Do a Good Job of Consolidating the Dare-to-Die Corps[1]

(December 28, 1939)

Zhu, Peng, He, Guan, Peng, Luo:

According to a telegram from Comrade Dehuai, the 8th, 9th, and 12th Regiments of the 3rd Column of the Dare-to-Die Corps have mutinied. This is a serious lesson. It is hoped that the following work will be carried out immediately: Step up the purging and removal of reactionary and bad elements in the New Army. The Northern Bureau and the three district Party committees should do their utmost to transfer their own members and send cadres to the New Army to assist in the political consolidation work. Reactionary officers in the New Army must be resolutely removed. Military capability is certainly important, but political reliability is the foremost imperative; otherwise, incidents of betrayal will inevitably recur. Under the slogan of Supporting Yan and Crusading Against the Traitors, be completely independent and self-reliant in securing provisions, and when the enemy attacks, annihilate them. This is the general policy for the whole of Shanxi.

Mao, Wang

The 28th

[1] This was a telegram from Mao Zedong and Wang Jiaxiang to Zhu De, Peng Dehuai, He Long, Guan Xiangying, Peng Shaohui, and Luo Guibo on doing a good job of consolidating the Dare-to-Die Corps.