(July 8, 1937)1

Respectfully submitted for the perusal of Mr. Song Mingxuan in Beiping, Mr.
Zhang Zizhong in Tianjin, Mr. Liu Ruming in Zhangjiakou, and Mr. Feng Zhi'an
in Baoding:2

The whole nation was shocked and enraged at the attacks by the Japanese
bandits. In the battle at Marco Polo Bridge, the Twenty-ninth Army put up a
valiant resistance, and when the news spread throughout the country, the people
pledged their firm support. We venture to entreat you to spur your entire army
ahead in the fight for the defense of Beiping and Tianjin and for the defense of
North China, and to shed every last drop of blood to defend our territory and not
let the Japanese bandits occupy an inch of our motherland! The officers and men
of the Red Army, filled with righteous indignation, are prepared to move into
action at any time and to follow the lead of your distinguished army in fighting
the Japanese bandits to the death. In addition to the telegrams sent to Chairman
Chiang and other friendly armies nationwide requesting orders to fight the
enemy, we hereby wish to transmit our message to you, and beseech you to give
us clear instruction.

With utmost respect,

Mao Zedong
Lin Biao
Zhu De
Liu Bocheng
Peng Dehuai
Xu Xiangqian
He Long

An Inscription Regarding the Basic Orientation
in Our Fight Against Japan

(July 13, 1937)

To defend Beiping and Tianjin, to defend North China, to defend the whole
country, and to fight resolutely to the end against Japanese imperialism—this is
now the basic orientation in our fight against Japan. The method for putting this
orientation into practice is to mobilize and make efforts in all respects. Any
vacillation, wavering, passivity, and failure to make an effort will not do at all.

Mao Zedong

Our source for this text is Mao Zedong ji, Vol. 5, p. 235, where it is reproduced from a
collection published in Yan'an in 1938.
1. The time of dispatch of this telegram is indicated by a character signifying from
9:00 to 11:00 P.M.
2. Regarding Song Zheyuan, see above, the note to Mao's letter of August 14, 1936.
Zhang Zizhong (1891-1940), a native of Shandong and a lieutenant general in the
Guomindang army, was at this time mayor of Tianjin. Liu Ruming was chairman of the
Chahar provincial government, and commander of the 143rd Division of the Guomindang
Twenty-ninth Army, stationed in Zhangjiakou. Feng Zhi'an (1896–1954), a native of Hebei,
was chairman of the Hebei provincial government and military commander in Bao'an.
Our source for this inscription is Mao Zedong ji. Bujuan, Vol. 5, p. 81, where it is
reproduced from a collection published in China in 1959.