary effectiveness at least. Our propaganda must beat these fabrications in the strongest terms. They say that Qian Tszyunzhuy made a special speech on this issue at the Congress of the Czechoslovak Communist Party, and his speech will also be published in the organ of the Cominform.
I am alright here. I only think about you all the time – and about our matters in China. How is our fish in the pond? The plums probably have got ripened already, have they not? I think it would be best if I could come back home when the peaches get ripened.
Here I am completing the letter. I will take a walk, then I will take a rest and after lunch I will go to the hospital.
I hope to receive a letter from you.
Hugging you.11 June, 5 am.
RGASPI F. 82, Op. 2. D. 1240. LL. 97-9.
Translated from the Russian by Dr. Elena Lavrina.