The Fourth Regiment Should Delay
the Enemy's Attack on Shuitou
(March 10, 1936, 3:00 P.M.)
To Li [Tianyou] and Deng [Hua]:¹
1. Yesterday (the 9th) the enemy's Sixty-sixth Division advanced to and
occupied a place 15 li from Damaijiao, and it is possible that the main forces of
Li Shengda's unit may attack in the direction of Guojiazhang today.
2. The main forces of our two army groups have the task today of wiping out
the enemy's left route.
3. The Fourth Regiment should continue to pin down the enemy troops that
have entered Guanshang, and delay the enemy's attempt to attack Shuitou. Dispositions are as follows:
a. With our back against Fengweicun, protect the wounded in this area. The
main forces are to control the major roads and strategic passes, and adopt a
mobile defense.
b. Send out small troop units to attack both of the enemy's flanks, and also
inform them as to the location for concentrating our forces.
Peng [Dehuai] Mao [Zedong]

--- Notes

Our source for this document is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 1, pp. 486-87, where it is
reproduced from a copy in the Central Archives.

1. Li Tianyou was then deputy commander of the First Front Army First Army
Group's Second Division. Deng Hua was head of the same unit's political section.