(November 8, 1936)

Peng, and forward to Zhang and Zhu, He and Ren:

A. In the present area, strive to wipe out a part of the enemy, even if it is just one or two regiments. The effect of such a blow will be twofold: first, to compel the transfer of Hu Zongnan’s 1st Division to Ningxia, thereby facilitating our subsequent maneuvers; second, to slow the enemy’s advance so that we may have ample time to gather provisions and rest at Jinji and Lingwu.

B. As for tactics, it is still best to wait for the enemy to advance, though it is not necessary to wait for both the divisions of Zhou and Kong; engaging just one division is also fine. Please consider this.

Mao, Zhou
8th, 20:00 hours

[1] This is a telegram from Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai to Peng Dehuai, who was then commander-in-chief and political commissar of the Red Army’s front forces and commander of the First Front Army.
[2] Zhang refers to Zhang Guotao, then general political commissar of the Red Army. Zhu refers to Zhu De. He and Ren refer to He Long and Ren Bishi, then commander and political commissar, respectively, of the Red Army’s Second Front Army.
[3] Hu refers to Hu Zongnan, then commander of the 2nd Column (1st Army) of the 1st Route, Northwestern “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters of the Nationalist Army, and concurrently commander of the 1st Division.
[4] Jin refers to Jinji, a former county abolished in 1960 and merged into the cities of Wuzhong and Qingtongxia in Ningxia. Ling refers to Lingwu in Ningxia.
[5] The divisions of Zhou and Kong refer to the 43rd Division and the 97th Division of the 2nd Column, 1st Route, Northwestern “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters of the Nationalist Army, commanded by Zhou Xiangchu and Kong Lingxun, respectively.