Telegram to Zhu De and Others on Our Army’s Resolute Implementation of the United Front Policy and Strengthening United Front Education[1]

(December 6, 1937)

Zhu, Ren, Deng, and inform Xuefeng and Shangkun:

(A) The Japanese bandits are currently attacking our Red Army, attempting to lure Yan Xishan and the right-wing and centrist factions within the Kuomintang into splitting the anti-Japanese front. Whether in friendly army areas or behind enemy lines, we must implement the strategy of the national united front as our basic policy and sabotage the enemy’s schemes.

(B) Any actions carried out under false pretenses or otherwise deviating from the principles of the united front should be specifically prohibited.

(1) The Eighth Route Army shall wear insignia, and new badges shall be stipulated. All those without such identification shall be uniformly prohibited. The regulations shall be reported to Yan and communicated to friendly armies and local administrative organs, with proclamations issued, statements made, and newspapers published.

(2) Expanded local units shall resolve provisions through reasonable burdens in coordination with local governments, so as to avoid friction under the name of the Eighth Route Army.

(3) Grain and materials currently being collected shall be stored secretly and should not be sent back to northern Shaanxi at this time.

(4) He and Xiao[2] shall return the 50,000 yuan taken from the bank in Kelan, explaining that it was temporarily borrowed as funds had not yet arrived.
(5) The requisitioning of money, grain, and cloth shall cease immediately. Instead, requests for allocations shall be made to local governments, with approval sought for subsequent repayment.

(C) Intensify internal education on the united front and conduct thorough inspections.

Mao, Zhou, Peng

6th, 21:00 hours

--- Notes

This is a directive telegram from Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Peng Dehuai to Zhu De, Ren Bishi, and Deng Xiaoping, requesting them to relay it to Peng Xuefeng and Yang Shangkun.

[2] Refers to He Long and Xiao Ke.