Order to the First Army Group of
the Red Army to Leave Yifeng and
Concentrate Its Forces in Wanzai
(August 10, 1930, at Yifeng)
1. After our troops carried out a demonstration at the Niuhang railway station
on the August 1 holiday, Nanchang was greatly shaken.1 The reactionary government was at a loss, and hurriedly ordered two regiments of Li Baobing's forces
to Nanchang (they were moved immediately on the Tianjin-Pukou railway line).
Moreover, it ordered Jiang Kunchuan2 to come to Nanchang to assist in the
defense, and also ordered Tan Daoyuan's division to Jiangxi. One unit of the
Thirteenth Division in Ji'an was also moved to Zhangshu on the 12th, and it
seems that it is going to come back to the provincial capital to reinforce the
defenses.
2. This army group has made a change, and decided to complete the concentration of its forces at the xian town of Wanzai before the 15th of this month.
3. The vanguard forces of this army group (led by Lin Ye, the chief of staff
of this army) should begin advancing from this town (Yifeng) toward Wanzai
after noon today (the 10th). The time of their arrival at Wanzai has been fixed for
the 12th. (Upon arrival, they must allocate camp sites for the whole army group.)
The rest of the troops (led by acting army commander Luo) should arrive at
Wanzai by way of short cuts and complete the concentration of their forces
before the 15th.
4. The Third Army will be responsible for the work on the front from this
town (Yifeng) to Wanzai. Its army headquarters should lead one company of
troops and accompany the General Headquarters in the occupation of the town of
Wanzai.
5. On receiving this order, the Fourth Army should move continually forward
Our source for this text is Jiangxi dangshi ziliao, Vol. 6, pp. 76--77. No earlier versions
are available to us.
I. Regarding the attempt, on August I, the International Day of Anti-Imperialist Dem-onstrations and the anniversary of the Nanchang Uprising, to seize the Niuhang railway
station rather than attacking Nanchang itself, see above, the order dated July 29, 1930.
2. The personal name "Kunchuan" which appears in the only available text may be a
misprint. The individual in question was probably a local or middle-ranking Guomindang
military commander. No information is available about him.
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AUGUST 1930
479
from Shanggao xian to the town of Wanzai, and it must concentrate its forces at
the town of Wanzai before the 15th.
6. The unit attached to the General Headquarters should follow the Revolutionary Military Commission in setting out from here tomorrow (the 11th), and is
scheduled to arrive at the town of Wanzai on the 12th.
7. We are now at the position occupied by the General Headquarters on
Shangkui Street at the east gate inside the town. When the advance begins, all
our movements will be coordinated with those of the General Headquarters.
Commander-in-chief
Zhu De
Political Commissar
Mao Zedong