Assemble the Red Army in Preparation for Combat with Hu Zongnan’s Troops[1]

(November 15, 1936)

Chiang Kai-shek remains resolute in attacking the Red Army, and a compromise with Nanjing will be difficult to achieve in the short term; we must resolutely smash his offensive. Hu Zongnan’s movements after occupying Yuwang will become clear within two or three days.

Within the next two or three days, the Fourth Front Army is to assemble at Tianpu Fort and Baoniu Fort, the Second Front Army is to assemble at Maojujing and areas to its north, and the First Front Army is to assemble west of Huanxian. All corps are to boost combat preparations, and when Hu’s enemy forces advance eastward, annihilate them.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram from Mao Zedong to Zhu De, Zhang Guotao, Peng Dehuai, He Long, and Ren Bishi on assembling the Red Army in preparation for combat with Hu Zongnan’s troops.