Order to Take Futian and Xin 'an'
(July 31, 1931)
I. According to the report of the Twelfth Army, the enemy troops that invaded Baishi from Donggu have already entered Chongxian today. Furthermore,
according to the report of the Chunhua District Committee, there are in all three
regiments of enemy troops in Futian, Beitou, and Xin'an. Whether the forces of
Jiang and Cai2 in Donggu will all move toward Chongxian and Longgang, and
the enemy's movements at present, are still not clear.
2. In the context of the attempt by this Front Army to circle around behind
the enemy and hit at his rear lines, so as to shock and frighten the enemy and
then destroy his main force, we have decided to take Futian and Xin'an first.
3. On July 31 (today) every unit of the First Army Group should move to the
following places under cover of night: the Fourth Army to Shipoxu, the Twelfth
Army to the area around Xiaoyaoling, General Headquarters to Tianduan, and
the Third Army to Laoyingpuan. The Thirty-fifth Army in Xingguo City, the
Third Army Group, and the Seventh Army should go somewhere between
Chayuan and Shacun (after marching about 30 li) and select a place to rest.
4. On the night of August I, the Fourth Army should move to Gupingyu
(between Daijiafang and Shibeiyu, located in a Red area); the Twelfth Army and
General Headquarters should advance to Shibeiyu; the Third Army should advance to a place somewhere between Xiaoyaoling and Shibeiyu; and the Third
Army Group and the Seventh Army should move to the region of Wanxi,
Guanxi, Tongshan, Dongyuan, Gaolong, and Matian.
5. On the night of August 2, every unit of the First and Third Army Groups
should set out from its location. The First Army Group will be responsible for
attacking Futian; the Third Army Group and the Seventh Army will be responsible for attacking Xin'anyu. Both should begin their assault at 2:00 at night (i.e.,
on the morning of August 3).
Our source for this order is Mao Zedongjunshi wenji, Vol. I, pp. 240-41, where it is
I. These and the other places mentioned in this document arc mostly located in the
border area where Xingguo, Ji'an, and Taihexian meet.
2. The reference is to Jiang Guangnai, the commander of the Guomindang First Army
Group, who was in this time in Shanghai recuperating from illness, and Cai Tingkai, the
commander of the Sixtieth Division, who was acting commander of the First Army
""'·~

6. The daily marching time of every army should be from 6:30 P.M.to 5:00
A.M. From 5:10A.M. to 6:00P.M. is the time for rest and sleeping,l No one is
a] lowed to violate this rule.
7. During the attack on Futian and Xin'an, General Headquarters will be
located in front of the Third Army.
Commander-in-Chief
Zhu De
Political Commissar
Mao Zedong

reproduced from Junshi wen.rian, issued in 1942.