Letter of Instruction from Zhu De and Mao
Zedong to Geng Kai' and Longjun2
(July 12, 1931, 6:00A.M. at jianfeng)
To Comrade Geng Kai and for transmission to Comrade Longjun:
1. The enemy forces from the direction of Jianning arrived yesterday (the
11th) at Paiqian (5 li from Xicun) and are building fortifications there. The
forces coming from Lichuan have arrived at Jiangjunmiao by way of Qiujiaai
and may possibly launch an attack in the direction of Jianning today (the 12th).
A letter from the Thirty-fifth Regiment explains that its forces have made clear
the situation of this particular enemy unit and are sabotaging its operations and
then slowly retreating.
2. We have received both letters from Shuinan, and we quite agree with your
dispositions. The enemy entered Qianshan and Shizui yesterday, and you should
strengthen your preparations so as to delay the enemy's advance.
3. The enemy is advancing along the whole front, maintaining the pattern of
all moving forward simultaneously, so their actions will not be to advance rapidly and boldly.
4. Comrade Longjun should be the one to investigate the grain supply in the
three locations of Shicheng, Guangchang, and Ningdu, to see if there is enough
food to supply the entire force"' for several weeks if gathered together. He should
also be the one to set up communication stations quickly along the Shicheng and
Gulonggang line. with the standard that a letter be able to reach its destination
within twenty-four hours.
We have translated this letter from Jiangxi dangshi ziliao, Vol. 19, pp. SG-51.
JULYJ93J m

--- Notes

1. Regarding Geng Kai, see the relevant note to "Minutes of the Ninth Meeting of the
General Front Committee," June 22, 1931.

2. No person with this name (probably a given name, with the surname omitted) has
been identified; the reference may be to a subordinate officer in the Twelfth Division.

3. As this passage indicates, Nationalist army forces had by this time begun trying to
carry out some elements of what would later take full form as the ”blockhouse strategy”
of slow, careful advance against the base areas.

4. The Chinese term here is dadui, which normally corresponds, in military terminology, to "battalion" or ”regiment." It was, however, commonly used in 1929-1930 in the
Red Army instead of lian to mean "company." In the present context it is not clear how
many troops are to be fed, so we have preferred the less specific term ”force."
IlB


5. We will do our utmost to arrive in Shicheng in time for rest, training. and
consolidation. and will attack the enemy when the opportunity presents itself.
Today we are still located here.
Zhu De
Mao Zedong