Instruction to Strive to Develop Anti-Japanese
Base Areas in Shanxi
(February 24, 1936, at Zhangjiapan)
To commanders of all army groups, divisions, and regiments:
1. Our front army has already successfully crossed the Yellow River, shattered Yan Xishan's blockade line, occupied an area of several hundred li on the
east bank of the Yellow River, and fulfilled the first task of the strategy for the
Eastern Expedition.
2. In a situation of strategic defense, Traitor Yan Xishan is now preparing an
offensive campaign. He is attempting to concentrate his forces to attack our
troops, relieve the town of Shilou, and drive our forces to the sixty-li line of
blockade on the west bank of the Yellow River.
3. Because Yan Xishan is responding in haste to the attack, he must transfer troops from northern Shaanxi and other remote places. Because he is not
clear about our intentions, ten days or so will still be needed between transferring his forces, advancing, deploying his army, and launching the attack.
Moreover, his force will be no larger than three divisions. His dispositions
seem to be to have one contingent go toward Shilou from Lishi by way of
Zhongyang, and another go toward Shilou by way of Xiaoyi and
Shuitouzhen. These two groups will constitute the main offensive force. Another contingent is to advance from Liuyuzhen in the vicinity of Liulin toward Shilou, and one from Xixian to Shilou; these two groups are to
constitute the auxiliary force.
4. The front army has the task of resolutely smashing the enemy's reinforcements. The basic orientation is to surround Shilou along the line from Liulin to
Lishi, Zhongyang, Xiaoyi, Xixian, and Yonghe, and seek to attack the reinforcements; rapidly to win over the masses of the inhabitants to unity with the
Red Army; concentrate our forces to wipe out one or two contingents of the
enemy; secure advantageous conditions for the development of anti-Japanese
base areas in Shanxi; and accomplish the second task of the plan for the Eastern
Expedition.
5. During a very short period of time at present (estimated to be about ten
days) we are situated between two fighting tasks. That is to say, the battle to
cross the river is already over, but the time for the offensive has not yet come.
The task during this interim period is to concentrate all our strength to prepare
for battle. The concrete tasks are as follows:
a. To make the Red Army unite with the masses of residents.
b. To make Red Army cadres combine understanding of and familiarization
with the enemy situation, the topography, the political experience, the
social conditions, and so on in Shanxi.
c. To increase fighting capacity by means of political and military work.
6. Deployments:
a. The First Army Group is to be stationed in the area of Liuyuzhen, Anjiarong, Nuanquanzhen, Pingdi, and Tumen. The scope of its task of turning this region Red includes the area within the line of Liulinzhen,
Jinluoyu, Zhongyangcheng, Nuanquanzhen, Pingdi, Xiaosuanzhen, and
Sanjiaozhen.
b. The Fifteenth Army Group is to take Shilou as its center, using a small unit
to surround the city and positioning its main forces within the arc of
Pingdi, Shuitouzhen, Xixiancheng, Yonghecheng, and Zhangjiapan.
c. The anti-Japanese guerrillas are to take Yidiezhen as their center. Their
working range is to include the area of Zhangjiata on the opposite shore
from Zhuanjiaozhen and Hejiapan.
d. Front army headquarters is to be located in Zhangjiapan, between Yidie
and Shilou.
e. The troops of the various army groups should not be too dispersed. The
work of turning Red should focus on major communication lines and important strongholds.
f. The working period is temporarily set at seven days (from the 25th to
March 3rd).
Addendum: This order is to be distributed only down to the regimental level.
Peng [Dehuai] Mao [Zedong]

--- Notes

Our source for this document is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 1, pp. 453-55, where it is
reproduced from a copy in the Central Archives.