To He Long, Guan Xiangying, and Others[1]

(April 13, 1941)

If Chiang Kai-shek ventures to attack Yan’an, we can still only decide on interior-line operations for the time being, not striking outward. The forces of the 120th Division must take into account both the defense of the Border Region and giving considerable attention to the two points in northwestern Shanxi.

Whether Chiang Kai-shek is determined to attack Yan’an depends mainly on Chiang’s attitude toward the Soviet Union. It will still take several days to see clearly what Chiang’s attitude will be after the conclusion of the Japan-Soviet treaty. However, we should now make arrangements based on the point that Chiang is determined to attack Yan’an.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram from Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Wang Jiaxiang, and Ye Jianying to He Long and Guan Xiangying, with a copy to Peng Dehuai and Zuo Quan.