Wipe Out the Enemy
in the Zhiluozhen Area

(November 20, 1935, 4:00 P.M.)

Lin and Nie¹

  1. Tomorrow (the 21st) the Front Army has the task of eliminating one or two
divisions of enemy troops in the Zhiluozhen area.
  2. The First Army Group is to set out at 4:00 A.M. tomorrow. Its main forces
are to advance to the area north of Yuanjiashan and Zhiluozhen, and launch the
attack from the north toward the south. One regiment is to advance to the area
near Laorenshan, pin down the enemy’s reserve forces, and stop and attack the
enemy forces when they retreat. The scout company is to launch a feint toward
Heishuisi.
  3. The Fifteenth Army Group is to launch a surprise attack from the area
north of Yaofutou, striking from south to north.

Peng [Dehuai]                                                              Mao [Zedong]

We have translated this telegram from Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 1, pp. 382–83.
1. This telegram is addressed to Lin Biao and Nie Rongzhen, commander and
political commissar, respectively, of the First Front Army’s First Army Group.