Immediately move the main force of the Northeastern Army to the line between Xi’an and Pingliang, and the main force of the Seventeenth Route Army to the line between Xi’an and Tongguan. In the areas of Guyuan, Qingyang, Fuxian, and Ganquan, only a small number of Red Army troops shall remain, and absolutely no inch of territory shall be occupied. The Red Army shall assume the task of pinning down the forces of Hu Zongnan, Zeng Wanzhong, Mao Bingwen, Guan Linzheng, and Li Xianzhou. Enlai plans to go to your place to discuss the overall plan.

[1] On December 12, 1936, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng carried out a “military remonstrance” in Xi’an, detaining Chiang Kai-shek and issuing a nationwide telegram proposing eight demands, including the reorganization of the Nanjing government, cessation of the civil war, immediate release of the patriotic leaders arrested in Shanghai, release of all political prisoners nationwide, and immediate convening of a national salvation conference. On the same day, Zhang Xueliang sent a telegram to Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, stating: “For the sake of the Chinese nation and the future interests of the anti-Japanese cause, we have disregarded all consequences and have now detained Chiang and others, compelling them to release patriotic elements and reorganize a coalition government. What are your esteemed views? Please reply promptly.” This is the main content of the reply telegram from Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai to Zhang Xueliang.

Urgently demand the entire nation’s populace
Strive for the survival of the Chinese nation
Zhang and Yang launched a military remonstrance against Chiang yesterday
Issued a nationwide telegram proclaiming eight national salvation proposals
Reorganize the Nanjing government to include all parties and factions
Three hundred thousand people rejoice and rally in support of the national liberation movement

Leader of National Salvation
“Special Edition on Zhang Xueliang”
Since the Red Army entered the front line last month, Yun, Keyan,
Edition, noble and rising, soldiers at the front, bathed in blood resisting the people’s water, flowers
Even more ruined yet good, such a front, maritime salvation and survival the only
Life
Note, the soul of the Chinese nation’s freedom and equality, giving this people’s
Spirit, now not
Must be completely liberated, in this act, unexpectedly Chiang Kai-shek’s controlled
Government, still ordering its consistent aggression toward Japanese imperialism on the Taipei border
Change, not good at war, suppressing the independence movement in every way, and the large and small workers on the front
On this day of peril, constantly sending troops up
Steel many
Over 2.6 million troops and hundreds of aircraft assembled in, one work, America
Will engage in large-scale civil war, plotting greater Chinese people’s affairs, thus, the northern generals and soldiers
Workers hearing this, this is not a choice, with extreme indignation, under the witness, under the sacred
Zhang, our entire front, rising in patriotic fervor.

Leader of National Salvation
Zhang and Yang’s nationwide telegram
▲ Proclaiming national salvation proposals
Reviving the nation’s,
Committee on civil affairs, full of ideological intent
In
The harm
Its chairman celebrates the great Italian reading
Platforms and various French circles, various newspapers, various missions: death, time, the path is different, in
Recent changes in the international situation, mutual collusion, with our family
Patriotic hall, members, Defense Committee Chairman Jie Gong surrounded by petty men, abandoning the people’s will, deeply mistaken
Xueliang and others, repeatedly reprimanded for their remonstrations, repeatedly severely rebuked, pacifying student actions, yet allowing
Police to shoot patriotic children, previously the people’s hearts could not bear this! Xueliang and others, having served for many years, cannot bear to see this, later making a final appeal to Duke Jie, ensuring his safety, settling, yet unexpectedly issuing a single call to reorganize the Nanjing government to include all
Parties and factions jointly responsible for national salvation, “Cease all civil wars,” “Third, immediately release the patriotic leaders arrested in Shanghai,” “First, release all political prisoners nationwide,” “Open up the people’s patriotic
Encouragement,” “Guarantee all political freedoms of assembly and association for the people,” “Faithfully implement Sun
Yat-sen’s will,” “Eighth, immediately convene a national salvation conference,” the above six points, serving as the banner of unanimous support for the military and civilians, changing the camp’s suffering, southern investment, creating a future unified opportunity for the nation, already resolute,
Cannot tolerate
Xueliang, Hou, Wei Shaoliang, Ma Zhanshan, Yu Yuanzhong, Chen Cheng, Ye Lizi, Wen, Chen Diaoyuan, Xian, Mongolia,
, Captured prisoners of war, a chaotic purchase of weapons, the telegram does not reach the room of longevity!
Leading the line, high drinking, Ren, Chen Bing, Wang Zhen reading, that is, the text of the 12th
Thoroughly eliminate traitors! This is China’s ten-year great love of the Kuomintang Congress
This is China’s ten-year industry ceremony
Pass
Road, implement machine
Big
Yesterday summoned
Report
Telegram to the whole
Convene scholars
Delicious

“Northwest Cultural Daily” report on the Xi’an Incident, published December 13, 1936.

Speech at the Meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China [1]
(December 13, 1936)

This incident is revolutionary, anti-Japanese and anti-traitorous; its actions and its program both have positive significance. It has no imperialist background whatsoever and stands entirely on the stand of resisting Japan and opposing the “suppression of the bandits.” Its impact is enormous, breaking the previous situation completely controlled by Chiang Kai-shek and possibly causing divisions among Chiang’s subordinates to shift toward the Xi’an side. We should clearly express our support for this incident. At the same time, we must also anticipate that Chiang Kai-shek’s subordinates, such as Liu Zhi, may attack Tongguan and threaten Xi’an, and Hu Zongnan may also move southward. At strategic points such as Lanzhou and Hanzhong, we should immediately make deployments. In our political steps, we should ensure that figures like Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng align with us in action and organization, and we must send important comrades to carry out the work. We should take Xi’an as the center and the Northwest as the anti-Japanese front line to influence and lead the entire nation, forming the center of the anti-Japanese front. Centering on this link, we must expose Chiang Kai-shek’s crimes to the people, stabilize the Whampoa clique and the CC clique, and push the elder statesmen faction, the European-American faction, and other miscellaneous factions to support the Xi’an Incident. We should establish good contacts with Britain and the United States so that they express support for the Xi’an Incident in public opinion. Our political slogan is to convene a national salvation congress; all other slogans are subsidiary. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China will not issue a declaration for the time being, but in practical actions, it should actively

[1] The first part is a segment of Mao Zedong’s speech on the Xi’an Incident at the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China; the second part is a portion of Mao Zedong’s concluding remarks at the same meeting.