Survey of Road and Terrain Conditions Near Zhiluo Town[1]

(November 6, 1935)

Haidong:

(1) The 117th Division has already reached Fu County; Dong Yingbin[2] has not yet moved.

(2) Pay attention to the following three matters:

A. Eliminate the tuanfei[4] at Zhangcunyi[3] as quickly as possible.

B. Direct two companies of the guerrilla forces to garrison Zhiluo Town[5] and conduct guerrilla operations against Heishuisi[6].

C. Survey the roads, terrain, and household conditions in the areas north and south of Zhiluo Town, and whether the Hulu River can be forded on foot. Report by telegraph.

(3) We and the 25th Army will remain in place tomorrow without moving.

Peng Mao

6th, 20:00 hours

---

[1] On October 19, 1935, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China led the Shaanxi-Gansu Detachment of the Red Army to Wuqi Town in the Shaanxi-Gansu Soviet Area, successfully completing the Long March. On the 22nd, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee held an enlarged meeting at Wuqi Town, deciding that the future strategic task was to establish the Northwest Soviet Area and lead the nationwide Great Revolution. In early November, in the area near Ganquan, it joined forces with the 15th Army Corps of the Red Army, which was composed of the 25th Army of the Red Army and the Shaanxi-Gansu Red Army. On the 3rd, the Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic decided to establish the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission, with Mao Zedong as Chairman and Zhou Enlai and Peng Dehuai as Vice-Chairmen; simultaneously, the designation of the First Front Army of the Red Army was restored, with Peng Dehuai as Commander and Mao Zedong as Political Commissar. The original 1st and 2nd Columns of the Shaanxi-Gansu Detachment were amalgamated into the 1st Army Corps, and the 15th Army Corps was incorporated into the establishment of the First Front Army. This is a telegram from Mao Zedong and Peng Dehuai to Xu Haidong, Commander of the 15th Army Corps of the First Front Army of the Red Army.

[2] Dong Yingbin, then serving as Commander of the 7th Column (57th Army) of the 2nd Route, Northwest "Bandit Suppression" General Headquarters of the Kuomintang Army.

[3] Zhangcunyi, a village name, located in the western part of Fu County, Shaanxi Province.

[4] Tuanfei, a derogatory term used at the time for reactionary landlord militia forces.

[5] Zhiluo Town, located in the western part of Fu County, Shaanxi Province.

[6] Heishuisi, a village name, located in the western part of Fu County, Shaanxi Province.