On Selecting the Enemy’s Weak Points in the Eyuwan Area and Annihilating a Part of Their Forces[1]

(September 30, 1932)

To the Central Bureau, for urgent relay to Eyuwan and further relay to the Central Committee:

1. According to reconnaissance over the past few days, the enemy’s 14th Army has advanced to Yuanjia’ao and Changshanchong and has already penetrated between Yanzihe and Xijieling. The 2nd Division of the 1st Army has reached Gujiahe in Luotian, pressing close to Xijieling. Zhang Yinxiang’s[2] unit has arrived at Minjiahe, but the 31st Division is at Songbu. Hao Mengling[3] has reached Xiaojiacao and is closing in on it. Wang Jun[4] has arrived at Huoshan, with his vanguard at Mapu. Liang Guanying[5] is also at Huoshan. Shangguan Yunxiang is at Yingshan. The 13th Division is at Hekou in Huang’an.[6] Chen Yaohan[7] is at Hutou’ao. Dai Minquan[8] is at

[1] This is a telegram sent by Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, and Wang Jiaxiang, Director of the General Political Department of the First Front Army of the Red Army, to the Central Bureau of the Soviet Area for relay to the Eyuwan Sub-Bureau of the Central Committee and further relay to the Provisional Central Committee. On September 24, 1932, Zhang Guotao and others sent a telegram to the Central Bureau of the Soviet Area, requesting regular updates on the enemy situation and information on how the Red Army in other Soviet areas was coordinating its actions with them.

[2] Zhang Yinxiang was then Commander of the 4th Column of the Central Route Army and Commander of the 30th Division of the Kuomintang’s “Bandit Suppression” Forces in the Three Provinces of Henan, Hubei, and Anhui.

[3] Hao Mengling was then Commander of the 54th Division of the Kuomintang Army.

[4] Wang Jun was then Deputy Commander of the Right Route Army, concurrently Commander of the 2nd Column, and Commander of the 7th Division of the Kuomintang’s “Bandit Suppression” Forces in the Three Provinces of Henan, Hubei, and Anhui.

[5] Liang Guanying was then Commander of the 3rd Column of the Right Route Army and Commander of the 32nd Division of the Kuomintang’s “Bandit Suppression” Forces in the Three Provinces of Henan, Hubei, and Anhui.

[6] Huang’an, the name of an old county, is present-day Hong’an in Hubei Province.

[7] Chen Yaohan was then Commander of the 58th Division of the Kuomintang Army.

[8] Dai Minquan was then Commander of the 45th Division of the Kuomintang Army.

Zhanglaobu. The 4th Division is at Jinjiazhai. The 89th Division is at Xinji. Zhang Fang[1] is at Shangcheng.

2. The 1st Division remains in Wuhan. The 48th Division is at Baotawan in western Hubei. We have not yet detected any enemy forces moving toward Huangmei, Guangji, or Qianshan.[2]

3. Based on this, it appears the enemy is using the 14th Army and the 1st Army as two advancing columns, the 30th Army, the 3rd Army, and the 20th Route Army as blocking forces, and the 4th Division and the 89th Division as operational forces. They have also organized Shangguan Yunxiang as the 5th Column, creating a situation that threatens to force our Fourth Front Army into a decisive battle along the Yangtze River.

4. We believe that to engage the enemy in a decisive battle, we must have the certainty of annihilating or routing one part of the enemy’s forces, so as to reverse the current unfavorable situation and preserve the strength to continue operations. We must take into account that the speed of replenishment for the Red Army, under the current conditions in the Soviet area, still cannot match the enemy’s rapid pursuit of battle. If we merely defeat the enemy without annihilating them, without capturing rifles, ammunition, and prisoners, and without being able to continue operations, it will be difficult to alter the existing situation. Assistance from other Soviet areas would also find it hard to annihilate the enemy and would not easily divert the enemy forces attacking Eyuwan. The Central Soviet Area is currently in a situation where the enemy is firmly holding strongholds and actively preparing for a large-scale offensive, concentrating forces of three divisions or more to provide reinforcements when attacked, making it quite difficult to create conditions for annihilating them in mobile warfare.

5. Therefore, at present, Eyuwan must select the enemy’s weak points and first annihilate a part of their forces. If there is no such certainty and the Soviet area can still sustain activity, they should not seek battle hastily but instead exhaust the enemy forces more, waiting until conditions for a decisive battle with greater certainty are created.

6. This is our opinion. We hope you will consider it and reply by telegram.

Zhou, Mao, Zhu, Wang
30th

[1] Zhang Fang was then Commander of the 1st Column of the Central Route Army and Commander of the 76th Division of the Kuomintang’s “Bandit Suppression” Forces in the Three Provinces of Henan, Hubei, and Anhui.

[2] Huangmei, Guangji, and Qianshan refer to Huangmei and Guangji in Hubei Province and Qianshan in Anhui Province.