time and was not arrested. On the basis of this misunderstanding, the division
released them after four days of detention and declared that it was a misunderstanding. It seems that the Central Army has thus already lost its wits, so how
could they fight? This incident wreaked havoc all the way to Xi'an and Chongqing,
but was actually nothing more than an attack by four cattle.

Mao Zedong and Zhu De to Zhou Enlai and
Ye Jianying Concerning the Negotiations with
Chiang Kaishek on the New Fourth Army's
Route for Moving Northward

(December 25, 1940)

According to Xiang Ying, "Gu Zhutong has suddenly commanded the New Fourth
Army to change its course and to cross the Yangzi at Fan[chang] and Tong[ling],¹
while Li Pinxian is making arrangements to blockade north of the River. Moreover, the southern Anhui diehard troops again have us secretly surrounded so as to
block our comings and goings. Along the southern banks we must break through
the enemy's blockade and in the middle of the River we must avoid attacks by the
enemy's boats. Unless we give ourselves plenty of time to sneak across the River
in groups, we will not be able to cross at all, and will be unable to move forward or
backward," and so on. Please discuss with Chiang immediately the following points
and quickly let us know the results:
1. The move northward must be in two routes, southern Jiangsu and Fan[chang]
and Tong[ling].
2. We need two months to sneak across little by little in groups.
3. The southern Anhui troops should not surround or block the comings and
goings.
4. The northern Anhui troops are to retreat from the four xian of Chao[xian],
Wu[wei], He[xian], and Han[shan], and Zhang Yunyi² is to dispatch a team to
receive them and cover them as they cross the river.
5. Ensure that there will be no attack from Li Pinxian.
6. Expeditiously distribute ammunition and moving expenses.

Our source for this text is Mao Zedong ji. Bujuan, Vol. 6, p. 233, where it is reproduced
from Wannan shibian.

--- Notes

1. Fanchang and Tongling are two regional towns close to the Yangzi in Anhui Province,
north of New Fourth Army headquarters at Yunling. The four xian of Chaoxian, Wuwei,
Hexian, and Hanshan are located north of the Yangzi, to the northwest of Wuhu.

2. Regarding Zhang Yunyi, see above, the relevant note to the text of March 21, 1940.