Blocking Hu Zongnan’s Westward Advance
(September 17, 1936)

Peng:

Hu Zongnan’s entire force has arrived in Xi’an and is being rapidly transported westward. I have already sent urgent telegrams to Zhu and Zhang, urging them to swiftly dispatch the main force to occupy Jieshipu. To coordinate with efforts to strike Hu Zongnan, it appears necessary to deploy a portion of the First Corps south and southwest of Guyuan. Furthermore, within one or two days, the First Division under Nie’s command should concentrate its operations to support and flank along the northern side of the Jinglong Highway, encircling and attacking along the road to impede Hu’s forces from advancing westward, thereby facilitating the Fourth Front Army’s northward movement onto the Jieshipu Highway. What are your thoughts? Please reply soon.

Mao
12:00 on the 17th

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

[2] Hu Zongnan was then serving as both Commander of the First Army and Commander of the First Division under the Northwest Pacification Headquarters of the Nationalist Army.

[3] “Zhu” refers to Zhu De. “Zhang” refers to Zhang Guotao, who at that time held the position of Chief Political Commissar of the Red Army.

[4] “Nie” refers to Nie Rongzhen, who was then Political Commissar of the First Corps of the First Front Army of the Red Army.

[5] The Jinglong Highway refers to the road connecting Jingning in Gansu Province with Longde (now part of Ningxia).