The Fourth Front Army should quickly assemble its main forces in the area of Maying and Tongwei[1]

(October 3, 1936)

Zhu, Zhang, Xu, Chen:

A. The 93rd Division[2] should quickly occupy Zhuanglang, and subsequent units should take over and occupy Tongwei. The troops at both Zhuanglang and Tongwei should press toward Qin’an to cover the northward advance of the main forces of the Fourth Front Army and to cover the northward shift of the Second Front Army from west of Tianshui. The Fifth Army should still advance toward Zhuanglang according to the original plan to strengthen the forces on the eastern flank, as Hu Zongnan[3] has already moved six regiments into Qin’an and Qingshui, but his follow-up forces are still on the road from Fufeng to Qishan, and it is estimated that it will take another five to seven days before they can complete their assembly at Qingshui.

B. Huining City has already been occupied by our Western Route Detachment[4]. Thus, apart from the cities of Jingning and Dingxi,

the main road centered on Jieshipu and Huining City is already under our control. Apart from assigning a portion of your forces to take over the road between Huining and Jieshipu, you should quickly assemble your main forces in the area of Maying and Tongwei, paying particular attention to the directions of Tianshui and Qin’an. The troops at Minxian and Lintan should rapidly withdraw northward.

C. Appropriate forces should be deployed in the areas of Wushan and Gangu to cover the shift of the Second Front Army.

D. Since you have already deployed to occupy Zhuanglang and the Second Front Army will also move north, our 2nd Division will temporarily halt at Xiaohecheng.

Mao, Zhou, Peng

12:00 on the 3rd

The Fourth Front Army Should Quickly
Concentrate Its Main Forces in the Area of
Maying and Tongwei
(October 3, 1936, 12:00 noon)
Zhu [De] and Zhang [Guotao], Xu [Xiangqian] and Chen [Changhao]:
1. The Ninety-third Division should quickly take Zhuanglang, after which
follow-up units should proceed to take Tongwei. The troops in both Zhuanglang
and Tongwei should get as close as possible to Qin'an to assist the Fourth Front
Army's northward march as well as to assist the Second Front Army's move
northward from west of Tianshui. The Fifth Army should follow the original
plan of advancing to Zhuanglang so as to reinforce the troops in the east, for six
regiments of Hu Zongnan's forces have arrived at Qin'an and Qingshui, but their
follow-up troops are still on the road between Fufeng and Qishan, and we estimate that it will take five to seven days for them to complete their concentration
in Qingshui.
2. Huining City has already been occupied by our western detachment,¹ and
it looks as though, except for the two towns of Jingning and Dingxi, the major
communication line centered on Jieshipu and Huining is already in our hands.
Apart from sending one unit to take over the major communication line in
Huining and Jieshipu, you, our elder brothers, should quickly concentrate your
main forces in the Maying and Tongwei area and pay the most attention to the
Tianshui and Qin'an direction. The troops in Minxian and Lintan should rapidly
withdraw to the north.
3. An appropriate number of troops should be stationed in the Wushan and
Gan'gu direction to cover for the Second Front Army's transfer movements.
4. Since you have arranged to take Zhuanglang, and the Second Front Army
is also going to march northward, for the time being our Second Division will
stop at Xiaohecheng.
Mao [Zedong]
Zhou [Enlai]
Peng [Dehuai]

We have translated this document from Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 1, pp. 614–15,
where it is reproduced from a copy in the Central Archives.

--- Notes

[1] This is a telegram from Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, along with Peng Dehuai, Vice Chairman of the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission and Commander of the First Front Army of the Red Army, to Zhu De and Zhang Guotao, General Political Commissar of the Red Army, as well as Xu Xiangqian, General Commander of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, and Chen Changhao, General Political Commissar of the Fourth Front Army.


1. This detachment was composed of one infantry regiment and three cavalry
regiments.


[2] The 93rd Division refers to the 93rd Division of the 31st Army of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, with Division Commander Chai Hongru and Political Commissar Ye Chenghuan.


[3] Hu Zongnan was then serving as Commander of the 2nd Column (1st Army) of the 1st Route of the Northwest “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters of the Nationalist Army and concurrently as Commander of the 1st Division.


[4] This refers to the Special Detachment led by Chen Manyuan, Political Commissar of the 73rd Division of the 15th Army Corps of the First Front Army of the Red Army, composed of one regiment from the 73rd Division and the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. In mid-September 1936, this unit, in coordination with the Special Detachment of the 1st Army Corps of the First Front Army of the Red Army, moved south to support the northward advance of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army and, in the early hours of October 2, launched a surprise attack and captured Huining City in Gansu.