Telegram to Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, and Others[1]

(August 1, 1937)

The route, troop strength, and operational policy for the Red Army’s anti-Japanese deployment must not be requested from Chiang Kai-shek for decision and issuance; they can only be proposed by us and settled through consultation with him at an appropriate time.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram from Mao Zedong and Luo Fu (Zhang Wentian) to Zhu De and Zhou Enlai, to be forwarded to Peng Dehuai and Ren Bishi.