To Liu Shaoqi, Chen Yi, and Others[1]

(February 12, 1941)

The enemy has launched an offensive in central China this time, and its operations are like a mountain torrent bursting forth, suddenly rising and suddenly receding. Chiang Kai-shek’s plan for an anti-communist campaign has generally been thrown into disarray. At present, the overall situation is in flux. In the military affairs of central China, apart from Li Xianzhou and the New Second Army under Wang Zhonglian’s command, which continue to carry out their original anti-communist tasks, the main force of Tang’s Army[2] is currently undergoing rest and reorganization. Your present task is to secure and consolidate the existing areas and to struggle against Li Xianzhou.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram from Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Wang Jiaxiang to Liu Shaoqi, Chen Yi, Luo Binghui, Huang Kecheng, and Peng Qingfeng.
[2] Tang’s Army refers to the troops under Tang Enbo.