Operational Policy and Deployment of the First Front Army of the Red Army[1]

(April 22, 1936)

The operational policy is fundamentally for the purpose of breaking through the blockade line eastward or northward and advancing into southeastern Shanxi or northwestern Shanxi, and specifically also for the purpose of crossing westward to strike Yang Hucheng when necessary (Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng are currently attacking northern Shaanxi). The First Army Corps of the Red Army shall hold Sangbi Town and the area west of it, ensuring that the two ferry crossings at Qingshuiguan and Tieluoguan and the necessary maneuvering area remain in our hands; the Twenty-eighth Army and the Thirtieth Army of the Red Army shall, west of Yiquan Town, draw in the enemy’s Fifth Column and delay it; the General Headquarters of the First Front Army of the Red Army shall lead the Fifteenth Army Corps to advance within three days to the line of Kecheng Town and Wucheng Town.

In combat, under whatever circumstances, we must choose highly favorable conditions and do our utmost to avoid battles in which we are not sure of victory. Should circumstances change to the point where we are temporarily not permitted to continue operations in Shanxi (when there is no possibility of breaking out of the blockade line), we are also prepared to return temporarily to Shaanxi and Gansu and operate in secondary strategic directions such as the Shenfu area[2], the Sanbian area[3], the Huanshui area, the Weishui area, and the southern Shaanxi area. After a certain period of time, that is, when circumstances change to the point where an eastward advance is favorable for our operations, we shall still be prepared to return to the main eastern direction.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram from Mao Zedong and Peng Dehuai, Commander of the First Front Army of the Red Army, to Lin Biao, Commander of the First Army Corps of the First Front Army, and Nie Rongzhen, Political Commissar of the First Army Corps, and to Xu Haidong, Commander of the Fifteenth Army Corps, and Cheng Zihua, Political Commissar of the Fifteenth Army Corps, with a copy to Vice Chairman Zhou Enlai and Zhang Yunyi, Deputy Chief of Staff of the First Front Army of the Red Army and concurrently Chief of Staff of the Rear Office of the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission.

[2] The Shenfu area refers to the area of Shenmu and Fugu.

[3] The Sanbian area refers to the area of Jingbian, Anbian, and Dingbian.