After the Fall of Taiyuan, North China’s Guerrilla War Against Japan Will Be Conducted with the Eighth Route Army as the Mainstay

(November 8, 1937)

Zhou, Zhu, Peng, Ren[1], and inform Lin, Nie, He, Xiao, Guan, Liu, Xu, Zhang[2]:

A. After the fall of Taiyuan, the stage of regular warfare in North China has basically ended, and the stage of guerrilla warfare has begun. In this stage, guerrilla warfare will be conducted with the Eighth Route Army as the mainstay, to which other forces will be attached. This is the general situation in North China.

B. It is judged that in order to defend Henan, the remnant troops of the Kuomintang in Shanxi will not withdraw before the fall of Jincheng and Linfen. It is also possible that Liu Xiang’s[3] troops may enter Shanxi. Yan, Wei, Sun, Zeng, Feng, Zhao, Deng, Sun,[4] and other remnant units of various armies will disperse in large numbers, and even guerrilla warfare may not be well sustained. Yan will no longer be able to excessively interfere in the local work of the Eighth Route Army. Therefore, the Eighth Route Army will become the mainstay of guerrilla warfare throughout Shanxi. Under the principle of the united front, we should boldly mobilize the masses, expand our own forces, collect supplies, and incorporate scattered soldiers. We should follow the policy of expanding each division by three regiments, not relying on the Kuomintang for pay, but raising our own supplies.

C. The Lüliang Mountains are the main base area of the Eighth Route Army, but work there has not yet begun. Therefore, not only must Xu’s Brigade[1] immediately and rapidly shift its position, but Lin, leading Chen’s Brigade,[2] should also not linger in combat in the east and should likewise begin shifting immediately. It is estimated that it will take at least twenty days from the shift to the start of work, and another ten days for the work to take effect (after operations begin). By that time, it is feared that the enemy will have already penetrated deep into the Fen River valley and occupied places such as Xiaoyi. After the shift, it is suitable for Xu’s Brigade to center on Fenyang and for Chen’s Brigade to center on Pu County. The headquarters should immediately begin moving westward.

D. The units under Wen Niansheng, Yan Hongyan, and Bai Zhiwen[3] are to undertake river defense from Jia County to Yanchang. Chen Qihan is appointed commander of the Sui-Mi-Qing-Jia-Wu five-county garrison, with Guo Hongtao as political commissar, commanding all of Wen’s and Yan’s units.[4] Wen’s unit has already completed its defensive deployment in Suide, Mizhi, Jia County, and Wubao. Yan’s unit will set out from Yan’an tomorrow to take over defense in the areas of Wayaobao, Qingjian City, Hekou, and Majiaping. He Changgong is appointed commander of the Liang-Yan[5] river defense, commanding Bai’s unit to supervise shipbuilding and provide escort and transport protection. Xiao Jinguang[6] is appointed overall commander of river defense,

After the Fall of Taiyuan, North China’s Guerrilla War Against Japan Will Be Conducted with the Eighth Route Army as the Mainstay

holding fast to the western bank and keeping the enemy east of the river, so as to effectively protect the western bank and support the primary and vital task of He’s Division[1] on the left flank of the Lüliang and Guancen mountain ranges.

E. The entire 129th Division is in southeastern Shanxi, and the 120th Division is in northwestern Shanxi, preparing to persist in protracted guerrilla warfare. Their main forces should not withdraw from Shanxi unless there is danger of their return route being cut off. Specific deployments are to be carried out by Zhu and Peng. Zhou is requested to return to Yan’an via Suide.

Mao Zedong

November 8

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

[2] Lin: Refers to Lin Biao, then Commander of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army. Nie: Refers to Nie Rongzhen, then Commander and Political Commissar of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region of the Eighth Route Army. He, Xiao, Guan: Refers to He Long, Xiao Ke, and Guan Xiangying, then respectively Commander, Deputy Commander, and Political Commissar of the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army. Liu, Xu, Zhang: Refers to Liu Bocheng, Xu Xiangqian, and Zhang Hao (Lin Yuying), then respectively Commander, Deputy Commander, and Political Commissar of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army.

[3] Liu Xiang: Then Commander-in-Chief of the 7th War Zone of the Kuomintang Army.

[4] Yan: Refers to Yan Xishan, then Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd War Zone of the Kuomintang Army. Wei: Refers to Wei Lihuang, then Commander-in-Chief of the 14th Group Army of the 2nd War Zone of the Kuomintang Army. Sun: Refers to Sun Lianzhong, then Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Group Army and concurrently Commander-in-Chief of the 26th Route Army of the Kuomintang Army. Zeng: Refers to Zeng Wanzhong, then Commander of the 3rd Army of the 27th Route Army and concurrently Commander of the 7th Division of the Kuomintang Army. Feng: Refers to Feng Qinzai, then Commander-in-Chief of the 27th Route Army and concurrently Commander of the 7th Army of the Kuomintang Army. Zhao: Refers to Zhao Shoushan, then Commander of the 17th Division of the 3rd Army of the 27th Route Army of the Kuomintang Army. Deng: Refers to Deng Xihou, then Commander-in-Chief of the 22nd Group Army of the 2nd War Zone and concurrently Commander of the 45th Army of the Kuomintang Army. Sun: Refers to Sun Chu, then Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the 6th Group Army and concurrently Commander of the 33rd Army of the Kuomintang Army.

[1] Xu’s Brigade: Refers to the 344th Brigade of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army, with Xu Haidong as Brigade Commander.

[2] Chen’s Brigade: Refers to the 343rd Brigade of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army, with Chen Guang as Brigade Commander.

[3] Wen Niansheng: Then Commander of the 8th Garrison Regiment of the Rear Area General留守处 of the Eighth Route Army. Yan Hongyan: Then Commander of the 3rd Garrison Regiment of the Rear Area General留守处 of the Eighth Route Army. Bai Zhiwen: Then Commander of the 5th Garrison Regiment of the Rear Area General留守处 of the Eighth Route Army and concurrently Deputy Commander of the Liang-Yan River Defense Command.

[4] The units commanded by Chen Qihan and Guo Hongtao at that time also included the 1st Garrison Regiment of the Rear Area General留守处 of the Eighth Route Army, with He Jinnian as Regiment Commander. Wen Niansheng’s unit was deployed in Suide and Wubao; He Jinnian’s unit was deployed in Mizhi and Jia County.

[5] Liang-Yan: Refers to Yanchuan County and Yanchang County along the Yellow River in northern Shaanxi.

[6] Xiao Jinguang: Then Director of the Rear Area General留守处 of the Eighth Route Army.

[1] He’s Division: Refers to the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army, with He Long as Division Commander.