Regarding Transmitting News of Our Eastern Expedition Army’s Victory to the Northeast Army and Issues of Cooperating with Them to Resist Japan: A Telegram to Li Kenong
(March 3, 1936)

Li Kenong:

A. Since annihilating five regiments of the enemy Yan, our Eastern Expedition Army has launched large-scale attacks over successive days. It has occupied the vast areas of Zhongyang, Lishi, Fenyang, Xiaoyi, Lingshi, Fenxi, Xi County, and Yonghe, with the vanguard pressing directly upon the city walls of Fenyang. The traitor Yan has been caught utterly unprepared, and the traitor troops that had invaded northern Shaanxi have all been routed and retreated, burning their boats at the Jiangjun Ferry. Our Left Route Army has occupied Wubao and is advancing rapidly on the momentum of victory toward Jia County, Shenmu, and Fugu. Please convey this news of victory to Deputy Commander Zhang and Army Commander Wang.

B. We are about to invite Brother Gao Fuyuan to the front to discuss methods of conducting activities among the patriotic troops in the Hebei area. Army Commander Wang’s willingness to conduct activities directed at Song Zheyuan and Han Fuju is highly expedient. The national crisis intensifies daily. Sun Ke, Feng Yuxiang, Chen Guofu, Yu Youren, Hu Hanmin, and others have all expressed their stance of allying with Russia and the Communists to jointly resist Japan. There are also verbal rumors that Chiang Kai-shek will not fight the Red Army and will release political prisoners. However, right-wing elements of the Chiang faction, such as Zeng Kuoqing, and members of the Political Study Clique, such as Huang Fu and Wang Kemin, advocate surrendering to Japan and sabotaging the alliance with Russia and the Communists. The Kuomintang is currently undergoing internal differentiation. We earnestly hope that Deputy Commander Zhang and Army Commander Wang will lead the Northeast Army to unite completely and cooperate with us to the very end, and establish a firm policy of allying with Russia. In the present world, only the Soviet Union is a genuine opponent of the aggressors and a power with genuine strength. Britain has already adopted a policy of allying with Russia; China should all the more swiftly decide on this grand policy.

C. Please inquire of Army Commander Wang whether he possesses any 1:100,000-scale or other military maps of the four provinces of Hebei, Rehe, Chahar, and Suiyuan. If so, request that he present two or three copies as preparation for operations against the Japanese imperialists in the Hebei area.

D. Kenong should remain in Luochuan for one more week.

Peng, Mao
3rd, 11:00