Do Not Treat Hu’s Troops as Enemies; Strive to Win Them Over[1]

(November 30, 1936)

We fully agree with Zhang’s proposal and hope the following concrete measures will be adopted immediately: (1) First release a portion of the prisoners and refrain from cursing their officers. (2) Write separate letters to Hu Zongnan, Kong Lingxun, and Zhou Xiangchu in a sincere, amicable, and respectful manner toward the other side. (3) Send someone to Yuwang to meet with Hu. (4) In the names of Mao, Zhu, Zhang, and Zhou, as well as the various front armies, army corps, and army commanders, issue a proclamation addressed to the officers and soldiers of Hu’s army, explaining clearly and succinctly the desire for a ceasefire, peace negotiations, and united resistance against Japan.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram from Mao Zedong to Peng Dehuai. The telegram reported that after Hu Zongnan’s defeat, there was an atmosphere within his ranks favoring alliance with the Soviet Union, accommodation of the Communists, and united resistance against Japan, and that Zhang Xueliang had suggested that “Hu’s troops should not be treated as enemies; every effort should be made to win them over.”