Views Regarding the Operations
of the Three Front Armies
(September 15, 1936)
To Comrades Zhu [De], Zhang [Guotao], and Chen [Changhao], and for transmission to Ren [Bishi], He [Long], and Liu [Bocheng]:
After sending you the telegram on proposals for strategy, 1 we received your
telegram of 8:00 P.M. on the 13th;2 our respective views are basically in agreement. In our opinion, however, it would be best for the Fourth Front Army to
have its main force quickly occupy the stretch of road centering on Jieshipu and
running near Long[de], Jing[ning], Hui[ning], and Ding[xi], and the nearby area,
so as to prevent Hu [Zongnan]'s troops from occupying that line.3 Some of its
units, along with a transmitter station, should move eastward toward the area
around Huating and Longxian to engage in extensive guerrilla warfare and become a detachment operating far away. A detachment of the Second Front Army,
along with a transmitter station, is to move directly east of Baoji and Meixian.
We have already sent a division in the direction of the Jing[ning]-Long[de] line,
which should be able to deter Hu Zongnan's advance and facilitate the Fourth
Front Army's move to the Long[de]-Ding[xi] road and its preparation for combat. If the First Front Army's main force moves southward to engage in combat,
then Enemy Ma4 will definitely seize the three cities of Ding[bian], Yan[chi],
and Yu[wang], and it would not be advantageous to advance to Ningxia after
that. It is, therefore, inappropriate to leave the Gansu-Ningxia border before
having dealt major blows to Enemy Ma. In fighting the enemy in the east, it is
appropriate to use the Second and Fourth Front Armies as main forces, and,
when necessary, the First Front Army may send up to one army to assist it. It is
requested that you consider this.
Mao [Zedong]
Zhou [Enlai]
Peng [Dehuai]


We have translated this document from Mao Zedongjunshi wenji, Vol. I, pp. 583-84,
where it is reproduced from a copy in the Central Archives.


1. This refers to the telegram translated above, "Deployment for the Occupation of
Ningxia," dated September 14, 1936.


2. This telegram proposed that the main forces of the First Front Army should move
toward Jingning and Ruining, join up with the Fourth Front Army in the south, and launch
a surprise attack on Hu Zongnan.


3. The editors of the Junshi wenji note that another copy of this document held in the
Central Archives adds here: "This is most important ...


4. Ma Hongkui.