It Will Be Best If the Troops in Southern Anhui
Break Out of the Encirclement and Advance to
the East or to the North in Groups

(January 12, 1941)

To Ye [Ting] and Yao [Rao Shushi] (and for transmittal to Hu [Fu, i.e., Liu Shaoqi]
and Chen [Yi]):

Does your present situation allow for breaking out of encirclement? If this is possible, it seems best that you break through and then advance in groups eastward or
northward (to given destinations, splitting into several branches and advancing
along different routes, with no time limitations, the principle being to preserve
actual strength and to accomplish the task). It is urgently requested that you consider the matter and come to a decision. Because the negotiations in Chongqing
probably cannot be relied upon, you should at the same time pay attention to talking with the commanders of the besieging armies, and please keep us informed of
the situation by telegram.

Mao [Zedong] Zhu [De] Wang [Jiaxiang]