Pay Attention to the Promotion of Cadres
Before Crossing to the East
(February 13, 1936)
Comrades Lin [Biao] and Nie [Rongzhen]:
The problem of cadres is one of decisive importance. We have raised this question with you several times. It is not only from the standpoint of developing the
First Army Group, but from the standpoint of developing the revolutionary
armed forces in the north and in the whole country that we ask you to pay greater
and more specific attention to this, both in principle and in practice. Once the
troops have crossed the river to the east it would be difficult to carry out such
organizational work. For this reason, please make use of these next few days to
solve in earnest the following problems:
1. Look into who has been demoted and have them promoted (in the battle
for Ganquan,¹ two battalion commanders serving as company commanders were
killed).
2. Promote veteran soldiers and set up a training battalion (it should have
three to four companies).
3. In addition, the latest group of graduates from the Red Army School²
should in principle be kept on and continue their training.
Peng [Dehuai]
Mao [Zedong]
Peng [Dehuai]
Mao [Zedong]

Our source for this text is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 1, pp. 436-37, where it is
reproduced from a copy in the Central Archives.

--- Notes

1. In late September of 1935 the Red Army made several unsuccessful attempts to
take the xian town of Ganquan in northern Shaanxi.

2. On the Red Army School, which had just been renamed the Red Army University,
see above the relevant note to part III of the resolution of December 23, 1935.