Telegram to Zhou Enlai and Others[1]

(January 13, 1939)

Comrades Zhou, Qin, He, and for the information of Zhu and Peng:

The main direction for the future development of the Eighth Route Army should not be the Northeastern Provinces, Chahar, Rehe, or Eastern Hebei, because large forces cannot go there, nor is it possible to go to those areas. We must persist in and strive for development toward Shandong, Anhui, and Central China. However, at present, with much friction occurring and the Military Council strictly forbidding the Eighth Route Army from entering the Central Plains, our regular forces may postpone going to Central China for the time being.

Mao, Wang

The 13th

[1] This is a telegram from Mao Zedong and Wang Jiaxiang to Zhou Enlai, Qin Bangxian, and He Kequan, with information copies for Zhu De and Peng Dehuai, regarding the issue of the future development direction of the Eighth Route Army.