Headquarters and the 115th Division: Action Deployment

(October 22, 1937)

Zhu, Peng, Ren,[1] and inform Zhou[2]:

A. Your telegram of the 21st[3] has been noted. Your views are consistent with ours. It is not that the Headquarters[4] and the main force of the 115th Division should immediately move south of the Zhengding–Taiyuan Railway,[5] but rather that they must not be cut off by the enemy and must be reliably assured of being able to move south at an appropriate moment. Please pay attention to selecting this appropriate moment and immediately arrange all necessary work in the Hengshan and Wutaishan[6] areas. Also, please consider the issue of leaving the entire Headquarters Special Task Regiment

--- Notes

[1] Zhu, Peng, Ren refers to Zhu De, Peng Dehuai, and Ren Bishi, Director of the Political Department of the Eighth Route Army.

[2] Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai.

[3] Refers to the telegram of October 21, 1937, from Zhu De, Peng Dehuai, and Ren Bishi to the leaders of the various divisions of the Eighth Route Army and to Mao Zedong concerning the deployment of the Eighth Route Army in North China. The telegram stated: The 120th Division is mobilizing and organizing the masses in northwestern Shanxi and eastern Suiyuan; Wang Zhen is leading the 717th Regiment in the Doucun and Taihuai areas north of Wutaishan, preparing to advance to areas west of Fuping and Pingshan. The 343rd Brigade of the 115th Division is located near Lingqiu and Shangzhai, with a small force passing through Langxia to harass the enemy at Lingqiu and Laiyuan. The 344th Brigade is northeast of Fuping, ready to move south at any time. The reserve brigade will seize opportunities to attack the enemy advancing westward from Lingqiu and Pingxingguan or southward from Laiyuan toward the Beiping–Hankou Railway. Where conditions permit, organize effective advance guerrilla units to penetrate deep into the areas between Yixian, Zijingguan, Yuxian, and Zhuolu to conduct activities, incorporate scattered soldiers, mobilize the masses, and develop guerrilla warfare. The 129th Division, upon arriving south of the Zhengding–Taiyuan Railway, is to immediately begin mass work in the Taihang Mountains. The Headquarters directly subordinate units are mobilizing the masses in Yuxian and the area east of Wutai.

[4] Headquarters refers to the General Headquarters of the Eighth Route Army.

[5] Zhengding–Taiyuan Railway refers to the railway from Zhengding in Hebei to Taiyuan in Shanxi, now the Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan line.

[6] Hengshan is a mountain range in northern Shanxi, running northeast to southwest, connecting to the Taihang Mountains in the east and the Lüliang Mountains in the west. Wutaishan is located in northeastern Shanxi, extending from northeastern Shanxi to the border area of Hebei Province.

to be stationed in Wutaishan; a separate special task regiment can be formed in the future.

B. When moving south in the future, as a first step, the 115th Division may deploy one brigade to the Lüliang Mountains west of the Fen River, while another brigade and the division's directly subordinate units will deploy along the river in the Taiyue Mountains, and can coordinate operations with the 129th Division in the Taihang Mountains. As a first step, the Headquarters may also remain east of the Fen River; there is no cause for concern as long as it is not cut off.

C. For the Headquarters to move south via northwestern Shanxi, it seems that going west via southeastern Shanxi would be preferable. The Headquarters should take ensuring security as its top priority.

Mao Zedong

22nd