Telegram from Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai to
Pan Hannian Regarding the Question
of the Decision to Abandon the Demand
to Station Troops in Southern Shaanxi
(January 29, 1937, at midday)¹
Comrade Hannian:
1. For the purpose of resolutely supporting Mr. Chiang's guidelines and
resolving the Northwest problem in a peaceful manner, and to put a permanent
end to civil war and unite against foreign aggressors, we have decided to abandon the demand to station troops in southern Shaanxi. We will have Xu
Haidong's troops withdraw from Shangxian to Lixian as a first step, and withdraw to Zhengning and Qingyang as a second step. The withdrawal from
Shangxian may begin three days before the withdrawal from Weinan, so that
before the Central Army enters Xi'an to station its troops there, passing through
the Xi'an-Xianyang line, only a partial increase in the defense sectors in Northern Shaanxi or in Ningxia will be necessary.
2. A separate telegram deals with the question of withdrawal of troops of the
Northeastern Army and the Seventeenth Route Army.
Mao Zedong
Zhou Enlai