The Current Situation and
Our Strategic Orientation
(May 25, 1936)
To Zhu [De], Zhang [Guotao], and Liu [Bocheng], and to Xu [Xiangqian] and
Chen [Changhao], and to be transmitted to Comrades Ren [Bishi], He [Long],
Xiao [Ke], Guan [Xiangying], and Xia [Xi]:

The current situation and our strategic orientation:
1. The domestic and international political situations are moving forward like
a raging storm, and the Party's tactics of an anti-Japanese united front have
achieved initial success. The specific task on the current agenda is to establish a
Northwest national defense government and strive to wage war rapidly against
Japan, so as to move toward the establishment of a nationwide national defense
government and thoroughly defeat Japanese imperialism.
2. The situation in the Northwest is as follows: The Red Army has obtained
close cooperation with the Northeastern Army, and it also has some contact with
Yang Hucheng and Deng Baoshan.¹ Hu Zongnan is moving from Shanxi to
southern Shaanxi, Wang Jun is in Hanzhong, Mao Bingwen is in southern
Gansu. After receiving heavy blows from the Red Army, Yan Xishan can now
send only eight regiments to Shaanxi. Leading eighteen regiments (four divisions), Tang Enbo is getting ready to enter Shaanxi, but he is also wavering
heavily. Leading two divisions, Yu Xuezhong is between Lanzhou and Tianshui.
The main forces of the Northeastern Army are along the rivers Luoshui,
Huanshui, and Jingshui. The Shaanxi Army² is along the Hancheng and Yichuan
line. The main forces of Ma Hongbin are in Ningxia. Ma Lin is in Qinghai, and
one unit is to the west of Lanzhou. After crossing the river to the west, the Red
Army is moving to Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia to assist the Fourth Front Army and
the Second Front Army, vigorously expand the soviet areas, and gradually approach Outer Mongolia. Outer Mongolia and the Soviet Union have signed a
treaty of mutual military assistance. The International is hoping that the Red
Army will get closer to Outer Mongolia and Xinjiang.
3. The Fourth Front Army and the Second Front Army would do well to take
advantage of this extremely favorable opportunity and the favorable climate to
devise rapidly a major plan, to go either to Gansu or to Qinghai. After you, our
elder brothers, have decided on your major plan, the First Front Army will set
out toward Tianshui and Lanzhou at an opportune time to assist you further so as
to make it impossible for Chiang's troops to stop you. As far as the Northeastern
Army is concerned, a secret agreement with them not to engage in obstruction
has already been concluded.

4. We anxiously look forward to hearing soon about your situation, and about
your plan.

[Lin] Yuying
[Zhou] Enlai
Lin Biao
Luo Fu
Bo Gu
[Xu] Haidong
[Mao] Zedong
[Peng] Dehuai

--- Notes

Our source for this document is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 1, pp. 533-35, where it is
reproduced from a copy in the Central Archives.

1. Deng Baoshan was the commander of the newly established First Army of the
Northwest Bandit-Suppression Headquarters.

2. Refers to the Guomindang's Seventeenth Route Army, under Yang Hucheng.