The Progress of the Battle Since Crossing
the River and Military Deployments
West of the Yellow River
(March 1, 1936, 8:00 P.M.)
To Vice-Chairman Zhou [Enlai], Liu [Zhidan], and Song [Renqiong], and to be
transmitted to Bo [Gu], [Luo] Mai, Lin [Biao], and Nie [Rongzhen], and Xu
[Haidong] and Cheng [Zihua]:
1. The Shaanxi Army's five infantry brigades in Wu[bao], Jia[xian],
Shen[mu], and Fu[gu] have been transferred completely to the east. Fang's brigade,¹ which is doing final garrison duty in Wubao and Songjiachuan, will also
withdraw to Jundu today and tomorrow (there may be only landlord militia in
Wubao). There is still another cavalry brigade in Shenmu, and it is estimated that
it may also be transferred to the east.


2. Our army wiped out and shattered five enemy regiments of Yan's forces
on the east bank and occupied the large area encompassed by the six xian of
Shilou, Zhongyang, Xiaoyi, Fenxi, Xixian, and Yonghe, took hold of the strategically pivotal battleground area where the four xian of Shi[lou], Zhong[yang],
Xiao[yi], and Xian[xian] come together, consolidated the fighting positions, won
the initial freedom to set up base areas, raised the fighting capacity of the Red
Army, completed the [necessary] strategic reconnaissance, and began mobilizing
the broad masses. At present we are striving to win a second victory.


3. It is requested that the Vice-Chairman directly command the 28th Army
and the local forces in Wu[bao], Jia[xian], Sui[de], and Mi[zhi] to launch large-scale attacks on the enemy's fortifications and expand our victories. More troops
from west of the Wuding River must be moved to the east bank to connect up
with the Red Army in Shen[mu] and Fu[gu] and try to take one or two towns.


4. As regards the work along the river, for the time being we will direct both
Yang Lisan² (in Hekou) and Cai Shufan³ (in Yidiezhen), and the Vice-Chairman
is requested to concentrate on dealing with the enemy in the north.
Peng [Dehuai] Mao [Zedong]
We have translated this text from Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 1, pp. 475-76, where it
is reproduced from a copy in the Central Archives.

--- Notes

1. Refers to the 206th Brigade of the 71st Division, Fourth Column, commanded by
Fang Keyou, under the Guomindang army's Taiyuan Pacification Office.

2. Yang Lisan was then head of the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission's
department of military depots.

3. Cai Shufan was then political commissar for the Red Army's guerrilla troops along
the river.