To Peng Dehuai and Others[1]

(October 30, 1936)

With the greater part of our army having crossed to the west and not much remaining on the east bank, Chiang Kai-shek has ordered Hu Zongnan to pursue fiercely. Hu has ordered the two divisions under Zhou Xiangchu and Kong Lingxun to advance rapidly toward Dalachi. Guan Linzheng’s division is pursuing toward Jingyuan, with the troops of Mao Bingwen and Wang Jun following behind; it seems unlikely they will all advance north. He Zhuguo has ordered one cavalry division to follow the right flank of Hu’s army to pursue as opportunities arise. According to the above circumstances, we have been given an excellent opportunity to strike the two divisions of Zhou and Kong. The cavalry division on the right flank of Zhou and Kong must be blocked by powerful units of the Second Front Red Army. The Thirty-first Red Army must act according to Peng’s order and strike from west to east.

Dalachi and Xi’anzhou serve as the screen for our army’s subsequent Ningxia campaign and must absolutely not be lost. We earnestly hope you will pay close attention.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram from Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai to Peng Dehuai, He Long, Ren Bishi, Zuo Quan, Nie Rongzhen, Xu Haidong, Cheng Zihua, with information copies to Zhu De and Zhang Guotao.