Order to Lure the Enemy Deep into the Red Area

and Annihilate Them When They Are Exhausted[1]

(November 1, 1930)

(1) In the Gao’an-Shanggao area there are two enemy divisions under Gong and Luo[2]; at Zhangshu there are two regiments of Zhang Huizan’s division[3]; at Fengcheng there is Deng Ying’s division[4]; at Wanshou Palace there is one enemy division (designation unknown); Peng Qibiao’s brigade[5] is near Nanchang; Xu Kexiang[6] is moving toward Hukou; Tan Daoyuan’s division[7] and Hu Zuyu’s brigade[8] are on the Nanchang-Jiujiang Railway[9]; the two divisions under Cai Tingkai and Jiang Guangnai have moved to southern Hubei; and the enemy division under Li Jue[10] from Hunan has entered Yuanzhou[11].

[1] Order issued at 1400 hours on November 1, 1930, by Mao Zedong and Zhu De at Yuanqian Village, Luofang, Xinyu County, Jiangxi Province, to the First Front Army of the Red Army. In late October 1930, after ascertaining that the Kuomintang army was preparing to launch a large-scale “encirclement and suppression” campaign, the General Front Committee of the First Front Army of the Red Army held repeated discussions with the Jiangxi Provincial Action Committee on the strategic policy for countering the campaign. On October 30, at a meeting of the General Front Committee held at Luofang, the strategic policy of “luring the enemy deep into the Red area” proposed by Mao Zedong was adopted.

[2] The two divisions under Gong and Luo refer to the Newly Organized 5th Division and the 77th Division of the 3rd Column of the 9th Route Army of the Kuomintang army, with Gong Bingfan and Luo Lin as their respective division commanders.

[3] Zhang Huizan refers to the 18th Division of the 1st Column of the 9th Route Army of the Kuomintang army, with Zhang Huizan as division commander.

[4] Deng Ying’s division refers to the Newly Organized 13th Division of the 1st Column of the Kuomintang army, with Deng Ying as division commander.

[5] Peng Qibiao’s brigade refers to the Independent 14th Brigade of the Kuomintang army, with Peng Qibiao as brigade commander.

[6] Xu Kexiang was then commander of the 24th Division of the 1st Column of the 9th Route Army of the Kuomintang army.

[7] Tan Daoyuan’s division refers to the 50th Division of the 2nd Column of the 9th Route Army of the Kuomintang army, with Tan Daoyuan as division commander.

[8] Hu Zuyu’s brigade refers to the 13th Brigade of the 5th Division of the Kuomintang army, with Hu Zuyu as deputy division commander and concurrently brigade commander.

[9] The Nanchang-Jiujiang Railway refers to the railway from Nanchang to Jiujiang (formerly known as Xunyang), now a section of the Xiangtang-Jiujiang line.

[10] Li Jue’s division refers to the 19th Division of the Kuomintang army, with Li Jue as division commander.

[11] Yuanzhou is an old prefectural name, referring to Yichun in Jiangxi Province.

(2) In accordance with its original mission, the Front Army plans to lure the enemy deep into the Red area, wait until they are exhausted, and then annihilate them. It is decided to move the main force to the east bank of the Gan River, seize Zhangshu and Fuzhou as opportunities arise, develop work in the counties of Xingan, Jishui, Yongfeng, Le’an, Yihuang, Chongren, Nanfeng, and Nancheng, procure provisions, and train the troops.

(3) The Third Army Corps is designated as the Central Route Army (under the command of Commander Peng and Political Commissar Teng[1]). It shall promptly and rapidly cross to the south bank of the Yuan River, concentrate its forces, and be prepared to cross the Gan River near Xingan on the 5th of this month, advance toward Zhangshu, seize Zhangshu as opportunity permits, and raise 200,000 yuan in the vicinity of the two main roads connecting Zhangshu with Fengcheng and Xingan, while mobilizing the masses. The subsequent assembly area shall be near Tengtian in Yongfeng.

(4) The Fourth Army and the Twelfth Army are designated as the Right Route Army. They shall concentrate their forces on the 3rd, inspect work on the 4th, move to the town of Xiajiang on the 5th, cross the river on the 6th (under the command of Lin Biao and Yang Yuebin[2]), advance via Chongren toward Fuzhou, and seize Fuzhou as opportunity permits. They shall carry out work in Nanfeng, Nancheng, Chongren, and Yihuang, raise 400,000 yuan, and mobilize the masses. The subsequent assembly area shall be near Zhaoxie Market in Le’an. Should the Central Route Army be threatened by superior enemy forces, it shall advance the time of concentration and move closer to the Central Route in order to engage the enemy.

(5) The Third Army (under the command of Huang Gonglüe and Cai Huiwen[3]) is designated as the Left Route Army. It shall undertake the task of harassing the enemy in the area on the west bank of the Gan River (including Anfu), maintain contact with the Twentieth Army and the Central Route Army, and pin down the enemy’s attack on Ji’an.

(6) The Twentieth Army shall operate in the Jishui, Yongfeng, and Xingan areas and must maintain regular contact with the General Headquarters.

(7) The period for work is set at one month. Each unit must complete its work in the designated county areas on schedule.

[1] Commander Peng refers to Peng Dehuai. Political Commissar Teng refers to Teng Daiyuan.

[2] Lin Biao was then commander of the Fourth Army of the First Army Corps of the First Front Army of the Red Army. Yang Yuebin was then director of the Political Department of the First Front Army of the Red Army and concurrently director of the Political Department of the First Army Corps.

[3] Huang Gonglüe and Cai Huiwen were then respectively commander and political commissar of the Third Army of the First Army Corps of the First Front Army of the Red Army.

(8) The rear liaison line is via Xiajiang to Ji’an. The rear office stationed in Ji’an remains as before.

(9) The General Headquarters plans to cross the river at the town of Xiajiang on the 3rd and position itself on the main road opposite Xiajiang County town leading to Xingan, and thereafter move with the Central Route Army (Third Army Corps).

Order to the above.

Appended notes:

1. During the work period, fund-raising shall be the primary task; simultaneously, the masses shall be extensively mobilized and the troops’ own training intensified.

2. After dispersal, if passwords and signals are lost, each unit may establish its own, notify neighboring and friendly units, and report to the General Headquarters.

3. During the work period, all units shall use every possible means to send reports to the General Headquarters.

In October 1930, the General Front Committee of the First Front Army of the Red Army, with Mao Zedong as secretary, and the Jiangxi Provincial Action Committee of the Communist Party of China held a joint conference at Luofang, Jiangxi, and determined the strategic policy of “luring the enemy deep into the Red area, waiting until they are exhausted, and then annihilating them.” The picture shows the combat order of the First Front Army of the Red Army issued by Mao Zedong and Zhu De.

[1] Sic.