Order to the First Front Army of the
Red Army Regarding Extermination
of the Attacking Enemy
(August 30, 1930, afternoon, at Baitianpu)
1. The enemy did indeed seek to launch a sudden attack on our flank (see
report of the staff office for details).
2. The plan is for the Front Army first to lure out and destroy the attacking
enemy, and then to take advantage of the victory to launch an attack on
Changsha.
3. The Third Army Group should move all its forces to the Huangchong,
Xitangchong, and Longshantang line by tonight and hide there. They should also
dispatch capable spies to places such as Tianxinqiao and Xujiaqiao, wait until
the enemy in Banshigang on the western bank of the Xiang River (the Seventh
Independent Brigade) is halfway across the river, and then attack and eliminate
them. After accomplishing this they should swiftly advance toward Changsha
along the railway and motor roads to attack. If by then the battle by the First
Army Group is not yet over, they should exert all their strength to help.
4. The Twelfth Army remains at its present location near Dongjingpu, and it
should send out guerrilla troops at 2:00 A.M. to launch a feigned attack on the
enemy stronghold in Lannichong. Its battle zone tomorrow morning is the line
extending from the main road near Huangnitang to Shipailing. It is to join with
the right wing of the Fourth Army, and cooperate with the Fourth Army in
attacking the enemy forces which we have lured out from Houzishi (the Thirtyfirst Division). Its main attack route is from Laodian to Shirenchong to block off
the enemy's line of retreat, and it must make sure to destroy the said enemy.
After this is accomplished, it should pursue the routed enemy along the motor
road and take the enemy strongholds in Houzishi. After these have been taken,
its main force should move to the right to sweep across the defensive forces in
the enemy's strongholds in such places as Huangtuling, Yuhuating, and Wumeiling, and then attack and advance toward Liuyangmen. The rest of the main
forces shall go along the motor road straight toward the city walls of Changsha.
5. The Fourth Army remains at its present location, and it should send out
troops to investigate and occupy the battlefield to the north of West Station at

We have translated this order from Jiangxi dangshi ziliao, Vol. 6, pp. 105-106.
Longjiawan. It should separately send a guerrilla detachment to arrive in the
vicinity of the enemy's stronghold in Houzishi by 2:00 A.M. tonight, and mount
a fierce feigned attack on it so as to lure the enemy out to launch an offensive
from Houzishi. When the enemy's main forces have penetrated deep into the
vicinity of Shipailing they should link up with the Twelfth Army's left wing and
together with the Twelfth Army launch a sudden and fierce attack on the enemy
forces near Shipailing and destroy them. After this is accomplished they should
advance along the motor road, and take the enemy stronghold in Houzishi. When
this has been occupied the main forces should also shift toward the right and
attack and advance in the direction of Huangtuling, Wumeiling, and Liuyangmen.
6. The Third Army should immediately dispatch a force of one column to the
vicinity of Dongjingpu to replace the Twelfth Army in the task of pinning down
[the enemy] to the right of Shimapu and Shiba. In addition it should promptly
dispatch troops at 2:00 A.M. tonight along that line (Shimapu and Shiba) to
launch a fierce feigned attack on the enemy stronghold there. It should also
establish firm liaison with the Seventh Regiment of our Liuyang Red Guard
Forces in Dongshan and Dongsigang, and when the Twelfth Army in the front
and the Fourth Army on the left wing have broken through the enemy's strongholds in Houzishi and Huangtuling, this column will attack and advance in the
direction of Shimapu, Shiba, Huqian, and Jingwumen. The rest will be the general reserve forces, and will take up a position where they now are (Baitianpu),
stop, and await further orders.
7. The general clinic for wounded soldiers is in the Tongrenqin and
Banzhutang area (each army must send someone to take responsibility).
8. We are at the position of the general reserve forces at Baitianpu.
Attention:
a. The guerrilla forces dispatched by each army of the First Army Group
(Third, Fourth, Twelfth) at 2:00 A.M. tonight should be at least one company, must arrive promptly at the enemy's stronghold, and must fire as
many shots as possible.
b. Tomorrow morning all units must finish breakfast and complete all preparations before 4:00 A.M.
c. Our Liuyang Red Guard forces have already built two raft bridges in
Dongsigang and Dongshan so as to establish liaison with the Sixteenth
Army.

Commander-in-chief
Political Commissar
Zhu De
Mao Zedong