My Opinion Regarding the Operations
of the Main Forces of the First Army Group
(October 6, 1936, 3:00 P.M.)
To Peng [Dehuai], and for him to inform Zuo [Quan] and Nie [Rongzhen]:
1. The Fourth Front Army agrees with our view that one army should be sent
to Jingyuan to arrange for the crossing of the [Yellow] River. One unit should
operate in the area between Gangu and Wushan, as well as in Zhuanglang, to
cover for the Second Front Army's northward movement. The main forces are to
be positioned in the area around Tongwei, Maying, Longxi, and Huining, to deal
with Hu [Zongnan] and Mao [Bingwen] and the enemy in Dingxi. The Second
Front Army arrived south of Tianshui from Huixian on the 5th, and should arrive
at Tongwei around the 9th. After that, the plan is to order them to move to the
major road between Wating, Longde, and Jingning and the area south of it.
2. After the Fourth Front Army has assumed the tasks for the Huining and
Jingning area, please send us promptly your suggestions regarding the operations
of the main force (the First and Second divisions) of the First Army Group. In
my opinion, it is better for them to take the area between Guyuan City, Xiaohe
City, and Qingshizui as well as the nearby area and to get closer to the Second
Front Army in the south, so that Hu Zongnan's troops and the troops from the
northeast will be drawn to the west as much as possible, thus benefiting future
maneuvers. What do you think? I await your reply as soon as possible.
Mao