Plan to Destroy the Pursuing Enemy
in the Area East of Tiebiancheng

(October 17, 1935, 9:00 P.M.)

Peng [Dehuai]:

1. The First Column is to set out today from Muguacheng, proceed to the
area forty li from Tiebiancheng called Niuquan Geda, and camp there.
2. Mao Bingwen1 has ordered Tao Zhiyue2 to advance to the Huan xian–
Hongde City line, reorganize his forces, and await further orders. His cavalry
regiment has ordered its rear elements to follow closely for surveillance purposes. At 2:00 P.M. today, our rear guard met the enemy on the high hill on the
eastern end of Muguacheng, and it appeared that they were the cavalry regiment.
3. If this enemy continues to pursue us, the plan is to counterattack on the day
after tomorrow and wipe him out in the area to the east of Tiebiancheng.
4. To prepare for day after tomorrow’s combat, the plan is for the First
Column to advance tomorrow (the 18th) to the Zhangjiawan and Yangjia
Miaotai line, east of Tiebiancheng, and camp there. Its rear guard will then be in
Tiebiancheng. The day after tomorrow, the rearguard troops are to induce the
enemy to pursue them, while the main forces will launch a surprise attack from
the sides.
5. The Second and Third Columns must make camp tomorrow rather close to
the First Column (along the Shijiahe and Yenjia Yaojian line), so that they will
be in a good position to cooperate in annihilating the enemy troops the day after
tomorrow.

Mao

Our source for this document is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, vol. 1, 1996, pp. 376–77.
1. Mao Bingwen (1891–1970), a native of Hunan, had participated in the first,
second, third, and fifth campaigns of “Encirclement and Suppression.” At this time he
was commander of the Third Column (Thirty-seventh Army) of the First Route under the
Guomindang army’s Northwest “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters.
2. Tao Zhiyue (1892–1988) was a native of Hunan. At this time he commanded the
Eighth Division of Mao Bingwen’s Third Column.