To the Eighth Route Army Headquarters and the 120th Division Telegram [1]

(August 7, 1939)

In order to smash the reactionary schemes of the Kuomintang, consolidate the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, strengthen river defenses, and prepare to deal with sudden incidents, our precautionary military forces should be sufficiently redeployed. Apart from the 359th Brigade immediately moving back from the Hengshan area to the Suide, Mizhi, Jiaxian, Wubao, and Qingjian areas to reinforce the Suide Garrison District, the forces of the 120th Division in central Hebei should move to the current position of the 359th Brigade and, depending on the situation, further move to the northwestern Shanxi area to facilitate command.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Committee concerning our army’s redeployment, addressed to the Eighth Route Army Headquarters and the 120th Division.