Order on the Western Expedition Campaign[1]

(May 18, 1936)

1. The two traitors Chiang and Yan[2] appear to have designs on moving forces of over four divisions from Wubao into Shaanxi in response to our army’s crossing to the west. The situations on the southern, northern, and western fronts remain unchanged.

2. For the purpose of vigorously expanding the anti-Japanese base areas in the Northwest and consolidating them, expanding the anti-Japanese Red Army, drawing closer to Outer Mongolia and the Soviet Union, and achieving a core rallying of all anti-Japanese forces, the Northwest Military Commission[3] resolves to use one part of the Red Army to pin down the forces of Chiang and Yan crossing to the west and the enemy in northern Shaanxi and north of the Wei River, and to organize the main force into the Western Field Army to operate in the vast region of Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia. In addition, a strong detachment shall advance into southern Shaanxi, link up with our Chen Xianrui’s unit[4], and operate in the three provinces of Shaanxi, Hubei, and Henan, so as to maneuver and draw the main force of Chiang Kai-shek to that sector, thereby facilitating our main force’s victory in the west.

[1] This is the order for the Western Expedition campaign issued by Mao Zedong and Vice Chairmen of the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission Zhou Enlai and Peng Dehuai at Daxiang Temple, Yanchuan County, Shaanxi, after the conclusion of the Eastern Expedition campaign. The campaign lasted from May 19, 1936, to late July. In over two months of fighting, in addition to annihilating large numbers of Kuomintang troops, over 2,000 rifles and men below the brigade commander level and over 500 warhorses were captured. Towns such as Huanxian, Yuwang, Tongxin, Dingbian, and Yanchi were occupied, a new area stretching over 200 kilometers in length and breadth was opened up, the development of the anti-Japanese national united front was promoted, and conditions were created for welcoming the northward advance of the Second and Fourth Front Armies of the Red Army and realizing the rendezvous of the three main forces of the Red Army.

[2] Chiang refers to Chiang Kai-shek. Yan refers to Yan Xishan, then serving as Vice Chairman of the Military Commission of the National Government and Director of the Taiyuan Pacification Office.

[3] The Northwest Military Commission, full name the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission of the Chinese Soviet Government. Established on November 3, 1935, with Mao Zedong as Chairman and Zhou Enlai and Peng Dehuai as Vice Chairmen.

[4] Chen Xianrui’s unit refers to the 74th Division of the Red Army, with Division Commander Chen Xianrui.

3. In accordance with the above objectives, the combat sequence of our army is hereby redefined as follows:

Chairman of the Northwest Military Commission

Commander

Western Field Army Concurrently Political Commissar

Peng Dehuai

First Army Corps

Acting Corps Commander Zuo Quan
Political Commissar Nie Rongzhen

Fifteenth Army Corps

Corps Commander Xu Haidong
Political Commissar Cheng Zihua

General Depot and Depot Hospital

Eighty-First Division

Southern Shaanxi Units

Twenty-Eighth Army

Commander Song Shilun
Political Commissar Song Renqiong

Northern Shaanxi Units

Chen Xianrui’s Army

Thirtieth Army

Commander Yan Hongyan
Political Commissar Cai Shufan

Thirty-First Army

Shenfu Detachment

Weibei Units

Twenty-Ninth Army

Commander Xiao Jinguang
Political Commissar Zhu Lizhi
Deputy Commander Xie Song

4. The first-step movement directives for each corps are as follows:

(1) With the objective of seizing and sovietizing Anbian[1], Dingbian, Huanxian, and Quzi[2], the Field Army shall set out from its present positions on May 19 and 20, advancing westward in two columns (march plan to be issued separately), and shall assemble on the line of Xinchaopu, Shaji, and Wuqizhen after a seven-day march, resting for two days. The First Army Corps shall complete reconnaissance of the Huanxian, Quzi, and Qingyang area; the Fifteenth Army Corps shall complete reconnaissance of Anbian and Dingbian. The Fifteenth Army Corps shall prepare to attack and occupy the two county towns of Anbian and Dingbian. Zuo and Nie, leading the First Army Corps, shall seize the opportunity to attack and occupy Quzi and Huanxian. The combat dispositions and rear service organs shall all be stipulated by Commander Peng.

(2) The Twenty-Eighth Army shall complete all preparations for advancing south by May 25 and await orders to move.

(3) With the objective of delaying the enemy in Shanxi from advancing west, the Thirtieth Army shall set out from its present position on May 18, take the shortest route, and reach the vicinity of Songjiachuan within five days’ march to conduct operations, seize opportunities to sabotage the enemy’s blockhouses and fortifications, and approach the riverbank to conduct guerrilla actions, so as to obstruct and harass the enemy’s river crossing.

(4) With the objective of entering the Shenfu area to operate and threatening the rear of the enemy Gao Shuangcheng, the Thirty-First Army shall complete all preparations within seven days (by May 24) and await orders to move north.

(5) The main force of the Twenty-Ninth Army (two regiments) shall remain under the command of Deputy Commander Xie Song to carry out its original mission in the Hancheng area. Its other regiment shall coordinate with the Bao’an Independent Regiment and one regiment of the Guanzhong Red Army (under the unified command of Commander Xiao) to begin operations in early June in the area between Wuqizhen and Huanxian, Quzi, and Qingyang, in coordination with the actions of our First Army Corps.

5. All corps directly commanded by the Northwest Military Commission must maintain regular radio contact with the Military Commission to ensure the timely receipt of supplementary directives from the Military Commission.

6. This order is to be issued down to the division and independent army level and shall not be further disseminated.

By Order of
Chairman Mao Zedong
Vice Chairmen Zhou Enlai, Peng Dehuai

May 18, at Daxiang Temple

[1] Refers to the Yanchang and Yanchuan area in Shaanxi, where the Western Field Army of the First Front Army of the Red Army was stationed before the Western Expedition.

[2] Songjiachuan, a town name, now the county seat of Wubao County, Shaanxi Province.

[3] Gao Shuangcheng, then serving as Commander of the 86th Division of the General Headquarters for "Bandit Suppression" in the Shanxi-Shaanxi-Suiyuan-Ningxia Border Area of the Kuomintang Army.