To: Bogu and Ye Jianying

(September 30, 1937)

The principle shall be to concentrate three-fifths and leave two-fifths in place to be reorganized as security forces, and we oppose the Guomindang’s demand for total concentration. All security forces must undergo political consolidation, and we must oppose capitulationism and oppose the Guomindang’s sending of any personnel. The three-fifths to be concentrated shall form one army, with Ye Ting as army commander, Xiang Ying as deputy army commander, and Chen Yi[2] or Liu Ying[3] as chief of staff; we oppose the insertion of any personnel by the Guomindang. In all guerrilla areas, the Central Committee of the Communist Party must send personnel to personally convey the reorganization directives before concentration is carried out.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram from Mao Zedong and Luo Fu (Zhang Wentian) to Bogu (Qin Bangxian) and Ye Jianying concerning the principles for reorganizing the Red Army guerrilla forces in the South.

[2] Chen Yi was appointed in October 1934, when the Central Committee organs and the Central Red Army withdrew from the Central Soviet Area, as a member of the Central Committee Sub-Bureau and director of the Central Government Office, remaining in the Central Soviet Area to persist in the struggle.

[3] Liu Ying was then serving as secretary of the Provisional Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China for the Fujian-Zhejiang Border Region and political commissar of the Provisional Military Region for the Fujian-Zhejiang Border Region.