The 358th Brigade Should Strike from the Direction of Loufan

(March 7, 1938)

Zhu and Peng,[1] and inform He, Xiao, and Guan[2]:

A. The main force of the enemy at Liulin and Jundu has advanced to attack Linxian, leaving behind a small number who were scared off by the reconnaissance platoon of our Yan Regiment[3] and retreated to Lishi. The reconnaissance platoon recovered Liulin. When the platoon launched its attack, the local populace reported to the enemy that three to four thousand troops of the Eighth Route Army were coming to attack, whereupon the enemy fled in panic, abandoning large quantities of rice, canned goods, and other supplies. We now have one company stationed at Liulin.

B. The main force of the enemy at Lishi and Qikou has all advanced to attack Linxian and Fangshan, leaving their rear route extremely exposed. If this point is confirmed, it would seem inadvisable for our Zhang-Li Brigade[4] to enter the direction of Xingxian; rather, it should strike from the direction of Loufan,[5] and after gaining success, outflank the enemy’s rear route south of Fangshan and Linxian, thereby facilitating victory and lifting the siege of Fu Zuoyi,[6] so that Linxian and Fangshan do not fall into enemy hands. Thereafter, the brigade shall be employed in the area north of the Taiyuan–Fenyang–Lishi–Jundu line (at present, this line is the enemy’s main communication route). At the same time, a

[1] Zhu and Peng refer to Zhu De and Peng Dehuai.

[2] He, Xiao, and Guan refer to He Long, Xiao Ke, and Guan Xiangying, who at the time were respectively the division commander, deputy division commander, and political commissar of the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army.

[3] The Yan Regiment refers to the 3rd Guard Regiment of the Eighth Route Army’s Rear Area Garrison Corps, whose commander was Yan Hongyan.

[4] The Zhang-Li Brigade refers to the 358th Brigade of the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army, with brigade commander Zhang Zongxun and political commissar Li Jingquan.

[5] Loufan, a town located southeast of Lanxian County, Shanxi Province; it was established as a county in 1971.

[6] Fu Zuoyi, at the time serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Route Forward Enemy Forces of the Second War Zone of the Nationalist Army, Commander-in-Chief of the 7th Group Army, and concurrently Commander of the 35th Army.

detachment should be dispatched to coordinate with Cheng Zihua[1] in raiding the road between Fenyang and Lishi; this will certainly yield great results, and consideration is requested. If the enemy at Loufan does not advance rapidly, or if a direct outflanking of the enemy’s rear route at Fangshan and Linxian is feasible, that may also be considered.

Mao Zedong

14:00, 7th

[1] Cheng Zihua, at the time serving as Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Department of the General Mobilization Committee for the National Revolutionary War in the Second War Zone.