To Zhang Xueliang
(October 5, 1936)

His Excellency Mr. Hanqing:

It has already been more than a year since the Chinese Communist Party proposed
a national united front against Japan consisting of all parties, all factions, all
circles, and all armies throughout the country. Although this has already received
the support of the people of the whole country, the Chinese Guomindang to this
day has not only adopted an ambivalent attitude but, just when the Japanese
invaders are preparing for a new and massive assault, has on the contrary commanded Hu Zongnan’s army to penetrate deeply into Shaanxi and Gansu to act in
concert with the troops under your command and enlarge the civil war of mutual
self-destruction. We have formally proclaimed our views about bringing a rapid
halt to the civil war and resisting Japan together. Asking only that the
Guomindang troops not obstruct the path of the Red Army’s resistance against
Japan and not invade the rear areas of the Red Army anti-Japanese resistance, we
shall initiate a cessation of attacks on the Guomindang armies as a demonstration
of our determination to stop the war and resist Japan. We shall wait quietly for the
Guomindang to come to its senses, and only when attacked by Guomindang
troops shall we return fire as necessary for our self-defense. This likewise is for
the purpose of urging the Guomindang authorities to wake up. You command the
various armies of the Northwest and also bear a heavy responsibility for the
diverging paths of civil war or a war of resistance. If you are concerned about
finding a way out at this juncture in the history of the Chinese nation, then pray
grasp this opportunity and make the decision to put an immediate stop to attacks
on the Red Army by the Northwest armies. We also implore that you convey our
views to Mr. Chiang Kaishek for a speedy policy decision for both sides to send
formal representatives to negotiate the concrete conditions for stopping the war
and resisting Japan. We have drawn up a draft agreement between the
Guomindang and the Communist Party on resisting Japan and saving the nation,
which we send to you for your perusal.1 The invaders threaten imminent disaster,
and we hope that you will quickly come up with a plan.

Mao Zedong Zhou Enlai