Extensively Publicize the Victory of the Second and Fourth Front Armies’ Northward Advance[1]

(August 11, 1936)

Peng, Lin, Ye, Zuo and Nie, Xu and Cheng, Song and Song, Li, Yan and Cai, Xie and Liu, Dai, Guo, Zhong[2]:

The vanguard of our Second and Fourth Front Armies has already reached the vicinity of Hadapu[3] and Xigu[4], and the Xi-Min Highway[5] has been cut off by us. Mao Bingwen, Wang Jun, and Lu Dachang[6] are thrown into extreme panic. The convergence of our three front armies is now

[1] This is a telegram from Mao Zedong to Peng Dehuai, Commander of the First Front Army of the Red Army and Commander and Political Commissar of the Western Field Army, and others.

[2] Lin refers to Lin Biao, then President of the Chinese People’s Anti-Japanese Red Army University. Ye refers to Ye Jianying, then Chief of Staff of the First Front Army of the Red Army. Zuo and Nie refer to Zuo Quan and Nie Rongzhen, then Acting Corps Commander and Political Commissar of the First Corps of the First Front Army of the Red Army, respectively. Xu and Cheng refer to Xu Haidong and Cheng Zihua, then Corps Commander and Political Commissar of the Fifteenth Corps of the First Front Army of the Red Army, respectively. Song and Song refer to Song Shilun and Song Renqiong, then Commander and Political Commissar of the Twenty-Eighth Army of the Red Army, respectively. Li refers to Li Fuke (Li Fukai), then Chief of Staff of the First Combat Zone. Yan and Cai refer to Yan Hongyan and Cai Shufan, then Commander and Political Commissar of the Thirtieth Army of the Red Army and concurrently Commander and Political Commissar of the Second Combat Zone, respectively. Xie and Liu refer to Xie Song and Liu You’an (Liu You’an), then Deputy Commander and Director of the Political Department of the Twenty-Ninth Army of the Red Army, respectively. Dai refers to Dai Jiying, then Head of the Mobilization and Armament Department of the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission. Guo refers to Guo Baoshan, then General Commander of the Third Combat Zone of the Red Army. Zhong refers to Zhong Chibing, then Head of the Military Department of the CPC Northern Shaanxi Provincial Committee and concurrently Head of the Sixth Combat Zone.

[3] Hadapu, a town name, located in the northwest of present-day Dangchang County, Gansu Province.

[4] Xigu, an old county name, namely present-day Dangchang County, Gansu Province.

[5] Xi-Min Highway refers to the highway from Xigu (present-day Dangchang) to Min County in Gansu.

[6] Mao Bingwen, then Commander of the Thirty-Seventh Army of the Northwest “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters of the Kuomintang Army. Wang Jun, then Commander of the Third Army of the Northwest “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters of the Kuomintang Army. Lu Dachang, then Division Commander of the Newly Organized Fourteenth Division of the Northwest “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters of the Kuomintang Army.

accomplished. This unprecedented great victory will inspire the broad masses and the armed forces sympathetic to us throughout the Soviet Area and all of China, and will shock our enemies. It is hoped that, in accordance with the last telegram order from the Military Council and the General Political Department[1], extensive publicity will be carried out among the troops and the local masses, and that the mobilization to celebrate the victory will be conducted with such central slogans as: Expand the troops, train the troops, cultivate cadres, strive for victory, consolidate the Soviet Area, win over the White Army, unite with the Soviet Union and Mongolia, jointly resist Japan, defend the Northwest, celebrate the victory of the Red Second and Fourth Front Armies’ northward advance, and celebrate the grand convergence of the three front armies.

Mao

11th

[1] Refers to the telegram sent on August 3, 1936, by the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission and the General Political Department to the First Front Army of the Red Army and the Red Army in Northern Shaanxi. The telegram reported on the northward advance of the Red Second and Fourth Front Armies and called on the entire army to prepare to warmly welcome the grand convergence of the three front armies and to develop a new anti-Japanese situation in the Northwest.