Speedily Shift to Northwestern Shanxi[1]

(September 18, 1937)

Zhu and Ren:

The Hengshan mountain range is the junction between the First and Second War Zones, and the enemy’s main force will surely advance from there. Division Commander Lin Biao’s division is now positioned on the front and has fallen into a completely passive position. Division Commander He Long’s division must by no means be used in this direction again and should speedily shift to northwestern Shanxi.

Mao

The 18th

[1] This was a telegram from Mao Zedong to Zhu De, Commander-in-Chief of the Eighth Route Army, and Ren Bishi, Director of its Political Department.