Peng [Dehuai] Mao [Zedong]
Destroy the Enemy Forces Moving Toward
Damaijiao One by One
(March 6, 1936, 2:00 A.M.)

To Lin [Biao] and Nie [Rongzhen], Xu [Haidong] and Cheng [Zihua]:

1. It seems that there are no enemy forces in the direction of Fenxi, Xixian,
and Yonghe that will attack Damaijiao, and that the main forces are still the two
units under Li Shengda¹ and Sun Chu² in the east and north. Their method is to
advance along separate routes, not to advance prematurely.
2. Our army will use the tactics of waiting for the opportunity to attack them
one by one, concentrating our main forces, fighting continuously, attacking first
toward the east and then toward the north, and hitting them from behind the
flank, then surrounding and annihilating them. Today both army groups need to
concentrate their forces and rest, and should not do any fighting.
3. The First Army Group's wounded should be moved quickly to the
Jieyuanli area.
4. It is hoped that Lin and Nie will send to Shuitou their opinions about doing
battle.

Peng [Dehuai] Mao [Zedong]

Our source for this telegram is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 1, pp. 481-82, where it is
reproduced from a copy in the Central Archives.
1. Li Shengda was at this time commander of both the Third Column and the
Seventy-second Division under the Guomindang army's Taiyuan Pacification Office.
2. In addition to the 101st Division, Sun Chu now commanded the Fourth Column
under the Guomindang army's Taiyuan Pacification Office.