A Soviet Government Should Be Established in the Three Provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu[1]

(June 16, 1935)

Comrades Zhang, Xu, and Chen[2]:

Your successive telegrams have been received.

A. In order to place the development of the Soviet movement on a more consolidated and stronger foundation, the general policy for our First and Fourth Front Armies henceforth shall be to occupy the three provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu, establish a Soviet government in these three provinces, and, at an appropriate time, dispatch a portion of our forces as an expeditionary army to occupy Xinjiang.

B. As for the present plan, the entire force under your command and the main force of our Field Army[3] should both operate east of the Min River, resolutely smashing the impending new large-scale offensive of the enemy, developing toward the area between the Min and Jia rivers. When development is restricted, parts of Shaanxi and Gansu shall serve as strategic maneuver areas. Therefore, resolutely hold Maoxian, Beichuan, and Weizhou[4] in our hands and smash Hu Zongnan’s[5] southward advance—this is the pivot of the entire plan.

C. The area centered on Maogong[6] stretches over a thousand li in length and breadth, consisting entirely of deep mountains and barren valleys, with a sparse population and great difficulty in provisioning. The situation on both banks of the Dadu River, extending to the vicinity of Mount Emei, is roughly the same. As for Xikang[7], conditions are even worse. Should the enemy blockade the upper reaches of the Min River (the enemy is currently carrying out this plan), our northward maneuverability will become extremely difficult. Therefore, the Qionglai mountain range region can only be used for small-unit operations; it does not appear to be a sound long-term strategy for the main force to emerge there.

D. Our Field Army completely passed the line of Tianquan and Lushan on the 12th. By the 18th, the main force and central organs can concentrate along the line of Maogong and Lianghekou[8]. Due to an extreme shortage of grain, we cannot rest. Around the end of the month, the entire army can concentrate in the Lifan[9] area and prepare to cross the Min River.

E. The above is our opinion. We await your reply with anticipation.

Zhu De, Mao Zedong
Zhou Enlai, Zhang Wentian
16th, 2:00

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[1] In mid-June 1935, the Central Red Army crossed the Jiajin Mountains and joined forces with the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army at Maogong, Sichuan. This is a telegram sent by Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, and Zhang Wentian to the leaders of the Fourth Front Army en route to Maogong.

[2] Zhang refers to Zhang Guotao, then member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic, and Chairman of the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission. Xu refers to Xu Xiangqian, then Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army. Chen refers to Chen Changhao, then General Political Commissar and Director of the Political Department of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army.

[3] Refers to the Central Red Army.

[4] Weizhou, a town name, now the county seat of Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province.

[5] Hu Zongnan, then Commander of the 2nd Column of the 3rd Route Army of the Kuomintang "Bandit Suppression" forces and concurrently Commander of the 1st Division.

[6] Maogong, an old county name, now Xiaojin County, Sichuan Province.

[7] Xikang, an old province name, encompassing the western part of present-day Sichuan Province and the eastern part of the Tibet Autonomous Region, abolished in 1955.

[8] Lianghekou, a village name, located in the northern part of present-day Xiaojin County, Sichuan Province.

[9] Lifan, an old county name, now Li County, Sichuan Province.


In June 1935, the Central Army continued its northward march, crossing the snow-covered Jiajin Mountains and successfully joining forces with the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army. The image shows the great snow-capped mountains crossed by the Red Army.