It Is Best That the Forces South of the River
Move to Southern Jiangsu in Groups¹

(December 30, 1940)

Ye [Ting] and Xiang [Ying]:

[Zhou] Enlai's telegram states, among other things: It would be dangerous for
the forces south of the river to cross the river in different locations. Although
Chiang [Kaishek] has agreed verbally to yield in northern Anhui, it would not be
easy to give up the four xian of Chao[xian], Wu[wei], He[xian], and Han[shan].
Li Pinxian is already plotting a deployment to attack us. It is still best to move to
southern Jiangsu in groups. We agree with Enlai's opinion that it is best to move
to southern Jiangsu in groups.

Our source for this telegram is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 2, p. 602, where it is reproduced from Mao's handwritten manuscript preserved in the Central Archives.
1. This document apparently countermands the one of the previous day and now speaks
only of passing through southern Jiangxi.