As a command officer, I had one good point — I was never satisfied with the victories already won. But I was overanxious to win more victories, so th… - Peng Dehuai

As World War I was then going on, the European and American imperialists had slowed down their aggression against China, and China’s industry was growing at a relatively high speed. This gave rise to such deceptive bourgeois patriotic ideas as “a prosperous nation with a mighty army” and “save the nation through industrial development”. They had an influence on me. But my chief motive in joining the army was to earn money to help provide for my poor family.

I was prepared to destroy myself, but I would never do anything to harm the people’s army led by the Party.

China could only resist foreign aggression and develop its industry by instituting democracy and unifying the country.