Cut the Roads Between Hui[ning],
Jing[ning], and Ding[xi], and
Take Zhuanglang Immediately
(October 5, 1936)
To Zhu [De] and Zhang [Guotao]; Xu [Xiangqian] and Chen [Changhao]; and
for the information of He [Long], Ren [Bishi], Guan [Xiangying], and Liu
[Bocheng]:
1. In order to wipe out completely the enemy troops pressing in on the
southwestern gate of the town of Huining, please order your troops marching
toward Huining and Jingning to cut communication lines immediately between
Huining, Jingning, and Dingxi so that our First Division as well as the defending
troops, Chen's detachment, will be able to capture all the enemy troops tomorrow after scattering them. This enemy may consist of one to two regiments of
Deng Baoshan's forces.
2. Hu Zongnan's vanguard units have just arrived at Qingshui and Qin'an,
and the majority are still on the way between Xianyang and Qingshui. We
estimate that it will take about ten more days for this enemy to concentrate all his
forces and begin to deploy them. Beginning from the 6th, the Second Front
Army should get to Tongwei by way of the west of Tianshui in four days. We do
hope that you will send a strong unit to take Zhuanglang at once, and the troops
in Tongwei and Zhuanglang should both approach Qin'an on guerrilla missions,
so as to cover effectively for the arrival of the Second Front Army.